George Diehl, of Crestwood, is an amateur entomologist who has been collecting insects across North America -- mostly Missouri -- for the past 60 years. The majority of his collection can be found on the third floor of the City Museum inside the room called the George L. Diehl Jr. Insectoriu…
George Diehl, right, speaks to the Aguilar family, from San Francisco, about a wasp nest he collected. 鈥淚 thought a hobby was something a little more demanding. That鈥檚 why I try to get people interested in stuff like this,鈥 says Diehl.
George Diehl places a pin in the abdomen of a moth on May 17 at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Diehl鈥檚 Parkinson diagnosis has made pinning insects increasingly difficult. 鈥淪ometimes I get everything in there and I tear the wing off," Diehl says. "Or I鈥檝e got it pinned and dried, I move them, and I break the antenna off. It gets frustrating.鈥
George Diehl views an insect through a magnifying glass on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl has collected insects for over 60 years and is the proprietor of the insect collection at the Insectorium at the City Museum.
George Diehl combs through a box of pinned insects on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl鈥檚 basement workshop features insects that are duplicates of what can be found in the City Museum, and other specimens that he has collected.
Photos: The amateur entomologist behind the City Museum鈥檚 insect collection
George Diehl returns to his work space inside his Insectorium on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Diehl is the operator and proprietor of the insect collection found on the third floor of the City Museum.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
Moths, wasps, and equipment used to pin insects are seen on George Diehl鈥檚 work station on May 10, 2024, at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. 鈥淚 always tell people it鈥檚 a hobby,鈥 Diehl said about his collection. 鈥淚 never took a class on animals or insects. Never had anything. Not even biology.鈥
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl views an insect through a magnifying glass on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl has collected insects for over 60 years and is the proprietor of the insect collection at the Insectorium at the City Museum.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl, right, speaks to the Aguilar family, from San Francisco, about a wasp nest he collected. 鈥淚 thought a hobby was something a little more demanding. That鈥檚 why I try to get people interested in stuff like this,鈥 says Diehl.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl carefully pins an insect on May 17, 2024, at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Diehl collected all of the insects in the Insectorium, aside from a case of specimens that this brother acquired on a trip to Okinawa, Japan.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl prepares for his weekly insect pinning workshops inside his Insectorium on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. 鈥淕et them out in the world", says Diehl about educating children about insects. See what鈥檚 out there and stay away from the TV where everything is predictable.鈥
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl places a pin in the abdomen of a moth on May 17 at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Diehl鈥檚 Parkinson diagnosis has made pinning insects increasingly difficult. 鈥淪ometimes I get everything in there and I tear the wing off," Diehl says. "Or I鈥檝e got it pinned and dried, I move them, and I break the antenna off. It gets frustrating.鈥
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl lifts the lid of a display case after showing it a visitor the contents inside on May 17, 2024, at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Almost all of the insects in the Insectorium are from North America, and about 95% of those are from Missouri.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
Tweezers, scissors, glasses, and other tools used to pin insects are carefully organized on George Diehl鈥檚 work station on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at his home in Crestwood.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl combs through a box of pinned insects on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl鈥檚 basement workshop features insects that are duplicates of what can be found in the City Museum, and other specimens that he has collected.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
Small vials of aquatic insects are seen in George Diehl鈥檚 workshop on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at his home in Crestwood. Diehl鈥檚 collection in the museum hosts 40 years of his work as an amateur entomologist.
Zachary Linhares, Post Dispatch
George Diehl flips through the pages of a book on insects on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at his home in Crestwood. 鈥淪tart buying every book you see,鈥 Diehl recommends to anyone interested in entomology. 鈥淚鈥檓 a book guy. I want something in my hand that I can leave open.鈥
"They went home with some new City Museum apparel 鈥 super generous of us, right?" the museum quipped in the video.聽
George Diehl, right, speaks to the Aguilar family, from San Francisco, about a wasp nest he collected. 鈥淚 thought a hobby was something a little more demanding. That鈥檚 why I try to get people interested in stuff like this,鈥 says Diehl.
George Diehl places a pin in the abdomen of a moth on May 17 at the City Museum in 最新杏吧原创. Diehl鈥檚 Parkinson diagnosis has made pinning insects increasingly difficult. 鈥淪ometimes I get everything in there and I tear the wing off," Diehl says. "Or I鈥檝e got it pinned and dried, I move them, and I break the antenna off. It gets frustrating.鈥
George Diehl views an insect through a magnifying glass on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl has collected insects for over 60 years and is the proprietor of the insect collection at the Insectorium at the City Museum.
George Diehl combs through a box of pinned insects on Aug. 7 at his home in Crestwood. Diehl鈥檚 basement workshop features insects that are duplicates of what can be found in the City Museum, and other specimens that he has collected.
