Science behind the scenes. . .

Recently I took a group of bug crazy children behind the scenes at the Oxford University Natural History Museum www.oum.ox.ac.uk/ to see for themselves the active entomological research going on behind the museums hidden doors. I do not want the children, who are mustard keen at the moment, to grow up thinking entomologists hide away in old dusty rooms smelling of moth balls!! This was a trip designed to make them understand what an entomologist does in the museum when they are not traveling to the far reaches of our planet in search of new species and discoveries. They met Darren Mann, the man who brings 'seriously cool' into entomology and who is also Assistant Curator and Collections Manager of the Hope Entomological Collections. He has had the honor of having many beetles named after him and is devoted to studying the scarab family. It was the most fantastic experience for the children! They learnt what happens to specimens after they are collected. How they are stored, maintained, identified, studied and labelled. They saw some of Charles Darwin's specimens and Dr. David Livingstone's famous tsetse fly as well as the awe inspiring site of the myriad of invertebrates from all over the world. They learnt how species identification can be time consuming work and how up to date technology is used. They even got the chance to help practically with some of the museums live invertebrate exhibits. The science of entomology became very alive for these children and each one went home inspired and enthused - mission accomplished, fabulous!