There aren’t many insects out and about at this time of year but on a warmer day you may see clouds of winter gnats (Trichocera annulata and related species) ‘dancing’ in the sunlight.

Trichocera sp. swarming © Tuomo Tuomikoski, CC BY-SA 4.0

What persuades these small flies to come out in the depths of winter? Well, the dancers are males hoping to attract females. It’s thought that gathering together in a group like this makes it easier for the females to spot them. The trouble is, each individual male then has to compete for her attention!

If you are out for a walk, it may seem that a group of gnats is following you around; that’s because they are! If you are the warmest thing around, they will stay near you and make the most of your body heat.

Winter gnat (Trichocera annulata) © Steve Kerr CC BY 4.0

You don’t need to worry about being bitten: although these gnats look a bit like mosquitos, they are completely harmless. The adults aren’t interested in drinking your blood, they feed on nectar. The larvae can be found in leaf litter, feeding on fungi, leaf mould and other decaying matter.

You can find out more about Trichocera on the Bug Life website: https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/bug-directory/winter-gnat/

January 24, 2022January 5, 2022

Kate1 Comment

Treasures from the Museum Library and Archive

Maria Sibylla Merian’s Insects of Surinam

The Library here at the Museum of Natural History is lucky enough to hold a copy of Maria Sibylla Merian’s Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium (Insects of Surinam). This large and stunningly beautiful book by the German artist, scientist and adventurer, Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717), was published in 1705. Trained as a professional artist, Maria studied insects and observed their metamorphosis from an early age. She could be described as one of the earliest entomologists.

A woman truly ahead of her time, at the age of 52 she travelled with her daughter to the newly-founded South American colony of Surinam to study insects. Maria carefully recorded what she found in the most fantastically detailed drawings and paintings which were later published in the form of a book.

The illustrations show insects in all stages of their life cycles, increasing knowledge of metamorphosis at the time. By showing insects in their natural settings and on their preferred vegetation, she also highlighted the relationship between insects, plants and other animals. Not only are the illustrations beautiful but they are also very accurate and detailed enabling them to act as the basis for the naming and identification of a number of species.

“Maria Sibylla Merian must have been an incredible woman to undertake such a journey in 1699 without patronage or being accompanied by a man. Once in Surinam, she also had to withstand the conditions of a newly-formed colony, which must have been very basic. She is definitely a figure to be admired as a pioneering role model for women
and I love showcasing her work.”
Danielle Czerkaszyn, Librarian and Archivist, Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History

January 17, 2022January 10, 2022

SusieLeave a comment

Cartooning with Chris: Adding perspective and colour

Previously, Chris Jarvis showed us how to draw a mighty Minotaur Beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus) complete with its own ball of dung! In this video Chris returns to add some finishing touches to this picture. He shows us how to convey the size of the beetle, and how to use colour to great effect.

We’d love to see any pictures you draw of insects, whether it is an ant, bee, caterpillar or your very own Minotaur beetle. Share with us at hopelearning@oum.ox.ac.uk.

January 10, 2022January 11, 2022

oumnhhope3 Comments

Red-Tailed Bumblebee

If you see a big jet-black bumblebee with a red tail in Britain, its probably the Red-tailed Bumblebee, Bombus lapidarius. If it has a scruffy white collar, then its a male.

The Red-tailed Bubmblebee has extended its range northwards in recent years and is now common throughout Britain. It can often be seen in parks and gardens. The workers have short tongues and forage on flowers like daisies and thistles which have a big area for them to land on and are made up of small florets, each with a little nectar. Leaving dandelions to grow in the spring helps provide food for these and other insects early on in the growing season.

Let dandelions grow in spring to help insects. Image credit: Pixabay / Claudiu Mladin CC0

The Queens nest under stones and so are sometimes disturbed when these are moved. If you find one like this, have a look without disturbing it then just put the stone back. They may also enter our homes through open windows in search of nesting sites.

The Red-shanked carder bee, Bombus ruderarius, can look similar but is much scarcer in the UK. While the Queens of B. ruderarius are smaller. the workers of the two species can be a similar size. You can tell the difference by looking at the back legs. B ruderarius has red pollen baskets on its otherwise black legs, whereas the leg hairs of B. lapidarius are all black.

Lincoln Kwong was one of the participants at our Summer school in August. He was so inspired by the HOPE collections team at the museum that he decided to start his own insect collection. One of his first specimens was a dead red-tailed bumblebee that he found in his garden. He preserved and pinned this and recorded the data following advice from James.

Bombus lapidarius. Image credit: Lincoln Kwong

Let us know if you have your own collection. You can get in touch using the CONTACT US page. We’d also love to see any pictures any would be happy to feature them in our PHOTO GALLERY!

Featured image credit: Gail Hampshire CC BY 2.0

January 3, 2022December 15, 2021

Kate1 Comment

Events 4U in ’22!

Happy New Year! We hope 2022 is full of exciting times and awesome insect discoveries. We are SO excited because this year, we are inviting you to join us for FREE Crunchy on the Outside events here at the museum. Come and take part in some fabulous activities specially designed for young people, aged 10 – 14, interested in natural history and insects in particular. Keep an eye on this blog for news of forthcoming events.

Read on to find out more about the first event happening in February half term and how to book!

Insects under the Lens – Wednesday 23^rd February 2022, 1 – 3pm

Intrigued by insects? Join us to take a closer look at some of the museum’s 5 million insect specimens under a variety of different lenses. We will be using microscopes and digital photography to reveal beautiful details of insect anatomy not visible to the naked eye. This workshop promises to unlock some of the secrets of the insect world and develop your powers of observation!