Ashleigh Whiffin from the National Museum of Scotland will deliver this Aberdeen Entomological Club seminar entitled “Romance on carrion: the necrophagous insects”. It will be held at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen (and screened to the Institute’s Dundee site).
Carrion insects provide a great service to us by feeding on the carcasses of dead vertebrates and recycling these nutrients. As well as playing a vital role in cleaning up our environment, these insects can also be used in forensic entomology. What is really fascinating however, is their behaviour. Carrion is a limited resource, so those with a taste for rotting flesh must have a competitive edge. From flies that larviposit to beetles that bury, these insects display a range of interesting behaviours that help them find a mate and reproduce.
The talk starts at 4pm with light refreshments available from 3.30pm.
For further information, please contact Jenni Stockan [1], Environmental & Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK. Office: +44 (0)1224 395 239, or Jennifer Slater [2], Ecological Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA.
Links:
[1] mailto:Jenni.Stockan@hutton.ac.uk
[2] mailto:Jennifer.Slater@hutton.ac.uk