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Moving on up

Moving on upAs the scaffold is noisily constructed around us, the roof work is about to move even higher into the heavens. To support the workers at the highest levels of the roof, a ‘winged’ platform must be extended through spaces made in the glass tiling and out to the external rooftop for anchorage.

There are 8,500 glass tiles on the roof, although around 2,200, in the south aisle, have already been stripped and cleaned during the first phase of the repair work last year. In the current phase a further 360 tiles have been removed so far.

The majority of the tiles are from the original Victorian construction, but there have been some later replacements, installed after high winds caused slates in the swift tower to fly off and smash the glass. These later tiles will be removed and replaced with new ones containing a UV filter sandwich layer.

On Thursday and Friday this week, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is hosting this year’s University Museums Group Annual General Meeting. Delegates from the meeting were treated to a view of the higher reaches of the roof thanks to a special tour by the project architects Purcell.

Moving on up

Moving on up

Moving on up

Scott Billings, Communications coordinator

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Archiving the Aardvark

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Image: Mike Peckett

This aardvark is looking decidedly grumpy but this undignified treatment is for his own good!

With scaffolding rapidly filling the Museum, almost all of our specimens have been moved, boxed or wrapped to protect them during our closure year. For many, this is simply to make sure they don’t get a bump or a scratch while all the roof repairs are going on, but for our furry and feathered friends, we have other concerns.

Bethany Palumbo, Conservator of Life Sciences explains:

“As the display cabinets were boxed up for the duration of the renovation, we felt it was important to remove taxidermy specimens that were vulnerable to insect pest attack. Specimens such as birds and mammals have fur and feathers which are very appetising to a variety of small insects, including Webbing Clothes Moth (Tineola bissilliella). These moths can destroy entire specimens in a relatively short time, eating both the fur or feathers and the skin.  If an infestation occurred within a display case, we wouldn’t know about it until it was too late. So, we spent a week removing and safely packing up many display specimens. They now are stored on the upper gallery and are accessible to staff who might want to use them. The conservation department will be documenting the condition of the specimens and will clean them up before they return to display”.

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Image: Mike Peckett

Here, Education Assistant Simone Dogherty (left) is helping Bethany (right), to carry out final preparations before the aardvark joins his companions in the Museum’s storage space. So the aardvark’s neatly wrapped snout and ears will ensure he doesn’t get damaged and the well-sealed bag will guarantee he remains pest-free for the year ahead.

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Image: Mike Peckett

I must also include this lovely photo of a little tenerec getting the VIP treatment for his year in storage.

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Image: Mike Peckett

I look forward to seeing the aardvark and all our other animals back on display and looking their very best (with no nibble marks!) next year.

Rachel Parle, Education Officer

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The Etymology of Entomology

Honorary Associate Dr George McGavin and Assistant Curator Darren Mann of the HEC will both be putting in an appearance on the BBC Radio 4 program ‘The Etymology of Entomology‘ which is being broadcast this Saturday, the 9th of March at 10:30 (BBC Radio 4 FM: 92.5–96.1).

“Zoologist Dr. George McGavin delves into the strange and often bizarre names given to the planet’s insects.

There are an estimated 10 million living insect species, with new specimens being discovered almost daily. Entomologists are turning to ever more imaginative names, referencing everything from literary figures, celebrities and politicians to playground puns.

George takes us into the complex and intriguing world of the taxonomist. From the 18th century father of modern taxonomy Carl Linnaeus to the present day, he explains why naming the things that surround us is the foundation of all science.
There are flies named Pieza kake and S. beyonceae (after the singer); beetles with political connections – A. hitleri, A. bushi, A. cheneyi and A. rumsfeldi; and some entomologists have even named discoveries after romantic conquests. Unsurprisingly, names can prove controversial but, once set, are difficult to change.”

We hope that this will be a fun introduction for anyone who has questions about how and why we name species in the way that we do. We will be writing blog posts in the future that tackle the subjects of taxonomy and classification in both the broader sense and the minutiae so for the moment, let us leave you with a selection of our favourite fun names of insects and animals:

 

EDIT: An article about the radio show has now appeared on the BBC News website in the Science and Environment section.
 
 

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    (Reading) Up on the roof

    Court

    With the view from the gallery looking quite different these days, I was inspired to pull out some historic photographs from the archive of the roof’s original construction. Hoping for a glimpse of what to expect once it’s returned to its original glory, I also discovered some interesting facts about the architectural feats required to raise the roof the first time around.

    The Museum was designed by the famous Irish architectural team, Deane and Woodward, which won the contract through a contest held by the Museum Delegates in 1854 (the Museum opened in 1860). One of the few stipulations of the contest was that the design had to feature a glass and iron roof to cover the court, and that the Museum had to be built for less than £30,000.

    OUM roof

    The design of the roof was quite innovative for the time, but the budget for construction was tight: originally £5,216. However, Skidmore, the iron-worker employed to execute the building of the roof supports, proposed that it could be done for much less if wrought iron, a cheaper and more malleable metal than cast iron, was used instead.

    Pillars

    In fact, a further £2,000 was needed to complete this magnificent and heavy piece of construction because of this miscalculation on Skidmore’s part: the stronger cast iron was indeed needed to construct the load bearing pillars that held the glass roof safely in place. Wrought iron was still used for some of the work and, being more malleable, it proved the perfect choice for the intricate detailing that was planned for the pillars.

    As Skidmore himself stated, it “held out the possibility of uniting artistic iron-work with the present tubular construction, and a prospect of a new feature in the application of iron to Gothic architecture.”

    And so it was. More than 150 years later the roof remains visually impressive, even if it is a little leaky around the glass work. The picture below shows the current preparations for repairs that will restore the roof to its original splendour, ready for the Museum’s reopening in 2014.

    Current roof work

    by Kate Santry, Head of Archival Collections

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    A date for everyone’s diary


    <!–[if !mso]>st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]–>
    We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting the BENHS for their Member’s Day/AGM on the 23rd of March.

    “The Society was founded in 1872 as the South London Entomological and Natural History Society and since its inception has always included amongst its members many of the leading entomologists of the day.

    The objectives of the Society are the promotion and advancement of research in entomology with an increasing emphasis now being placed on the conservation of the fauna and flora of the United Kingdom and the protection of wildlife throughout the world”.

    The department has in the past, greatly enjoyed hosting the BENHS and other societies for a variety of different events and we hope that this occassion will be as entertaining as the others. We expect it to be a busy day, with staff dividing their time between the lecture theatre, the collections and socialising with members. We will be on hand to try and answer any questions people may have about the collections or entomology in general as well as to make sure that there is plenty of tea and biscuits avaliable to help fuel the thinking.

    Details of the meeting, which is open to members and non-members alike, can be found below. 

     ~
    BRITISH ENTOMOLOGICAL & NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
    AGM and Members’ Day Programme Saturday 23rd March 2013
    Hosted by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
    Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW
    All of the meeting is open to both members and non-members, although only members are allowed to vote on any motions put to the AGM.
    Exhibits of live or dead insects, photos, literature, posters etc. will be most welcome. Please display these in the lecture theatre when you arrive. They may then be viewed and discussed during the lunch break.
    Within the UK, the Hope Entomological Collections are second in size and importance to the national insect collection at the Natural History Museum, London. The collection houses over 25,000 arthropod types, and comprises over 5 million specimens.  The collection includes many specimens of great historical interest from such sources as the Hope-Westwood and Verrall-Collin collections. 
    For those wishing to consult the collection during the day, please contact the department in advance: entomology@oum.ox.ac.uk

    .

    Programme for the day
    10.15   Arrive, coffee/tea, display of exhibits

    10.50   Welcoming remarks and introduction to the day

    11.00   Galls and their insects. Margaret Redfern (University of Sheffield and British Plant Gall Society)

    11.35   21st century insect arrivals in the UK.Sharon Reid (FERA)

    12.10   The effects of extreme fluctuating temperatures on aphid life history traits. Christopher Jeffs

                (University of Oxford). Student presentation

    12.30   Facing up to Beetles. Michael Darby (BENHS)

    12.50   Something different. Glenda Orledge (BENHS) Please bring a pen or pencil for this item

    13.00   Lunch and viewing of exhibits (bring your own packed lunch or forage in one of the nearby pubs or

    eateries)

    14.00   Society notices

    14.15   Annual General Meeting with elections, reports and Presidential Address (PTO for AGM notice)

    15.00   Extreme Insects. Richard Jones (BENHS). By special invitation of the President

    15.45   Conclusion of the AGM and Tea

    16.00   Tour of the entomological collections,led by Darren J. Mann

    16.45   Close of meeting