Museums are More Than Collections

 What do you imagine when you hear the word "museum?" Walls covered with paintings? Dinosaur skeletons? Ancient agricultural implements?

Sure, museums are a repository of the stuff of our natural - and cultural - world. But they are way more that just places where researchers can examine collections.

Museums can inspire and exercise your creative mind. They are a place where you can learn something new. And they even provide opportunities for socializing. Not that you're going to engage strangers in conversation (though you can if you desire), but when you go with family and friends, a museum visit offers jumping off points for discussion. And, according to some research, going to a museum makes you happy.

 

At least it makes me happy because, let's just face it: museums are fun! Which is why, a couple weeks ago, I announced to all gathered at the breakfast table that we were headed up to the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, New York. It's filled with fossils and all things paleontological - but right now, and through the end of the year, they are featuring a fantastic exhibit about insects. And you KNOW I just LOVE insects!

 

 

 

The cool thing about insects is that there are so many kinds of them. An amazing diversity of bugs from beetles to butterflies, wasps to walking sticks, and everything in between. 

Not only is there great variation between species, but also within species. Take paper wasps, for example. Their size can vary depending on where they live. Their markings can vary, too - which is why they have learned to recognize individual faces. Cool, right? Check out this paper by Miller et.al. on cognition in Polistes fuscatus. Looking at the collection of pinned Polistes I could not tell them apart ... But I digress.

Then there is the diversity of adaptations to avoid being eaten. Some bugs disguise themselves as plant parts: twigs, thorns, leaves. Some use color to blend in with their surroundings, while others use design and color - such as eyespots - to frighten off potential predators.

Some bugs mimic scarier insects. Think of all those yellow-and-black flies and beetles that look like bees and wasps. Who wants to catch them!

And then there are the beetles and moths and caterpillars that pretend to be poop. Seriously - Best. Disguise. Ever!

And then there are the hands-on things to do: videos to watch, recordings of insect sounds, specimens to examine under magnification, a kid's corner with mazes and coloring sheets and books to read ...

And this is just one small part of the museum! Yes, I could spend an hour just chilling with the bugs - but there are fossils to find, extinction events to explore, and a very cute blue-legged hermit crab climbing a chunk of coral in the salt water tank.

Did my morning at the museum inspire my creative mind? Absolutely. 

Did I learn something new? Yes!

Did we talk about the exhibits later on? How could we not!

Six-Legged Science will be on display through December 2022. You can find out more about it at www.museumoftheearth.org/six-legged-science

 You can find out more about the role of museum collections in biodiversity conservation at this post, www.priweb.org/blog-post/insects-under-threat-the-role-of-natural-history-collections-in-biodiversity-conservation

And you can probably find me checking out the insects in and around my garden this fall, at least until it gets too cold for them.

Amazing Women in Wildlife Science

Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research 

by Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan 

‎224 pages; ages 12-up

‎Chicago Review Press, 2022

Do you feed the birds in winter? Help salamanders cross the road? Safely escort spiders from your kitchen back to the great outdoors so they won’t get squashed? If so, you are an Animal Ally, just like the wildlife researchers highlighted in this book.

Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan features stories about fifteen women scientists from around the world who study animals. And since Elizabeth is a birder, it makes sense that the first women we meet work with birds. That’s okay, though, because she’s got the book divided into sections for women who study arthropods, sea creatures, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals. So if you’re a bug-lover (like me) you can dive right into your favorite section first, and read the rest later.

Having said that, I confess that I did, indeed open up to the section about arthropod researchers. Back in the last century I was the “ant lady” at a camping area on the Sonoran Desert. I studied the foraging behavior of harvester ants, so I wanted to read all about Dr. Corrie Moreau and her ant studies. Her first studies involved scattering crumbs and watching ants gather and carry them back to their nest. Now she uses DNA to learn more about the evolution of ants. Then, Elizabeth interviews the Bug Chicks – who, if you don’t know about them, you need to. They make learning about bugs fun and have scads of videos at their website. And there was a wonderful chapter about an ecologist who studies spiders in the city.

Each chapter highlights not only the wildlife science the researcher is engaged with, but also puts it into context. Sure, the bird scientists are studying birds, but their research intersects with biodiversity and conservation and, too often, the challenges of a changing climate. The scientists in this book are passionate about sharing their knowledge with others, often young people. And there’s one more thing that comes through, as we read our way from one chapter to the next: these women challenge the assumptions of who can be a scientist and what a scientist looks like.

And then there’s back matter! Elizabeth includes resources for young naturalists – apps such as Merlin and iNaturalist, tips about camera trapping, encouragement for becoming a community scientist, and how to take action on climate change. Chapter notes provide opportunities to learn more about specific points she makes throughout the book. If I rated books, I’d give it 4 wings.

I caught up with Elizabeth by email a couple weeks ago, and just had to ask her One Question:

Me: What inspired you to write this book? And was it a "pandemic project"? (okay, two questions)

Elizabeth: Yes, I wrote the book during the pandemic. So many scientists were unable to be out in the field doing work, I was able to interview them. 

I love animals and wildlife and cared for a wide variety of pets when I was young. I love reading science biographies and I was a science educator for many years. I think those things combined inspired me to write this book. I had so much fun interviewing the scientists and I’m happy I was able to share their stories. 

Elizabeth is a member of #STEAMTeam2022. You can find out more about her at her website. 

 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ insects in the garden (still)

 The days may be getting shorter and (in some places) cooler, but there are still plenty of insects around. Butterflies, bees, grasshoppers, crickets ... and even woolly bear caterpillars looking for a place to curl up for the winter.

This week, pay attention to the insects you see. Where do you find them? What are they doing? How are they getting ready for the coming winter? 

 

While walking in a neighboring town last week, I came upon a beautiful pollinator garden. One of the plants was simply  buzzing with bees! The gardener happened to be around and explained the feathery blooms were "Kiss me over the Garden Gate" - a Victorian cottage garden favorite. The plant is native to China, but has a long history in American gardens going back to President Thomas Jefferson - who was a pretty passionate gardener.

  

 

 

My own garden has its fair share of bumble bees and carpenter bees and tiny native bees of all kinds. But I found this handsome hopper hiding in the basil! Love those stripy legs...