A playful insect needle package.

The person who taught me: Shotaro Kakizoe (Research Associate, National Museum of Nature and Science)

The insect needle, a key specimen tool, began its history in England 320 years ago.

"The practice of piercing insects with a needle, fixing them, and making specimens of them originated in Europe in the early 18th century."

"The needle allows you to handle the insects without touching their delicate bodies, and by holding them in the air you can observe them from a variety of angles. It also makes it possible to preserve them for long periods of time while preventing damage," says Shotaro Kakizoe, an insect researcher and avid insect enthusiast.

"A specimen of the Korean white butterfly collected in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1702 is probably the oldest surviving example of a pinned specimen. This technique was already established in Europe in the first half of the 18th century. From then until the early 20th century, the hobby of collecting insect specimens was dominated by the aristocracy. In England, there were even insect pins with royal warrants, and it seems that some wealthy people enjoyed setting diamonds or rubies on the heads of their pins."

In Japan, the earliest pincushion specimen was made in 1866 by naturalist Tanaka Yoshio using imported pins and a paulownia wood box.

"He was tasked with catching insects for the shogunate, and he created specimens to be exhibited at the Paris World's Fair. The specimens received rave reviews from overseas, but unfortunately they were sold locally after the Expo ended and their whereabouts are unknown. If they were ever found, it would be a major topic in the history of Japanese insect specimens."

Due to this history, Europe was the first country to produce insect needles. According to research by Osaka-based moth researcher Kinoshita Soichiro, needles made from iron or nickel silver (an alloy of copper and nickel) have been produced since the 19th century.

"After that, the mainstream needles in Western Europe were those with brass heads, as shown in the bottom left of the photo above. From the 1960s onwards, needles with plastic heads called nylon heads became popular. Looking at the old needles I have collected, many of them have uneven head attachments. I imagine that they were attached by hand, one by one, by a craftsman."

Kakizoe also says that the playful packaging is also one of the attractions of insect needles.

"The designs and graphics are all unique and worth collecting. Butterfly patterns are common, probably because there were so many butterfly collectors in Europe. The Czech Republic, which also produces a lot of insect needles, is particularly outstanding. Many of the designs have an Art Nouveau feel, making them a bit of art."

The designs are also elaborate, and this can be said for tools other than insect needles.

"For example, there have been specimen boxes made for a long time that are shaped like leather-bound books, complete with spines. For hobbyists and researchers, these are things they look at every day, so I understand the desire to put effort into them. Ease of use is important, but that's not all. It's worth pursuing both design and functionality."