• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

  • Visit
    • Buy Tickets
    • Visitor Information
    • Exhibitions
    • Events
    • Dining at the Museum
    • Celebrate at the Museum
    • Powdermill Nature Reserve
    • Event Venue Rental
  • Learn
    • Field Trips
    • Educator Information
    • Programs at the Museum
    • Bring the Museum to You
    • Guided Programs FAQ
    • Programs Online
    • Climate and Rural Systems Partnership
    • We Are Nature Podcast
  • Research
    • Scientific Sections
    • Science Stories
    • Science Videos
    • Senior Science & Research Staff
    • Museum Library
    • Science Seminars
    • Scientific Publications
    • Specimen and Artifact Identification
  • About
    • Mission & Commitments
    • Directors Team
    • Museum History
  • Tickets
  • Give
  • Shop

Illustrating the Head of an Inchworm (caterpillar of Lepidoptera: Geometridae)

by Jane Hyland

scientific illustration of an inchworm

Teamwork between scientists studying insects (entomologists) and illustrators is an important part of museum-based scientific research.  This important collaborative aspect between the scientist and the illustrator is instrumental in identifying and clarifying important characteristics of the specimen for identification purposes. Scientific illustration allows observers to see and study certain tiny features that are barely visible under the microscope, but which the scientist is familiar.

By studying and illustrating distinctive morphological features of specimens, the illustrator can choose to emphasize or ignore entirely different characters, increasing the visibility of important structures for accurate identification. For example, the placement of tiny sensory hairs (setae) on the head of this common moth caterpillar (inchworm) may be emphasized by the illustrator as important for identifying this species.

Jane Hyland is a Scientific Preparator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

sidebar

About

  • Mission & Commitments
  • Directors Team
  • Museum History

Get Involved

  • Volunteer
  • Membership
  • Carnegie Discoverers
  • Donate
  • Employment
  • Events

Bring a Group

  • Groups of 10 or More
  • Birthday Parties at the Museum
  • Field Trips

Powdermill

  • Powdermill Nature Reserve
  • Powdermill Field Trips
  • Powdermill Staff
  • Research at Powdermill

More Information

  • Image Permission Requests
  • Science Stories
  • Accessibility
  • Shopping Cart
  • Contact
  • Visitor Policies
One of the Four Carnegie Museums | © Carnegie Institute | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Accessibility
Rad works here logo