Thomas Workman (entomologist) facts for kids

Thomas Workman (1843–1900) was an Irish scientist who loved to travel. He collected butterflies and studied spiders. He is most famous for his book, Malaysian Spiders, which came out in 1896. In this book, he described many new kinds of spiders.

Biography

Thomas Workman was born in Belfast, Ireland, on August 14, 1843. His family was wealthy and worked in the linen business. Thomas became a successful businessman himself, first in linen and then in shipbuilding. He was the older brother of Frank Workman, who started the Workman Clark shipyard in Belfast in 1879.

Travels and Discoveries

Between 1869 and 1870, Workman traveled across North America. He spent a lot of time in the western parts, often with Native American tribes. His travel journals and notes about the animals and plants of the American plains are now kept in Belfast. He also collected many Native American objects, which you can see at the Ulster Museum.

Every year, when he could take a break from his business, Workman traveled to faraway lands. He loved collecting insects, especially butterflies and spiders. His collections of items from different cultures are also at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

His most important trips included:

• 1881 - Brazil
• 1883 - India, Burma, Singapore, China, and the Philippines
• 1888 - Singapore and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
• 1890 - Singapore and Java
• 1892 - Ceylon, Singapore, and India

Community Involvement

Besides his business and travels, Workman was active in his hometown of Belfast. He helped run the city. He was also the main Librarian for the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society. He later became the president of this society in 1898. Thomas Workman passed away in 1900 in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A. He caught a cold while traveling from Vancouver after a trip to the Rocky Mountains.

Scientific Contributions

Workman did a lot of important work on spiders, especially those from the Far East. He was also a great lepidopterist, which means he studied butterflies and moths. He collected specimens for other famous scientists like Adalbert Seitz and Lionel Walter Rothschild. Some of his collected butterflies and moths are shown in a huge book called Macrolepidoptera of the World.

Spiders Named After Workman

Phidippus workmania, a spider species named for Workman

Some spiders were named after Thomas Workman because of his important work! These include:

• Damarchus workmanii Thorell
• Theridium workmanii Thorell
• Phidippus workmanii Peckham & Peckham
• Goleta workmanii Peckham & Peckham

Published Works

Thomas Workman wrote about his discoveries. His main works include:

• 1880: "Irish Spiders" in The Entomologist magazine.
• 1896: Malaysian Spiders, Volume 1. This book was printed privately in Belfast.

Where His Collections Are Now

You can find parts of Thomas Workman's amazing collections in different museums:

• Campbell College, Belfast: Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera)
• Ulster Museum, Belfast: Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera)
• National Museum of Ireland, Dublin: Irish spiders, butterflies, and moths (Lepidoptera)
• Natural History Museum, London: Spiders, butterflies, and moths from around the world (Lepidoptera)

Records and Letters

Thomas Workman's letters, diaries, and other papers are kept at the Public Records Office Belfast.