Annual Exhibition | Bugman Jones

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The insects of Holborn

Posted on November 9, 2014 | 6 comments

Saturday 8 November saw the British Entomological and Natural History Society’s 2014 Annual Exhibition move to the Conway Halls, Red Lion Square, Holborn. I used to work round the corner from here and it’s not all that much changed since 25 years ago. I like the workaday down-to-Earthness of Holborn; with neither the swagger and expense of the West End, nor the pompous grandiosity of The City. The Conway Halls proved just the right setting for the society’s event. So, here’s a selection of photographs:

: A trivial aside. Just opposite from the Conway Halls. Named after the same ancient Greek city as a very rare click beetle Lacon querceus. And is either laconic?

: The usual view.

: The change to a smaller venue was an astute move on the part of the society: it makes the place look much more crowded.

: The view from the stage.

: Claudia Watts opening the proceedings. You wait years for a woman president of the society to come along, then two arrive together.

: A different glow-worm; always exciting.

: Not in my compost bin yet.

: I have a great affection for Doros, this one found by Richard Dixon in Hampshire. It was in the first exhibit I ever brought to the exhibition (in 1976 I think), when I saw it in several places all over Sussex. Never seen it since.

: Must look out for this Mongolian invader.

: Actually not Trypocopris (=Geotrupes) vernalis, so what is it?

: Beer was available.

: Despite the disreputable grubbiness of Mr Foster’s glass, the long forehead horn of Odontaeus is clearly visible.

: Stooping.

: More stooping.

: Identifying someone by the back of their neck is a useful skill.

: Either Mr Telfer is showing off by exhibiting a bit of a beetle, or he muffed his setting.

: I’m not the only one finding the gypsy moth in the London area.

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Posted in General Stuff

Tagged Annual Exhibition, BENHS, British Entomological and Natural History Society, Conway Halls, Holborn

More peering into glass-topped cases is called for

Posted on November 17, 2013 | 1 comment

Saturday saw the return of the British Entomological and Natural History Society (BENHS) Annual Exhibition. I’ve been before, many times.

For the last….what, 20 years?… the Annual Exhibition has been held at Imperial College, in South Kensington, but the hall hire there finally got too much, and this year it removed to the Premier Suite of the grandstand at Kempton Park Racecourse.

People and exhibits seemed a bit thinner on the ground than last year. It’s always difficult to compare when moving to a new venue. But those who were there got straight down to the important business of peering into glass-topped cases.

Here is a more or less random selection of snapshots. Next year, a return to Central London (Holborn) has been mooted. Watch this space.

: One of Britain’s rarest beetles, just flew into a garden picnic party. Or was it attracted to pheromones on Peter’s shirt? That’s cheating.

: A test using the add-on macro lens on the phone camera. Not bad. Syncopacma vinella, first UK record for 20 years, and quite pretty…for a moth.

: Two partial gynandromorphs of the orange-tip, most bizarre.

: A fun item from Mark Sterling — largest and smallest moths from Hong Kong.

: President-elect Claudia Watts claimed the cat ate her homework. In fairness all it did was release the moths and play with them a bit until one fell into the washing up water.