Arthropod Collection (#25)

Willemite
A specimen of willemite (zinc silicate) photographed under UV light

Scientist working in Entomology Department
Entomologist working with arachnid collection at the Natural History Museum, London

Scientist identifying specimens
Entomologist identifying arachnid specimens held at the Natural History Museum, London

Weevil specimens
Specimen drawer of weevils held at the Natural History Museum, London. Weevil beetles are characterised by their long snouts or rostrums

Rothschild fly
A mounted specimen of a Rothchild fly held at the Natural History Museum, London

Chrysis rudii, ruby-tailed wasp
An illustration of a ruby-tailed wasp (Chrysis rudii)

Anax imperator, emperor dragonfly egg
This spindle-shaped egg of the emperor dragonfly is typical of a species that lays its eggs inside the stems or leaves of plants. Next to the egg is the prolarva

Philonthus dictator, rove beetle

Titanus giganteus L. titan beetle
The titan is the largest beetle in the world. Measuring between 12 and 20 cms in length, this specimen was 15 cms. They live in the rainforests of French Guiana and Brazil

Scientist at work
Entomologist studying beetle specimens at the Natural History Museum, London

Burnet moth
Plate 2 from 298 water-colour drawings of insects and larvae (1622) by C. Flegel

Octopus vulgaris, common octopus
Octopus model with Homarus gammarus, European lobster in Origin of Species Gallery at the Natural History Museum, London

Locust model on display in the Creepy Crawlies gallery at the Natural History Museum, London

Argiope bruennichi, wasp spider
The wasp spider is a non-poisonous species from the Mediterranean that is now also found in southern England. Specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London

Historical specimens from left to right
Specimen jars containing a hawkfish from the first Endeavour voyage, two female swimming crabs collected on the Investigator voyage and Eleginops maclovinus, collected during the Beagle voyage

Adult ticks from domestic cattle in East Africa
These ticks are engorged with their hosts blood. To minimise the risk of drying out, they are plugged with cotton wool and usually inverted inside jars of spirit

Notostomus perlatus, caridean shrimp
Specimen jars containing type specimens of the caridean shrimp (Notostomus perlatus). Type specimens provide a vital point of reference for taxonomists seeking to confirm an identification or

Copepod parasite
Specimen jar containing copepod parasites, which live on the body surface of salmon and in large numbers can cause damage to the fish. Specimens held at the Natural History Museum, London

Scientist at work at The Natural History Museum, London
Accurate identification of copepod crustaceans is a time consuming task for specialists, requiring meticulous sorting, dissection, and the use of high resolution microscopy

Various specimens
Specimen jars containing various sea and land creatures

Acronicta rumicis, knot grass moth
Knot grass moth (Acronicta rumicis) and an iron prominent moth caterpillar (Notodanta dromedarius) by J. Bronckhorst. From Collection of Drawings by Dutch Artists, 17th-19th centuries

Deilephila elpenor, elephant hawk moth caterpillars
Two elephant hawk moth caterpillars by H. Hengstenburgh. From Collection of Drawings by Dutch Artists, 17th-19th centuries. Held in the Entomology Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Butterfly lifecycle
Plate 109 from 298 water-colour drawings of insects and larvae, Frankfurdt 1622 by C. Flegel

Butterflies
Plate 86 from 298 water-colour drawings of insects and larva (1622) by C. Flegel. Held in the Entomology Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Saturnia pyripavonia, emperor moth
Plate 1 from 298 water-colour drawings of insects and larvae, Frankfurdt 1622 by C. Flegel

Herochroma mansfieldi, moth

Bhutanitis (Yunnanopapilio) mansfieldi, two-tailed Bhutan gl
A two-tailed Bhutan glory butterfly collected by George Forrest in 1918. Specimen held at the Natural History Museum, London. Viewed from underneath

Butterflies on display
Detail of drawer R19/251 containing George Forrests specimens of Lepidoptera in the M. J. Mansfield collection drawers

Army biscuit enquiry, 1920s
Troops in South Africa and Mauritius found that biscuits sent out had been infested with moths, and become inedible. John Hartley Durrant of the Zoology Department was asked to investigate

Charles Badcock, gatekeeper, c. 1920
Charles Badcock, Police Constable no. 209, began work at the Museum in 1902, aged 43. In 1910 he joined the Museum staff as a front gatekeeper

Sympetrum striolatum, common darter dragonfly
Emerging from the larval skin, which may take over two hours. The head and thorax begin to burst out of the larval skin

Merops leschenaulti, chestnut-headed bee-eater
Plate 33, watercolour by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn from her Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous, (1858)

Viola patrinii and wild flowers
Kotagherry wild flowers with feeding butterflies. Plate 6 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held at the Natural History Museum, London

Desmodium and wild flowers
Kotagherry wild flowers with feeding butterflies. Plate 10 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held at the Natural History Museum, London

Lysimachia leschenaultii, primrose family
Butterflies feeding on Lysumachia Leschenaultii. Plate 14 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held at the Natural History Museum, London

Collection of birds feathers
Plate 25 from Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous (1858) by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928)

Wild Flowers, kotagherry and six butterflies
Wild Flowers, Kotagherry and six butterflies. Plate 37 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held in the Botany Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Wild honey comb
Plate 42 from Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous (1858) by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928)

Gloriosa superba, flame lily
Two butterflies feeding on flame lily (Gloriosa superba). Plate 47 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held in the at the Natural History Museum, London

Kotagherry Wild Flowers & Strawberries
Plate 50 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held at the Natural History Museum, London

Gentiana sp. blue gentian
Plate 63 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928). Held at the Natural History Museum, London

Mussaenda speciosa
Plate 66 by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn (1829-1928)

Papilio ecclipsis, hoax butterfly species
This insect was uncovered as hoax by John Curtis. It is infact a European brimstone butterfly with patches carefully painted on its wings. Specimen from the Linnean Society photographed by the NHM

Specimen jars containing crustaceans
Shelves of specimen jars containg crustaceans

Preparation of skeleton material using the larvae of Dermestes maculatus (hind or leather beetle) to eat the flesh

Leucozona lucorum L. hoverfly
Adult female Hover fly (Diptera: family Syrphidae) feeding on clover flowers. Hoverflies resemble bees and wasps. Most adult hoverflies feed on nectar and pollen

Tabanus autumnalis, horse fly
Original painting of a horse fly by Amadeo J. E. Terzi, (1872-1956)

Todiramphus sanctus, Malurus melanocephala
Drawing No. 43, watercolour by George Raper (1792) from The Raper Collection

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