Waking the Dead: Inside the insect collection at National Museums Scotland

Abstract

• The phrase “insect collection” often conjures up images of Victorian naturalists chasing down rare butterflies with their nets and attaches a stigma to these important resources. The insect collections held in our museums are a vital resource for understanding how species are related to one another and how they are changing over time. Ashleigh will delve into the insect collections of National Museums Scotland and showcase how their collections are contributing to scientific research. Ashleigh Whiffin is a curator at National Museums Scotland, where she is responsible for the care, curation and development of the insect collection, containing approximately 2.5 million specimens, as well as dealing with research loans, enquiries and hosting visitors to the collection. Her research interest is focused on carrion ecology and her specialism is Silphidae (Carrion Beetles), coordinating the National Silphidae recording scheme, in her spare time. Passionate about engaging a diverse audience with insects, Ashleigh regularly conducts outreach and sits on the Royal Entomological Society’s Outreach committee.