The Beauty of Insects:
Seeing Art in the
Entomological World

Title page from The butterflies of Great Britain, showing two butterflies, chrysalises and caterpillars

Title page from The butterflies of Great Britain (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.78(42) WES)

Title page from The butterflies of Great Britain (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.78(42) WES)

Beauty is not often the word that springs to mind when people think of insects. These creatures have for a long time been the centre of interest for artists and scientists alike.

‘The Beauty of Insects: Seeing Art in the Entomological World’ brings together scientific entomology books and literary works to showcase a selection of insects, through colourful illustrations, fables and poetry from Newcastle University Library's Special Collections and Archives.

The Butterfly

Butterfly on purple background
Illustration of different types of butterflies: Polymmatus Euphemus; Polymmatus Cyllarus; Polymmatus Minima; Polymmatus Argiolus; Polymmatus Damon; Polymmatus Corydon; Polymmatus Bellargus; Polymmatus Icarus; Polymmatus Astrarche; Ploymmatus Argus; Polymmatus Argiades

Illustration of Lycaenidae: Polymmatus Euphemus; Polymmatus Cyllarus; Polymmatus Minima; Polymmatus Argiolus; Polymmatus Damon; Polymmatus Corydon; Polymmatus Bellargus; Polymmatus Icarus; Polymmatus Astrarche; Ploymmatus Argus; Polymmatus Argiades, from European Butterflies and Moths (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.78 KIR)

Illustration of Lycaenidae: Polymmatus Euphemus; Polymmatus Cyllarus; Polymmatus Minima; Polymmatus Argiolus; Polymmatus Damon; Polymmatus Corydon; Polymmatus Bellargus; Polymmatus Icarus; Polymmatus Astrarche; Ploymmatus Argus; Polymmatus Argiades, from European Butterflies and Moths (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.78 KIR)

"We had a jar with a butterfly.

We opened the lid and it flew to the sky."


Extract from the poem 'The Butterfly Jar', from The Butterfly Jar, by Jeff Moss, 1989 (Book Trust Collection, F MOS BUT)

Illustration of the superfamily Papilionidae (European butterflies)

Illustration of the superfamily Papilionidae (European butterflies), from Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschriebungen – Supplement 4 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.78 KIR)

Illustration of the superfamily Papilionidae (European butterflies), from Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschriebungen – Supplement 4 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.78 KIR)

The Grasshopper

Grasshopper on green background
Illustration of a Gryllus Migratorius (field cricket)

Illustration of a Gryllus Migratorius (field cricket), from British Entomology: Being Illustration and Description of the Genera of Insects Found in Great Britain and Ireland (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CU)

Illustration of a grasshopper

Illustration of a grasshopper, from a Manual of entomology (19th Century Collections, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 BUR)

Gilded book cover showing animated version of a cricket

Gilded book cover showing animated version of a cricket, from Episodes of Insect Life (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 BUD)

Illustration of a Gryllus Migratorius (field cricket)

Illustration of a Gryllus Migratorius (field cricket), from British Entomology: Being Illustration and Description of the Genera of Insects Found in Great Britain and Ireland (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CU)

Illustration of a grasshopper

Illustration of a grasshopper, from a Manual of entomology (19th Century Collections, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 BUR)

Gilded book cover showing animated version of a cricket

Gilded book cover showing animated version of a cricket, from Episodes of Insect Life (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 BUD)

On the Grasshopper and Cricket

"The poetry of earth is never dead:
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead;
That is the Grasshopper’s—he takes the lead
In summer luxury,—he has never done
With his delights; for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.

The poetry of earth is ceasing never:
On a lone winter evening, when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The Cricket’s song, in warmth increasing ever,
And seems to one in drowsiness half lost,
The Grasshopper’s among some grassy hills."


Extract from the poem 'On the Grasshopper and Cricket' from Minibeasts: A Book of Poems, by John Keats (ed. Robert Fisher), 1992 (Alderson (Brian) Collection, Ald. Coll. FIS MIN)

The Bee

Bee on yellow background
Illustration of a Xylocopa Xylocopinae (carpenter bee)

Illustration of a Xylocopa Xylocopinae (carpenter bee), from Cassell’s Popular Natural History (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 590.2 CAS)

Illustration of a Xylocopa Xylocopinae (carpenter bee), from Cassell’s Popular Natural History (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 590.2 CAS)

"He must have thought I was a flower,

Cause he stuck himself in me."


Extract from the poem 'The Honey Bee', from Good Company Poetry: A Collection of Verse in Five Volumes (v.1), by William J Moughton, 1928 (Butler (Joan) Collection, 821.08 MOU)

Illustration of a Bumbus Terrestris (common bumblebee)

Illustration of a Bumbus Terrestris (common bumblebee), from The Naturalist Library (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 590.8 JAR)

Illustration of a Bumbus Terrestris (common bumblebee), from The Naturalist Library (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 590.8 JAR)

The Dragonfly

Spider on blue background
Illustration of the Libellula Depressa (broad-bodied chaser)

Illustration of the Libellula Depressa (broad-bodied chaser), from Popular British Entomology (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CAT)

Illustration of the Libellula Depressa (broad-bodied chaser), from Popular British Entomology (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CAT)

The Side-Stepping Pig

"I don’t think you would be very interested in our conversation,’ said the dragonfly… We are talking about colours and beauty, and you must admit pigs aren’t very colourful or beautiful…’

The pig’s pride was hurt. It shook its head sadly. ‘I’m afraid neither of you understand pigs very well.’ And it say down beneath the thorn bush. ‘I’m going to stay here whether you like it or not,’ it said…

‘My left wing reflects the sunset very nicely,’ boasted the dragonfly.

‘And I’m at my best in midsummer,’ said the flower.

They were certainly very vain. They talked on and on about colour. About pink and blue and green and crimson and orange and yellow and mauve and brown and silver. The colours rolled poshly off their tongues and the pig listened."


Extract from the fable 'The Side-Stepping Pig', from The Elephant and the Flower - Almost Fables, by Brian Patten, 1981 (Alderson (Brian) Collection, Ald. Coll. MCF EXP)

Illustration of the Libelulla (dragonfly, skimmers)

Illustration of the Libelulla (dragonfly, skimmers), from Exposition of English Insects (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 HAR)

Illustration of the Libelulla (dragonfly, skimmers), from Exposition of English Insects (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 HAR)

The Spider

Spider on blue background
Illustration of the Araneus Cavaticus (barn spider)

Illustration of the Araneus Cavaticus (barn spider), from The Insect (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 MIC)

Illustration of the Araneus Cavaticus (barn spider), from The Insect (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.7 MIC)

"I have fought a grizzly bear,

Tracked a cobra to its lair,

Killed a crocodile who dared to cross my path;

But the thing I really dread

When I’ve just got out of bed

Is to find that there’s a spider in the bath."


Extract from the poem 'Granny Spider' from Mini Beasties, by Micheal Rosen, 1993 (Book Trust Collection, F PUF MIN)

The Beetle

Beetle on brown background
Illustration of Coleoptera (beetles)

Illustration of Coleoptera (beetles), from Illustration of British Entomology v. 1 & 2 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.70942 STE)

Illustration of Coleoptera (beetles), from Illustration of British Entomology v. 1 & 2 (19th Century Collection, 19th C. Coll. 595.70942 STE)

Of the Beetle and the Eagle

"The beetle had despised the eagle for some time when he began to think of how to get revenge at any cost. He looked everywhere to find the eagle’s nest and destroyed the eggs upon finding them…"

"Zeus commanded the eagle to lay his new eggs in Zeus’ lap in order to keep them safe for the foreseeable future.

‘However, even at the edge of Olympus (the home of the Gods) the eggs were not safe, as the beetle successfully crawled to the top of the mountain and found himself crawling underneath the eggs. When Zeus saw the eggs move, he was so rattled that he threw the eggs from his lap, which fell down to earth."


Extract from the fable 'Of the Beetle and the Eagle' from De Scarabeo & Aquila’, Aesopi Phrygis Fabulæ: Iam Recenter Ex Collatione Optimorum Exemplarium Emendatiùs Excusae: Unà Cum Nonnullis Variorum Autorum Fabullis Adjectis: et Indice Correctiori Praefixo, by Aesop, 1667 (Bainbrigg Collection, Bai 1667 AES)

Illustration of a Tenebrionidae (darkling beetle)

Illustration of a Tenebrionidae (darkling beetle), from British Entomology: Being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects Found in Great Britain and Ireland, v. 1 (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CUR)

Illustration of a Tenebrionidae (darkling beetle), from British Entomology: Being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects Found in Great Britain and Ireland, v. 1 (Entomology Collection, Ent. Coll. 595.70942 CUR)

Find Out More

Newcastle University Library Special Collections & Archives collects, preserves, promotes and provides access to unique and distinctive books and archives. These resources are made available not only to our own University staff and students, but to researchers from other institutions and to the wider community.

To find out more about our holdings please look at our Collections Guide. To discover how you can consult materials see  Using our Collections.

Items used in this online exhibition were originally on show for visitors in the Special Collections exhibition space at the Philip Robinson Library and was curated by two Museum and Gallery Studies students as part of their placement module. The exhibition is also in collaboration with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), where the students curated the exhibition ‘The Beauty of Plant Science: Seeing Art in Botany’, on display in the Library at the Great North Museum: Hancock (until December 2019).

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