It’s that time of year again – time for our Zoology Live! festival. This year we are working in partnership with the Amateur Entomologist’s Society to bring you a livestream and family event all on a theme of insects!

Scroll down to catch up on our live interview with Dr Erica McAlister, all about the amazing world of flies, to find out about techniques to study insects in the field, and to see amazing insect puppets created by members of our Young Zoologists Club.

YouTube Livestream Wednesday 18 June, 7-8pm

We had a few technical issues with our livestream this time around, but we have put together a compilation of how it should have been here, complete with subtitles:

Want to watch our interview with Dr Erica McAliser as it was live? Here is the link to the livestream itself:

Watch our interview with our very special guest Dr Erica McAlister, Principal Curator of Flies at the Natural History Museum in London, who answered all your queries about the often overlooked and underappreciated creatures that are the flies. These are insects that live everywhere and do everything. Flies are massively diverse, and include species that are important pollinators, species that clean up after us and other animals, species that live up the nostrils of camels… Discover these and many more with us.

We had a fantastic conversation, with loads of brilliant questions – too many questions for us to answer in the time we had! But Erica has very kindly answered those we couldn’t get through below:

Q. I would like to know how venomous flies inject venom into their prey.

A. Using their mouthparts – they will pierce the body of their victim.

Q. I’m currently studying biology in sixth form. What sort of advice would you give to someone hoping to follow in your footsteps?

A. Dedication. The work is often long and repetitive but the rewards for the hard work are great. I would recommend volunteering for either your local or national museum as well as volunteering for a conservation charity. I spend many hours studying insects to hone my skills.

Q. What species of fly has the longest and shortest life span?

A. Bit of a funny one that for often folks just talk about the adult stage. Some female chironomids are only an adult for half an hour. But then there is another species of Chironomid that can sleep for up to 13 years…..(as a larva). Some flies though, such as bluebottles, can have multiple generations very quickly over a couple of weeks.

Q. How similar is the fly digestive system to humans’?

A. Well, they need food like us and they have a long alimentary canal with a forefgult, midgut and hindgut.

Q. How smart are flies?

A. Lots of studies show that flies can learn simple tasks, and can learn different things.

Q. Can flies survive in snow?

A. Yes, there are flies that live in both the artic and Antarctica. Some flies are able to cryofreeze. There are wingless crane flies canlled snow flies known for being active on snow during winter. They can self-amputate freezing limbs to prevent the spread of ice crystals through the body.

Q. What are flies’ wings made up of?

A. Chitin – as is the rest of their exoskeleton but very thinly stretched.

Q. How much variety is there in a fly’s diet?

A. Across all the species, it is enormous. In fact flies are probably the most adventurous in their diets of all animals. I have caught flies feeding on the micro-organisms etc in a petroleum pit. Some flies have developed a taste for shoe polish. So flies will have a very diverse diet whilst others a very specific about what they eat.

Want to see some more flies?

Check out these flies in the collections of the Museum of Zoology.

How to Study Insects

Watch our Curator of Insects, Prof Ed Turner, showcase some of the techniques we can use to study insects in the field.

Minibeast Puppets by members of the Young Zoologists Club

On June 7, we ran workshops with members of our Young Zoologists Club creating and filming fabulous minibeast puppets. Here are the rather brilliant results:

Family Day, Saturday 21 June 10-4.30

Visit the Museum for an exciting day of hands-on activities, minibeast hunts, talks and more. We will be adding to the programme over the next couple of weeks, so watch this space!

Incredible Insect Talks: Department of Zoology Lecture Theatre

Want to learn about the latest in insect research? We have a series of talks by some of the top insect researchers in the world right here in Cambridge. These talks are taking place in the main lecture theatre of the Department of Zoology, the entrance to which is just opposite the end of the whale hall of the Museum. Look out for the signage, or ask a member of the Museum team if you are not sure where to go.

10.30-11.15 Bug Battles: Discovering the World of Insect Weaponry with Prof Christine Miller

Prof. Christine Miller is an evolutionary biologist who works with insects to discover how they evolved “weapons” to help them guard their resources and win mates. Christine will share photos and videos of insect battles, and you will learn about the diverse group of scientists working with her to improve our understanding of insect behaviour and evolution.

11.30-12.15 Tricky plant surfaces and skilful climbers with Prof Walter Federle

Most insects interact with plants, either as harmful herbivores, or beneficial pollinators and pest controllers. Plants can use slippery, spiky, or sticky surfaces to keep harmful insects away, promote beneficial ones or even catch insects as prey. Some insects have adapted to cope with even the most difficult plant surfaces. In this talk, I will show examples of insect-plant relationships where special plant surfaces and insect attachment mechanisms play an important role, including wax-running ants, puncture-resistant “fakir” caterpillars, and ants that dive for prey in the digestive fluid of pitcher plants. The mechanical adaptations of insects and plants can inspire novel technological applications.

14.00-14.45 How can we conserve “the little things that run the world?” with Prof Ed Turner, president of the Amateur Entomologist’s Society.

Prof Ed Turner is a conservation scientist who studies how humans are affecting insect numbers worldwide, and what conservationists can do to protect insects and the important processes they support in ecosystems. In this talk, Ed will discuss some of the evidence that insects are declining, looking at data from 90 years ago from the Museum of Zoology. We will then discuss ways that insects can be protected, including the important work that both the Museum of Zoology, and the Amateur Entomologist Society carry out to increase awareness of insects.

15.00-15.45 Life after death: how burying beetles breed on a dead body with Prof Becky Kilner

Leonard Tesch Lecture

Burying beetles are sometimes known as sexton beetles because they are the gravediggers of the insect world. They seek out a small newly dead animal like a mouse or songbird, bury the body and turn it into an edible nest for their larvae, who they look after diligently. This talk will reveal the extraordinary behaviours that underpin every step of their unusual breeding biology

Behind the Scenes Tours of the Insect Collection

Get a glimpse behind the scenes at the Museum of Zoology and discover the insect collection with an expert guide. See some of the amazing specimens that are not on public display. Half the tickets are available to pre-book before the day here, and half will be available to book in person on the day. Spaces are very limited, so if you book and find you can no longer attend, please cancel so we can make the space available to someone else.

Please note, this event is not suitable for children under the age of 12.

Tours will be taking place at 10.30, 11.15, 12.00, 14.00, 14.45 and 15.30.

Minibeast Hunts with the Amateur Entomologists’ Society

Explore Coe Fen, one of our local green spaces, for minibeasts with experts from the Amateur Entomologists’ Society. Find out about the beetles, bugs, grasshoppers, spiders and more that live amongst the trees and grasses. As this activity is taking place outdoors, please wear suitable footwear, and we recommend you bring suncreen and water.

Please note, this activity is not suitable for children under the age of 6.

Minibeast hunts will be taking place at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 14.15, 14.45 and 15.15.

Drop-in Activities

As well as the talks, tours and minibeast hunts, there are drop-in activities taking place throughout the day.

Stick Insect Handling

Join members of the Museum team to meet and handle amazing stick insects. This activity is taking place in the Whale Hall throughout the day.

Beautiful Passion Vine Butterflies

Discover amazing passion vine butterflies with researchers from the Department of Zoology. This activity is taking place in the Whale Hall throughout the day.

Create an Insect

Head down to the Discovery Space of the Museum to make your own insect. This activity is taking place throughout the day.

Make a Pledge for the Planet

Find our pledge station in the Discovery Space and make a pledge to help local wildlife and the environment.

Discover Moths

Meet some of the amazing diversity of local moths with the results of overnight moth-trapping. In the gazebos in the courtyard in front of the Museum most of the day (the moths will be released before the end of the event).

Wildlife Trust and Amateur Entomologists’ Society Stalls

Find out more about these amazing organisations at their stalls in the courtyard in front of the Museum all day.

Shop and Cafe

Remember, the Museum shop will be open all day, animal-themed books and gifts, including books by out expert from the Livestream Dr Erica McAlister.

The Whale Cafe will be open until 3pm.