Donovan’s main interest was entomology and his published works included the three ‘magnificently illustrated’ (Dunbar) volumes on The Insects of China, India and New Holland, the last being dedicated to Sir Joseph Banks, and acknowledging use of his collections and library.

Donovan’s approach was to show species that had not been illustrated before, and many previously undescribed. The illustrations of tropical butterflies, moths, and other insects set against backgrounds of plants and flowers represent a significant advance in compositional style which seem likely to have influenced others in the ensuing Victorian era, in particular H. Noel Humphreys. Indeed later editions of these books were reissued in the 1840’s.