(a species of owlet moth (Noctuid)) Some caterpillars, after they emerge from their egg, can increase their weight by 25,000 times.

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King protea, Protea cynaroides

King protea, Protea cynaroides

Franz Bauer (1758 - 1840)
Watercolour, c1800, © Natural History Museum

Born in Austria into a family of artists, Franz Bauer and his brother Ferdinand are considered two of the finest botanical artists of all time. Franz became the first botanical artist employed at Kew Gardens, working there for 50 years. Among his thousands of illustrations are new flowers that had been introduced into the gardens, such as this protea, the national flower of South Africa.

Bauer’s extensive knowledge of botany also enabled him to produce scientifically accurate drawings of parts of plants viewed under the microscope, illustrating pollen grains, plant diseases and the structure of orchids.

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