Trusted Ad Partner
Natural History: NHM celebrates major milestone as 6 million specimens are digitised
28 April 2025
By James Hamilton
By James Hamilton
Close up of the 6 millionth specimen to be digitised, a ground beetle, Calosoma sycophanta (l) and
curator Max Barclay holding the specimen (r) © NHMUK
The Natural History Museum has hit an incredible milestone - its six millionth specimen has officially been digitised! The honour goes to a fascinating forest predator: the forest caterpillar hunter (Calosoma sycophanta), a shimmering metallic-green ground beetle.
Although common across Europe, this striking beetle is a rare find in the UK and the Museum's collection includes just eight specimens, some of which were discovered inside the stomachs of birds.
This latest achievement highlights the Museum’s extraordinary efforts to open up its collections to the world. Thanks to the NHM's Data Portal, scientists and wildlife enthusiasts alike can now access detailed information on everything from the smallest insects to the largest marine giants - from a minuscule fairyfly wasp (Tinkerbella nana) to the majestic blue whale.
Over the last decade, the Museum’s team has pioneered new technologies to speed up the digitisation process. Innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) for data transcription and barcoding systems to minimise human error have allowed them to digitise millions of specimens faster and more accurately than ever before.
Helen Hardy, Deputy Head of Digital, Data and Informatics, explains:
"By digitising the Museum’s collection on the Data Portal, we are sharing vital data that shows how our world has changed over time. This information is essential for safeguarding the future of our planet. Already, more than 40 billion records have been downloaded in over a million download events, and over 4,500 scientific papers have cited our digital collection on topics from climate change to food security."
The forest caterpillar hunter has also helped unlock some surprising new knowledge. Using high-powered Hirox microscopes, scientists spotted tiny scales around the beetle’s mouth - lepidoptera scales, in fact, showing that its last meal was a moth. This is significant: while the beetle was already known to prey on caterpillars, this is the first scientific evidence confirming that it also feeds on adult moths.
Max Barclay, Senior Curator in Charge of Coleoptera at the Museum, adds:
"Our collections date back hundreds of years and provide an incredible baseline of biodiversity before major human interventions. Digitisation not only shares these resources with the world but is also leading to fresh scientific discoveries, like the diet of Calosoma sycophanta."
Ground beetles like the forest caterpillar hunter are vital allies against invasive forest pests such as the oak processionary moth and pine processionary moth, both notorious for devastating trees across Europe. Understanding the predators that help control these destructive species is crucial for forest conservation.
Looking ahead, the Museum plans to turbocharge its digitisation efforts even further with the development of a new collections, research, and digitisation centre in Reading. Digitising the entire collection - an incredible 80 million specimens - could bring an estimated £2 billion boost to the UK economy, opening up countless opportunities for research, conservation, and education.
Thanks to this project, rare and important specimens are now more accessible than ever before, empowering scientists, conservationists, and wildlife enthusiasts around the globe to deepen our understanding of the natural world.
📚 OTHER POPULAR STORIES TO READ:
Next article: Five essential tips when choosing a new nest box for your garden
Next article: SWAROVSKI OPTIK release light and compact ATC/STC spotting scopes
Next article: Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
Next article: Six of the best RSPB nature reserves to watch owls in the UK
Next article: The best nature reserves to head to in the cold weather
Next article: Endangered tansy beetle hides out at WWT Welney
Next article: Five essential tips when choosing a new nest box for your garden
Next article: SWAROVSKI OPTIK release light and compact ATC/STC spotting scopes
Next article: Five of our favourite springtime wildlife sights and sounds
Next article: Six of the best RSPB nature reserves to watch owls in the UK
Next article: The best nature reserves to head to in the cold weather
Next article: Endangered tansy beetle hides out at WWT Welney
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works