This is due entirely to a succession of curators who have specialised in one or another group of insects over the last forty years.

The collection reflects this expertise, with approximately 140,000 specimens. These were mainly collected in the British Isles and most have detailed data. The records of individual specimens are sent to a National Database where they are plotted on UK maps. The information produced tells us about each insect species’ distribution, how rare it is and how we can best preserve populations for the future.

One insect species present in the collections that has become extinct in the UK is the aspen leaf beetle (Chrysomela tremula). Nobody knows why it disappeared, but in Warwickshire it was numerous in a number of woodlands in and around Coventry. In fact the last known British example was taken at Tile Hill Wood in 1958.

An awe-inspiring collection, bequeathed by Dr Greenwood in 1990, contains 10,000 exotic butterflies creating a dazzling array of hues.

A CD-Rom showing some of the beautiful butterflies in our collections is now available from the museum shop.

In recent years, research has been carried out at county level into the populations of two regionally scarce beetle species; the bloody-nosed beetle and the aspen leaf-rolling weevil.  The museum plays a major part in the future conservation of these insects. For further information, please see the Warwickshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan.