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Studying evolution through the specialisations of burying beetles

Swastika Issar, PhD student, writes: “I’ve always been fascinated by how new species can emerge from the way populations adapt to their local environments. For my PhD, I worked on the burying beetles. These incredible insects turn the carcass of a small vertebrate, such as a bird or a mammal, into an edible nest for their larvae. I was interested in studying how local adaptations … Continue reading Studying evolution through the specialisations of burying beetles

Basking Beetles

Sara Steele, Museum learning assistant says: With 400,000 named species of beetle found across the world and over 4,000 species in the British Isles, beetles are a diverse bunch even among invertebrates. They come in all shapes and sizes, from long and thin soldier beetles to rounded ladybirds. This diversity points in part to their distribution; being found in every habitat except the sea and … Continue reading Basking Beetles

Photograph of a fela beetle

Zoology Live Day 6: A Week of Wildlife

Welcome back to the final day of our online Zoology Live festival. We hope you have enjoyed our week of wildlife. Today we have a series of short YouTube Live events, where we will be sharing this week’s wildlife findings and more with you. 11am: Moth Trap results! Museum Research Assistant Matt Hayes will be showing us the results of his moth trap, and will … Continue reading Zoology Live Day 6: A Week of Wildlife

Pondwatch Episode 2: Ed Turner

We’re back with another episode of Pondwatch. This time, Dr Ed Turner, our Curator of Insects, will be taking you pond-dipping and introducing you to some of the invertebrates living in his garden pond. Don’t have a pond but you’re thinking of creating one? Now is the perfect time. There are some brilliant websites out there with hints and tips on how to do this. … Continue reading Pondwatch Episode 2: Ed Turner

Burying beetle credit T. Houslay

Parental care in burying beetles

To celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month the Museum is sharing the stories of 27 inspirational women, alongside the animals they work with the most. Among the stories is that of the Director of the Museum, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, Rebecca Kilner. Professor Rebecca Kilner Director, Museum of Zoology “Research in my lab investigates how evolution works. We focus on burying beetles, but the principles … Continue reading Parental care in burying beetles