Dr Ed Turner, Lecturer in the Cambridge Department of Zoology, Curator of Insects at the University Museum of Zoology, and Fellow of Clare, talks about insects, their diversity and importance, and in particular about their conservation. Continue reading Conserving the little things that run the world
There is some amazing wildlife on your doorstep if you know where to look. Professor Bill Amos of the Department of Zoology writes about looking closely at insects: ‘In these times of lockdown, a little bit of nature goes a long way. We have a small garden in central Cambridge and I thought I would challenge myself to photograph a new insect every day. Of … Continue reading Insect-eye view
Spring is in the air. Birds are nesting, frogspawn is hatching, and insects are buzzing all around. To celebrate, why not try some of our activities all about animal lifecycles, inspired by the collections at the Museum of Zoology. We have arranged these activities by type of animal. Make nests and make a sock puppet to experiment with the colours of chick mouths in the … Continue reading Animal Lifecycles
Discover the extraordinary life of bee-flies with our Curator of Insects, Dr Ed Turner. Continue reading The wonderful world of bee-flies
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. Esme Ashe-Jepson Museum of Zoology “My PhD investigates the effect of temperature on British butterflies, focusing on caterpillars, using a mix of both lab and field research. As each life stage of a butterfly varies in both form … Continue reading Do caterpillars like it hot?
Even a small garden can provide a home for several thousand species of insects and other minibeasts. Although a very small minority may not be popular guests, the vast majority will undertake important natural processes and improve the health of your garden. Many will pollinate your plants, break down decaying material to fertilise your soil and even eat the few ‘pests’ that may be causing … Continue reading A warm welcome for minibeasts
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
Museum of Zoology Blog 