Irreplaceable insect specimens have been stolen from the Museum! Help us solve some insect-based clues to unmask the thief. Explore behind-the-scenes at the Museum to learn about the importance of the entomology collection, and why it must be protected.
Here are all the details you need:
WHAT: FREE workshop – The Case of the Stolen Specimen
WHEN: Tuesday 31st May 2022 , 1pm to 3pm
WHERE: Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW
Celebrate National Insect Week by taking a closer look at the wonderful world of insects on our doorstep.
Come out and about with us to learn how to find insects outside. You’ll even get a chance to make and use an insect pooter. We will start by making our pooters in the Museum and then – weather permitting – will test them out in University Parks. There will also be a chance to try out other entomological collection methods.
Here are all the details you need:
WHAT: FREE workshop – Insect Field Craft
WHEN: Saturday 25th June 2022 , 10am to 12pm
WHERE: Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW
Biodiversity is an exhibition at the Museum of Natural History that explores biodiversity through the celebrated art of Kurt Jackson and reflections from reserchers at Oxford University.
What is biodiversity?
The word Biodiversity describes the variety of life. In any one place, the range of living things, including plants, animals, and bacteria, is called its biodiversity. It is used as a measure of how well or poorly natural life is coping with stresses like loss of habitat, pollution or climate change. The higher the number of different species, the greater the biodiversity. Biodiverse habitats are healthier because they can cope with change. When there are many different plants and animals, a change is unlikely to affect them all so many will survive.
Daddy Long Legs by Kurt Jackson
Because human activity has an impact on biodiversity we have a responsibility to look after the health of ecosystems. Each habitat has its own distinctive biodiversity, from the fields and forests, seas and streams, to the increasingly buit up places where we humans tend to live. Under the water, on a mountain, in your garden; what lives there?
What’s in the exhibition?
This exhibition shows artworks made by artist and environmentalist Kurt Jackson. The art was made in a number of different locations across the UK. Alongside it, there are displays of specimens from the Museum’s collection. These highlight the range of species found in landscapes across the UK. The artwork and museum specimens have been combined with responses from biodiversity researchers at the University of Oxford. How can we understand it? How can we protect it? What does it mean to us all?
“Daily, during my time spent making art outdoors, I notice the life around me – the plants and animals that share these places with me.”
Kurt Jackson
Insects and biodiversity
Scientists measure biodiversity by looking at the abundance and distribution of species.
Abundance describes how numerous species are. Because they are interested in changes over time, scientists often measure relative abundance: how numerous species are compared to a point of time in the past.
Distribution describes how wide the area is over which species are found. Relative distribution compares this to a point in the past.
Both these measures are important. For example, having large numbers of many different species (high abundance) is good, but if they are restricted to a small area (low distribution) then they are vulnerable.
Change in relative abundance of 76 moth species. Defra 2019.
Rather than trying to measure the numbers of all the plants and animals in a habitat, scientists often monitor indicator species. These are particular plants and animals that tell us about the health of whole ecosystems. Insects can be indicator species. For example,in the UK, the Department for Environment, food and Rural Affairs (Defra) monitors 76 species of moth (as well as many other plant and animal species).
Visiting the exhibition
You can visit the Biodiversity exhibition in the Main Court of the Museum until 15 May. Entrance is free and there is no need to book
If you would like to investigate biodiversity where you live, take a look at some of our suggestions and resources for Finding and Identifying Insects.
Are you aged 10 – 14? Then join us for a FREE Crunchy on the Outside event here at the museum this Easter.
A Game of Life Cycles – Tuesday 12th April 2022, 1 – 3pm
Discover more about the stages of insect life cycles, then make and play your own insect-themed board game. Can your insect make it through all the stages of metamorphosis to become an adult? Can they overcome the challenges along the way and lay eggs to make the next generation?
Here are all the details you need:
WHAT: FREE workshop – A Game of Life Cycles
WHEN: Tuesday 12th April 2022 , 1pm to 3pm
WHERE: Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW
When the weather is chilly there aren’t many insects about, but we still have lots of online ‘Crunchy’ insect activities for you to try. We hope they will boost your insect expertise!
How to spot an insect
What makes an insect an insect? How to spot an insect is an introduction to insect anatomy: the body parts that make up an insect. Discover the key features entomologists use spot insects and how insects are different from some of their close relatives. You can then test yourself with our quick quiz!
Insect ID
Ever wondered what that insect is? Insect ID takes you into a deeper exploration of the ‘Big 5’ groups of insects in Britain:
beetles
bees, wasps & ants
butterflies & moths
true flies
true bugs.
Discover the differences between them, learn how to spot each type and put your skills to the test with our ID challenge.
Know your bees
There is more to bees than hives and honey! Know your bees explores some of the rich variety of bees found in Britain. We’ve also included some tools to help you make your own observations of bees.
If you’d like to go a bit further and, as the weather gets a bit warmer, get outside and do some investigating of your own, why not try one of our inset investigation ideas:
Different flowers asks whether different types of flower attract different insects
Insect Pollination investigates the range of important insect pollinators (it’s not just bees!)
Time of day explores whether different insects visit flowers at different times of day
We would love to hear how you get on. Get in touch using the comments below or the Contact Us page.
Drop in to the museum for this fun family Science Fair on Saturday 12th March, 12-4pm. Meet experts to find out more about tiny creatures like insects, spiders and more!
No need to book – just come along and, whilst you are in the museum, why not join us for our Insect Show: Insects: Beasties or Besties.
Insects: Beasties or Besties Family Science Show
Saturday 12th March, 1pm and 2.30pm
Ages 6+
Come along to our fun and interactive family show all about insects. You’ll meet a visitor to the museum, with a dislike of insects, who is confronted by a giant talking dung beetle! The unlikely pair take a journey, looking at the wonderful, and vitally important, role of insects in our world.
Please note that the show will be held in the Museum’s Lecture Theatre which has a capacity of 195 seats and social distancing will not be in place. Visitors are encouraged to wear a face mask for the duration of the show and hand sanitiser will be available when you enter/exit.
At this time of year, after the long winter months, we are all looking for signs of Spring. One thing that entomologists look forward to is the first sightings of bee-flies. These very cute, furry flies start to emerge in late February and early March.
Bombylius major, the dark-edged bee-fly, is one of Erica McAlister’s favourite British insects and she tells us why in this video.
Find out more about Bee-flies
To find out more about bee-flies, check out this page on theDipterists Forum. There is also an excellent guide to bee-fly identification which you can find here.
In addition, the Dipterists Forum run an annual Bee-fly Watch which gathers together records of sightings. This is really important for monitoring changes in distribution and flight period. You can contribute to this important science project by adding your sightings here:
Crunchy on the outside 