National Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has hundreds of scientists, researchers, curators and collection managers who connect people everywhere to life’s unfolding story. Here is a sampling of the unique voices that make up the chorus of ideas at the museum.

The parasitoid samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus, is one of many microscopic wasps being studied and sometimes used as biocontrol agents in the fight against invasive species. (Elijah Talamas, USDA)

How Tiny Wasps Became Agricultural Defenders

February 23rd, 2021, 6:00AM

/ BY Abigail Eisenstadt

The broad-tailed hummingbird uses its fiery throat feathers, called a gorget, to attract a mate. (Kati Fleming, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Eight of Nature’s Wildest Mating Rituals

February 11th, 2021, 6:00AM

/ BY Emily Leclerc

Plants and animals around the globe use a wide variety of evolutionary strategies to survive harsh winters.

How Seven of Nature’s Coolest Species Weather the Cold

December 10th, 2020, 6:00AM

/ BY Erin Malsbury

The National Museum of Natural History’s entomology collection has many Asian giant hornets. Recently, the collection grew with new specimens from an eradicated nest in Washington State. (Matthew Buffington, USDA-ARS)

Family Members Follow Original Asian Giant Hornet to Smithsonian

November 17th, 2020, 6:00AM

/ BY Abigail Eisenstadt

Six Avatar-Themed Items in the Smithsonian Collections

August 25th, 2020, 6:00AM

/ BY Margaret Osborne

The Smithsonian’s National Mosquito Collection has about 1.9 million specimens from around the world that researchers use to study diseases like malaria. (Paul Fetters for the Smithsonian)

Get to Know the Scientist in Charge of Smithsonian’s 1.9 Million Mosquitoes

August 20th, 2020, 6:00AM

/ BY Erin Malsbury

The National Museum of Natural History’s Lepidoptera collection holds up to half of the world's species of hawk moths, important pollinators for many wild ecosystems. There are over 1450 species of hawk moths in total on Earth. (Smithsonian)

Why Hawk Moths are the Underdogs of the Pollinator World

June 22nd, 2020, 6:00AM

/ BY Abigail Eisenstadt

The Asian Giant Hornet, Vespa mandarinia, can grow up to two inches long and is a species not native to North America. The National Insect Collection, co-curated by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), houses one of the first specimens collected in North America (Michael Gates, USDA).

Notorious Asian Giant Hornet Finds Home in Smithsonian

May 21st, 2020, 10:20AM

/ BY Abigail Eisenstadt

Invasive species like lionfish can harm natural, human, and economic health. (Barry Brown)

Five Species to Wrap Up Invasive Species Week

February 28th, 2020, 1:01PM

/ BY Margaret Osborne

These bumblebees were part of a mass digitization project at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Pinned underneath each bee is important information about where the bees were collected, when and by whom. (Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Institution)

Digitization Allows Public Access to Smithsonian’s Hidden Collections

February 26th, 2020, 11:57AM

/ BY Margaret Osborne

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