Arthropod Collection (#23)

Danaus plexippus, monarch butterfly
The monarch, also known as the milkweed is the largest butterfly found in the U.K. It is not a native butterfly, but is a rare visitor from the U.S.A

Moths of the family Saturniidae
Mounted specimens of the Emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia Linnaeus) and the great peacock (Saturnia pyri) moths. Moths are nocturnal insects

Comma, Polygonia c-album
Mounted specimens from the collections of The Natural History Museum

Encrinurus punctatus, trilobites
A specimen of rock containing several fossils of the Trilobite Encrinurus punctatus. Encrinurus had eyes on stalks and grew to a size of approximatey 5cm

Angelina, stretched trilobite
Angelina grew up to a length of 6cm. The thorax was made up of 15 segements with spines. Trilobites were arthropods and had exoskeletons as crustaceans, spiders and insects do today

Swimming crab fossil
Fossilised specimen of a swimming crab found in Folkestone, England. Swimming crabs still inhabit British shores today. They have flattened, paddle-like back legs to assist in swimming

Bia actorian, South American butterfly wing
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the fore-wing of the South American butterfly (x 2500)

Insect in amber
An Eocene centipede trapped in Baltic amber about 35-40 million years old. Amber is a natural, translucent fossil resin

Calymene blumenbachii, trilobites
Specimens of this Devonian trilobite in various positions. Trilobites had a carapace, or shell. Trilobites were arthropods as crustaceans, spiders and insects are today

Tegenaria gigantia, house spider
Its usually the males which are seen struggling in baths, as they tend to wander in searching for females and get stuck. The males have longer legs and slimmer abdomens that the females

Lycaena dispar, large copper
Mounted specimens of the large copper butterflies from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Danaus plexippus, monarch caterpillar
The stripy caterpillar of the monarch butterfly feeding on a leaf. The monarch is the largest butterfly found in U.K but is not actually native

Chrysopilus sp. fossil fly in amber
This Baltic amber specimen is Oligocene and from East Prussia. It has been polished to make a pendant with the beautifully preserved fly as a centre piece

Fossilised Mesolimulus
This fossil, Mesolimulus, a horseshoe crab, is an impressive 40 centimetres long. Preserved in the fine mud of a lagoon in Solenhofen, Germany, about 150 million years ago

Spider trichobothrium hair
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the base of a trichobothrium hair (x 1, 000). The hair is an air-movement sensor extending from the pit in the cuticle of a spiders leg

Abliguritor niger, fossil spider in amber
This Oligocene spider, about 1 cm long, is encased in amber from the Baltic

Malus coronaria L. 1877, sweet crab apple
An illustrative plate of sweet crab apple tree foliage and blossom from the Natural History Museum Botany Library Plate Collection

Moths of the family Notodontidae
Mounted specimens of the swallow prominent, coxcomb prominent, pale prominent, small chocolate-tip, figure of eight, pine processionary, and oak processionary moths

Anomalocaris canadensis, arthropod
This arthropod originates form the Burgess Shales in Canada

Halcyon leucocephala, grey-headed kingfisher
Ff. 60. Watercolour painting by George Forster annotated Alcedo cancrophaga made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Anopheles sp. anopheline mosquito
Female mosquito feeding. The female requires a diet of blood to ensure the successful maturation of her eggs

Porcellio sp. woodlouse

Sketch for The Natural History Museum, London
An rough architectural plan drawn by Richard Owen in 1859 entitled Idea of a Museum of Natural History. The plan was referred to by Alfred Waterhouse in the creation of the Natural History Museum

Waptia fieldensis, arthropod
The arthropod Waptia fieldensis, found in the Burgess Shale of Canada

Fossilised Archaeogeryon peruvianus, Miocene crab
Fossilised specimen of the Miocene crab (Archaeogeryon peruvianus). Nicknamed Edward Scissorhands, this crab lived some 22 million years ago off the shores of South America

Dryocopus pileatus, pileated woodpecker
Plate 111 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Calymene blumenbachii, trilobite
A well-known convex Silurian trilobite originating from Worcestershire, England. Trilobites were arthropods as crustaceans, spiders and insects are today

Biceratops, trilobite
Biceratops, a Cambrian trilobite. Trilobites had a carapace, or shell was divided into three parts. Trilobites were arthropods as crustaceans, spiders and insects are today

Fossilised Acanthochirana cordata, prawn
Fossilised prawn specimen from Solenhofen, Germany dating from the Upper Jurassic, 250 million years ago

Butterflies of the family Pieridae
Mounted specimens of the brimstone, (Gonepteryx rhamni) and cleopatra, (Gonepteryx cleopatra) butterflies. Both these species have colour forms which vary from very pale yellow to a deep yellow-orange

Calliphora vicina, blowfly or bluebottle
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image showing the smaller units making up the compound eye of a blowfly

Limnothlypis swainsoni, Swainsons warbler
Plate 198 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Insects in copal
Two flies trapped in copal from East Africa - Rhagio sp. and Chrysopilus sp. Specimens date from modern to pleistocene (2 million years ago). Copal is a more mature form of amber

Inachus dorsettensis, scorpion spider crab
Photograph of a scorpion spider crab (Inachus dorsettensis)

Fossilised millipede (Class Diplopoda)
This fossil is preserved in a siltstone nodule of Carboniferous age from the Yorkshire Coalfield. Length 63mm (unstraightened), length of nodule 76mm

Aporia crataegi, black-veined white butterfly
Two mounted specimens of the black-veined white butterfly from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Carcinus maenas, European shore crab
Specimens of this invasive crab, which has spread well beyond its native range and is threatening ecosystems the world over

Insect collection by James Petiver (1663-1)
This late 17th century insect collection is unique in that the specimens are mounted and preserved between sheets of the mineral mica

Inachis io (Linnaeus), peacock butterfly
A mounted specimen a peacock butterfly, family Nymphalidae from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London

Ammodramus savannarum, grasshopper sparrow
Plate 130 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Phacops rana, trilobite
A Devonian trilobite from Ontario, Canada. A convex trilobite with eleven thoracic segments; the eyes include a few very large lenses

Eriocheir sinensis, Chinese mitten crab
A detailed section of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriosheir sinensis) showing the carapace. This species of crab originates from the Far East but it is now evident that it has taken up residence in

Anthophorites titania, fossil bee
A well preserved specimen of the body of a bee. Legs and abdomen can clearly be seen

Dendroica pensylvanica, chestnut-sided warbler
Plate 59 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1827-30), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Verbascam ferrugineum & Tropidacris collaris
Rusty mullein, with South American grasshopper. Drawing by Georg Dionysius Ehret, 1747. Image used in The Chelsea Gardener Philip Miller (1990) by Hazel Le Rougetel, page 187

Glaucopsyche lygdamus, xerces blue
Xerces blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) butterfly specimen from San francisco bay, now thought to be extinct

Chiggers, larvae of trombiculid mites
Lizards have pockets within their skin where chiggers accumulate. These pockets offer ideal living conditions. Each pocket has thick walls that repair quickly

Papilio, butterflies
Illustration and text by John Abbot: No 38, 39 & 40 Papilio taken 5th March. Common it may be met with most parts of the summer and autumn, the caterpillar is rarely met with

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