Olibrus Cinerariae

Thomas Vernon Wollaston published this drawing in his book ‘Insecta Maderensia’ in 1854. In the book he thanks Westwood for providing the illustrations, ‘Particularly, however, would I draw attention to the valuable help which I have received from J. O. Westwood, Esq., whose pencil has been so elaborately employed in the figures which I am thus enabled to attach, and by whom many of the minutest of the dissections were accomplished, — with a degree of delicacy, moreover, to which I did not myself at the commencement of this Work (though I have since succeeded in anatomizing the larger portion of them, likewise) lay claim.’

89. Olibrus Cinerariae, Woll (Tab. II. fig. 9.). Wollaston wrote the following about this species:

‘A large and most elegant Olibrus [...] It is apparently exceedingly rare, or at any rate local, occurring principally at high elevations, and in remote spots, within the sylvan districts. It would seem to be confined to the flowers of the Cineraria aurita, the purple clusters of which are so conspicuous on the damp perpendicular rocks of lofty altitudes. I have captured it, sparingly, near the head of the Ribeiro de Santa Luzia in May ; and, more abundantly, in the upland region of the Cruzinhas, during July.’

Object Summary

Accession Loan No.
495/1911
Collection Class
Drawings
Medium
watercolour on paper
Common Name
Olibrus Cinerariae
Simple Name
drawing
Period Classification
Victorian (1837-1901)
Production Town
Production Date
1850
Production Person Initials
John Obadiah
Production Person Surname
Westwood
Production Year Low
1850
Production Year High
1850

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Olibrus Cinerariae Woll