William Hoare emigrated to South Australia in 1862 as a pharmacist.

He obtained a position with the important 1869-70 Goyder Surveying Expedition to the Northern Territory as assistant to the surgeon.

His main love was natural history, and he filled his spare time in the camp sketching. His notebook has many small drawings that he later worked up into full-size watercolour illustrations.

Some of Hoare's watercolours represent the first recorded illustration of particular species. In Adelaide he worked as a dispensing chemist before returning to England via New Zealand. His diary of the Goyder expedition was transcribed by volunteer Fiona Hemstock and can be read as a PDF on the Library catalogue.

As well as this Trigonododerus Childrenii stick insect, the Library has other of Hoare's watercolours of insects, one of which features insects Acripeza reticulata found at Mount Lofty, Anoplognathus viridaenius a Christmas beetle, Calidea signata a rubber fly, Polyzosteria mitchelli a cockroach, A jewel beetle, probably Themognatha sp., and Helea perforata a pie dish beetle.

Identification and current names thanks to Peter Hudson, Entomology Collection Manager and Eric Mathews, Honorary Researcher at the South Australian Museum.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

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