Isaac Wesley was a Leicestershire industrialist and naturalist who put together a collection of insects in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His records are now being added to NatureSpot. More...

Isaac Edwin Wesley (1875-1969) lived in Leicester and later Woodhouse Eaves. His main interest was moths but he collected a few other insects too. In the absence of suitable cameras, he followed the fashion of the time and collected the insects themselves, keeping meticulous records of what, where and when. The family of Isaac have kindly allowed Elspeth Cranston access to his collection and these records are now being added to NatureSpot. Most of the specimens were collected either in Leicester, Woodhouse Eaves or in the Ulverscroft Valley, particularly around Ulverscroft Mill which was clearly a favourite hunting ground. Most of the specimens are in remarkably good condition for their age because they have been stored in small sealed glass boxes which were individually hand-made, presumably by Isaac himself. These historic records are valuable in increasing our knowledge and allowing us to track changes in the insect fauna of Leicestershire.