From the 1800s into the 1900s, there was an unconventional scientific competition: entomologists all over the world were racing to see who could describe the most new species, which inevitably led to an unprecedented level of documentation of the world’s insect diversity.   One group of insects that received a great deal of attention in the midst of this rivalry was the crane flies (Tipuloidea). In North America, several naturalists — such as Baron Osten Sacken, Rennie Doane, Francis Walker, E. E. Bergroth and Charles Paul Alexander — each described tens to hundreds of species ..read more

This story was originally published on The Drexel News Blog, by Emily Storz.   Sean O’ Donnell, PhD, a professor of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science in Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences, believes putting insects on camera can help society see the integral role they play in the preservation of our natural world – and ultimately humankind. As a biologist O’Donnell works with host of social insects and arthropods (bees, ants, wasps, termites, social spiders) – and he’s contributed to documentary films for over 15 years as an ant expert. Some of his ..read more

While Philadelphia may not seem like an ideal habitat for wildlife, the city and county actually have a variety of green spaces, such as the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, the United States’ first urban wildlife refuge, to support plenty of different plant and animal species — including bees. But how many different kinds of bees call this city home? We reached out to Drexel University student and Academy co-op Liz Otruba to discuss what the bee population at the refuge really looks like.  Tell us about yourself.  I am an environmental science senior in the Biod ..read more

Keeping 200 years’ worth of historical knowledge and 19 million specimens (and counting) in good working order is no easy feat. Not only does it require precision, care and patience, but also a whole lot of eager curiosity. We reached out to Arthur Fink, a current Drexel University Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science co-op in the Academy’s Entomology Collection who recently led a big tidying-up project of enormously important insect specimens, to learn more about what goes on within the quiet — and neat — shelves of our biocollections.   Tell us more about yourself.  I’m a ..read more

The intricate shapes, colors and structures of insects are dizzying in their variety, but without the power of an optical microscope or camera lens, their astonishing complexity remains mostly hidden to the human eye. Until now.  A new exhibition opening Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University presents a new perspective on insects and reveals their unexpected and often breathtaking beauty. Microsculpture: The Insect Portraits of Levon Biss is a series of beautifully lit, high magnification portraits that capture the microscopic form of insects in incredi ..read more

Many organisms use sound to communicate with others of their own species, to find a mate and to deter predators. Grasshoppers, crickets and katydids, all in the insect order Orthoptera, are among those that produce species-specific sounds, and scientists use these sounds to identify one species from another.  Daniel Otte, PhD, the Academy’s emeritus senior curator of entomology, is a leading expert on Orthoptera communication, having described and named over 1,850 species, including nearly 25% of the world’s 5,000-plus cricket species. He pioneered the recognition of species-specific son ..read more

Often mistaken for an infamous bloodsucker, the elegant and ephemeral crane fly is actually unrelated to the mosquito and an important part of many different ecosystems. Wanting to learn more about this interesting insect, the Academy reached out to Maddie Worth, a Drexel student in the Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) who is working closely with our own Curator of Entomology and BEES Professor, Jon Gelhaus, on a major study of the spectacular biodiversity of the crane fly.  Tell us more about yourself.  I am a fifth-year environmental studies ..read more

“Butterflies are often a first point of introduction for many into nature,” writes Vaughn Shirey, first author of an astounding paper published in a very prestigious Nature journal, Scientific Data, that presents the largest and most comprehensive global compilation of butterfly trait data to date.  Shirey, who is also an alum of Drexel University’s Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) Department and a previous co-op at the Academy, spoke with us about their life-changing student experiences that led to this research success, as well as the importance of studying but ..read more

 With the arrival of everyone’s favorite invasive plant hopper — the spotted lanternfly — the Academy reached out to Drexel’s Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science (BEES) alumna, Emma McKee, to learn more about how to catch these insects using more specialized, effective traps that minimize harm to wildlife.  Tell us more about yourself.  I graduated in March 2022 with my bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Drexel’s BEES department. I have a particular penchant for entomology, or the study of insects. I find the diversity of insect life on this planet to be ..read more

A Renaissance still life offers so much more than first meets the eye, especially when a blossoming bouquet is the focal point. A perfect example is the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Still Life with Flowers in a Vase, a 1617 painting by Flemish-born Dutch painter Christoffel van den Berghe. Still Life with Flowers, 1617, by Christoffel van den Berghe (Dutch, c. 1590 – c. 1642) Cat. 648 The oil-on-copper painting, which hangs in Gallery 362 on the third floor, is accompanied by a label filled with insights into the marvelous flowers. It explains how the artist “collected an impossible ..read more