Flea Circus: the Smallest Show on Earth. A Talk by Tim Cockerill

Roll up and see the world-famous performing fleas! For over 150 years, audiences have been paying their sixpences to be amazed by whole troupes of real, live, performing fleas. Believe it, or not?
In this talk Tim will persuade you that the flea circus, until recently, was a 100% genuine spectacle, made up of live fleas pulling chariots, riding tricycles and even fighting duels with perfectly crafted miniature swords. Find out how the Flea Circus 'Professors' fed their fleas, which household appliance spelled the demise of the Flea Circus in the 1950s, and how a flea could make a Victorian lady take all of her clothes off.
Features rare images and footage from Tim's Flea Circus collection.About Tim Cockerill
Tim specialises in documenting and communicating the spectacular diversity of life on earth. He has a PhD in tropical ecology from the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. Tim has explored some of the most biodiverse places on the planet, from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea to the spiny forests of Madagascar. On TV Tim is a presenter, contributor and consultant. He has wrangled rhinoceros beetles and flying lizards in Borneo with Sir David Attenborough and has presented Britain's only genuine flea circus on the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. Tim has talked about spiders live on The One Show and about eels and leeches live on CBBC.
On radio Tim has been the resident zoologist on BBC Radio 4's Inside Science and on Science in Action for the World Service.This will be a full evening starting at 7pm with an interval. Ending circa 9pm.For access information please call The CAA on 020 7836 3172.A booking fee will be added to your ticket price when you check out. This helps us to manage the running costs of our events and administer the box office.