Silver longhorn beetle

Cerambycinae

The larvae of some longhorn beetle species are able to bore very efficiently through solid wood using strong cutting mandibles. Study of the mandible shape and chewing action of these larvae led to the development of more efficient chainsaws in the 1940s, an excellent example of how studying nature can inspire new technologies. To the naked eye this species has a velvet-like surface texture. Closer inspection reveals an unusual arrangement of hairs pressed against the surface in chaotic, swirling patterns.

Collector: Robert Buxton
Kenya, 1976

Colonial networks can have an unexpected influence on the origin of insect specimens in museum collections. This longhorn beetle comes from the Tsavo National Park in Kenya, which was created in 1948 by the then British colonial government. Researchers from the University of Oxford, including Robert Buxton, subsequently visited the park to assess the impacts of an increasing elephant population on biodiversity, due partly to the formation of the National Park. This beetle was collected during one of their field trips.