Overview

The collection’s primary strength is its worldwide focus (60% of specimens from Africa, 25% regional and increasing, 15% from other regions), which distinguishes the Museum’s entomology collection from other large insect collections in the region, which have mainly regional holdings. Nevertheless, the Museum’s regional holdings are also strong, particularly in the Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths, including micromoths) and in several families of Coleoptera (e.g., Scarabaeidae and Tenebrionidae). In 2008, curator of entomology Frank Krell initiated the creation of a Colorado State Reference Collection for Coleoptera (beetles), based on local holdings and further developed with a comprehensive collecting program across the state. Since its inception, the reference collection has multiplied in size and has resulted in several new state records but is still in need of thorough curation.

History

A history of the entomology collection is outlined in this paper, with an update about the move into our new Avenir Collections Center here.

LepNet Grant

The entomology collection was part of the LepNet consortium funded by the National Science Foundation. With the help of the grant-funded curatorial assistant Eric Knutson and a wonderful group of databasing volunteers, we databasied over 20,000 butterfly and moth specimens and photographed several thousand of them. Data and photos are becoming accessible online through the SCAN portal.