Wie geht es unseren Insekten?

In the organizer's words:

Insects are the most species-rich group of animals on earth, but are increasingly threatened by human activity. In his lecture, Dr. van Klink will discuss the recent changes in insect biodiversity and the causes of these developments. At the end of the lecture, he will explain concrete measures we can all take to help protect insects and other wildlife.

Lecture by Dr. Roel van Klink (iDiv) as part of the current special exhibition "Insect knowledge. Historical books and specimens on entomology" in the Bibliotheca Albertina.

The exhibition
May 8 to August 9, 2026 in the exhibition room of the Bibliotheca Albertina (Leipzig)
Mon.-Mi.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. / Thu.-Sun.: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Website: ub .uni-leipzig.de/insects
Free admission.

Insects and books have an ambivalent relationship. While magnificently colored insect books are among the special treasures of a library, feeding galleries in the books show that paperfish and beetles are also interested in historical literature.

The exhibition at Leipzig University Library provides exciting insights into the history of entomology and presents its valuable collection of historical entomological books. The focus is on insectological literature from the 18th century. At that time, interest in insects was growing by leaps and bounds; collecting beetles and butterflies became a real trend. The young entomology experienced a massive boom, above all due to the dissemination of 'insect knowledge' in books.

In addition to the insect books, models and specimens from the Zoological Collection of the University of Leipzig are on display. In addition to questions about the presentation and organization of insects, the handling of unwanted insects in the library will also be discussed. And in keeping with the theme, the exhibition itself will undergo a metamorphosis and change its appearance over the course of the summer.