With over 35 million specimens housed
in
more
than
132,354 drawers,
33,000 jars or vials,
and
23,000
slides
in
more than 5,200 cabinets,
the
National Insect Collection
is one of the largest
entomological
collections
in the world.
Specimens and their associated
data
are used
as the basis for
original scientific research on
the
nature, inter-relationships, origin,
and
evolution
of insects and their
allies. The
large holdings of medically
and agriculturally
important species
make parts of
the collection
especially significant as sources
of systematic
research and
identification of insect pests.
The Department of
Entomology
at the
National Museum
includes research
scientists
and museum
specialists
from the
Smithsonian
Institution
as
well as
the U. S. Department
of Agriculture's
Systematic
Entomology Lab and the
Walter
Reed Biosystematics
Unit of
the
Department
of Defense (links
at left).
Assignments of areas of research
and of responsibility for the care
and development of the collections
are coordinated so that no duplication occurs between the various entities.
In general, the Museum staff tends to direct its attention to groups of general evolutionary or ecological interest whereas USDA personnel direct their attention to groups of economic importance to American agriculture and WRBU personnel conduct systematics research on medically important arthropods - namely mosquitoes.
A detailed account of the long and complex history of the United States National Entomological Collections was prepared for the 15th International Congress of Entomology held here in 1976. It includes information on the collections as well as the many individuals involved with their acquisition and the creation of the department as we now know it. [Click here to link] |