Insect, Animal, Art

I find myself seeing insects in a different light lately. Sure, the sun's rays might now cast longer shadows off the tattered wing of a butterfly, and the sight of a bumble bee hovering over late-blooming goldenrod is becoming more and more infrequent as we lose hours of daylight. But that's not what I mean by a different light. After recently taking part in an art class where I used a microscope to gain a closer view of butterfly wings, I can appreciate their beauty from another perspective. A scale, proboscis, the hairs on a leg--all necessary parts for these insects had once been inherently glanced over when inventorying a pinned beetle, wasp, or moth specimen. Now my eyes are opening up to the beauty of insects--and in more ways than one. 

Insects became highly regarded when the Museum's exhibit committee met last winter to develop an exhibit featuring native pollinators. We blew up photos to show off their amazing adaptations and painted connections between pollinators and the flowers that they partner with. We were delighted to learn that so many more insects than we had originally thought--even flies and beetles--are part of pollinating plants that we use for food, medicine, and textiles. I wager we all grew to appreciate the beauty of species we had just become acquainted with through our research. Even after the exhibit was completed, our fun with insects continued from there.

"Pollinator Power!" invites visitors to explore the world of insect
(and bird) pollination in the Northwoods through interactive displays.

Later on in the summer I was part of a pastel painting class. Artists used photos that we took of butterfly wings to create beautiful abstract pieces. I never thought to look at insects with an artistic eye quite like that before. Most artists who visit museums for inspiration are transfixed by the megafauna--taxidermy mammals and birds. Those animal mounts are quite the appropriate subjects, but insect specimens are just as fit.

A digital microscope lends wonderfully to capture a new perspective
of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). 

Using butterflies in an art class reminded me that I had been let on to a website that my summertime collections volunteer had created with his entomology supervisor. Insects Incorporated functions as a working database of cultural entomology. Featured in the online compilation are references to insects found in ads, jewelry, poetry, theater, paintings, textiles, and so on. An artistic appreciation for insects certainly extends far beyond abstract paintings. As a curator, I then naturally began to think that if insects can be such an overwhelming influence on our culture, then why not celebrate our collection?

"Utah's Busy Beehives," an article page submitted to Insects
Incorporated website. Symbolism of a skep in popular
culture, as in the examples found in the article, are intended
to refer to bees and/or honey.

I had become so fascinated by these small creatures this summer that I decided I wanted to share their value with our visitors. First of all, insect collections allow us to learn about what has happened and help us to make predictions about the future. They're a resource for science and for understanding the ever-changing world around us. And yet we understand the world through a variety of lenses. The impact of insects on human life has been acknowledged in not only science but also visual arts, literature, language, and even religion. As I write, I'm in the midst of developing a display of our insect collection that will highlight their aesthetic value. I've been drawing inspiration from creative, sometimes even cringey insect art installations like those created by artists Jennifer Angus, Damien Hirst, and displays found at museums in Costa Rica and China.

Damien Hirst's Tate Modern exhibit required the death of over 9,000 butterflies
which were used as a medium for his large mosaics.

By contrast, the Museum's humble collection of butterflies, moths,
and other insects includes many that were found and pinned after death.

I think that this focus on insects in the art world is a beautiful thing. It's another way to get us thinking about insects, and hopefully about how important they are when alive. The estimated number of species of insects currently rivals that of any other group of organisms on earth, and the biomass of all living insects likely exceeds that of all terrestrial animals. Unfortunately, insect populations are at a staggering decline and that's something for all of us to be seriously concerned about. Beyond lending to artwork, insects are valuable as pollinators of plants that are used for food, medicine, and textiles, as decomposers of dead organisms which are recycled back into the soil, and agricultural pest control. They hold a great deal of economic, cultural, and intrinsic value, so let's celebrate that.