Published on Show Me Mizzou Dec. 19, 2024
Ozark Clubtail Dragonfly. Six-spotted Tiger Beetle. Red-spotted Purple Butterfly. The Enns Entomological Museum, part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, has spent a century and a half meticulously collecting, preserving and showcasing these insects and roughly 7 million other specimens from the Ozark Plateau and beyond. Founded in 1874 by C.V. Riley — an entomologist and artist known as the “father of modern entomology” — the museum began with his donation of a private collection. To celebrate its 150th anniversary, in November the Enns opened to the public for a day to offer a rare look at its historic bugs and fossils. Today, Enns is a premier research hub supporting Missouri’s biodiversity, conservation and ecological education.
To read more articles like this, become a Mizzou Alumni Association member and receive MIZZOU magazine in your mailbox. Click here to join.
