Dr Piper and colleagues on BBC Myanmar expedition, using a light trap up a tree to attract insects. Photgraphy by Anwar Mamon.

Dr Ross Piper is a zoologist, author, onscreen presenter, and photographer. He holds a degree in zoology from Bangor University and a PhD in insect ecology from the University of Leeds. Currently a visiting fellow at the University of Essex and a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, he has travelled widely in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Southeast Asia in pursuit of interesting and elusive beasts.

He was a presenter on the BBC’s three-part series Wild Burma: Nature’s Lost Kingdom, the CBBC series Wild, and the Sky 1 series, Extreme Fears, Extreme Cures, where he helped ten arachnophobes overcome their fear. His books have included Animal Earth – a celebration and exploration of animal diversity, drawing on the latest research into how the animal lineages are related, how they live and their origins – and How To Read An Insect – a gorgeously-illustrated guide to how insects behave and why.

His recent research projects have included exploring insects as a source of novel pharmaceuticals and biomaterials, with David Wilcockson at Aberystwyth University and Ted Hupp at the University of Edinburgh, and working as part of two initiatives: Forest Conservation Initiative and the Framework for Medicine and Nature.

For the SEISMIC: ART MEETS SCIENCE exhibition at GIANT Gallery, Dr Piper provided commentary on the inclusion of blowflies in Heart of Darkness by artist Claire Morgan. We spoke to the roving entomologist about how he first became fascinated by insects and the ways in which aesthetic creativity is woven through his own work.

You have been involved in a wide range of projects and research on the wider animal kingdom, but please tell us about how you came to choose entomology as your specialty.

I've been interested in animals since a very early age. Indeed, some of my earliest memories are of finding things like beetles and caterpillars in the garden or during walks with my mother. Insects and their kin are endlessly fascinating to me, primarily because they are just so varied and accessible. As a kid, there's something deeply stirring about about being able to pick up, hold and closely examine another living being. I also really enjoyed everything to do with science, so these interests eventually led to university for a degree in zoology and then a PhD in entomology.

What is the main focus of your current work?

My work is rather varied and includes some independent research, ecological surveys, writing and consultancy for publishers and TV companies and macro-photography. In terms of research, I'm interested in documenting the new species to be found in the tropics and understanding more about their lives.

What is the most compelling question you would like to answer or to see answered in your field of research?

There are still millions of insect species out there to describe, mostly in the tropics, but elsewhere too. However, finding 'new' species is the thin end of the wedge. Even for the species we have described we know next to nothing about their lives. Where exactly do they live? What do they feed on? What feeds on them? What other species do they interact with? These questions could keep an army of biologists busy for thousands of years, such is the complexity of the natural world. The other question is how do we change public perception, so that nature is valued as the treasure it truly is. When Notre Dame Cathedral was damaged by fire, over a billion dollars were raised in a matter of days, yet, with every passing minute, habitats are destroyed and unique beings lost forever. These works of nature are more complex and more wonderful than anything created by humans. There is no real outcry though and the onslaught is allowed to continue. How can this be?

Do you feel interdisciplinary working with the arts and humanities could help with the study of entomology? If so, how do you think the arts might provide a useful contribution?

Yes and this ties in with my previous response. Whatever we can do to increase the appreciation of nature, with entomology as one facet of that, has to be a good thing. There's enormous inspiration all around if we just open our eyes and really look. In my book Animal Earth I wanted to show people the wondrous aesthetic beauty than can be found within the dazzling variety of other animals we share this planet with. More people looking at and drawing inspiration from the natural world has to be a good thing.

What is the most memorable element of creativity that you have ever experienced and why was the experience memorable?

I'm really drawn to ancient art because we'll never really know the true meaning, if there was a meaning at all. I remember seeing the Venus of Willendorf in Vienna and it really captivated me. Somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 years old, carved by an unknown hand, this Venus figurine is enigmatic in the truest sense of the word. Similar figurines have been found across Eurasia, but what do they represent? Fertility symbols, worship of women and mother figures, or simply creativity for creativity's sake? We'll never know.

For more information on Dr Ross Piper and his work, please visit here.

SEISMIC SCIENCE: DR ROSS PIPER