author
Dru Drury
1725–1803
A London silversmith who became one of the great insect collectors of the 18th century, he helped bring the wider natural world into view for British readers. His beautifully illustrated books introduced hundreds of foreign insects at a time when many were still little known in Europe.
3 Audiobooks
Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, Volume 1
by Dru Drury
Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, Volume 3
by Dru Drury
Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, Volume 2
by Dru Drury
About the author
Born in London on February 4, 1725, Dru Drury first followed his father into the silversmith trade. Even while working in business, he developed a serious interest in insects and built an extraordinary collection through contacts with travelers, ship officers, and collectors sending specimens from around the world.
Drury is best remembered for Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, a richly illustrated work that described and pictured hundreds of insects from outside Britain. His collection grew to more than 11,000 specimens, and he became an important figure in British entomology, serving as president of the Society of Entomologists of London from 1780 to 1782.
He retired from silversmithing in 1789 to devote himself more fully to natural history. Although he is sometimes listed as dying in 1803, major reference sources describe his death as taking place on January 15, 1804. His reputation has lasted because he combined a collector’s patience with a gift for sharing the wonder of unfamiliar species.