INSECT COLLECTION CRITERIA AND SPECIFICATIONS

The insect collection that you are to procure is a significant part of this course, and is required. The knowledge of, or the ability to find, the answer to the sort of question "what kind of insect is this?" is an absolutely fundamental skill to learn and is one of the main objectives of the course. Making an insect collection will teach you:

1. how to identify an insect to family; principles of identification.
2. how to prepare insects for study.
3. basics of how to develop an insect collection.
4. how to collect insects, where they occur, aspects of their biology.
5. a visual record of all the "theoretical" material presented in lectures.

YOUR INSECT COLLECTION WILL CONSlST OF:

1. a minimum of 100 insect specimens (75 different).
2. representation of at least 12 insect orders, correctly identified.
3. representation of at least 50 insect families, correctly identified.
4. correctly prepared (pinned, alcohol, slides, Spread if necessary) specimens.
5. correctly and legibly labeled specimens ("correctly" means according to accepted standard).
6. logically and aesthetically presented arrangement of specimens
7. "intangibles" that indicate that effort and due care and attention were invested.

A portion of each laboratory session can be devoted to working on your collection, so be prepared to to do so, for each class. If you complete the normal laboratory assignment, you are encouraged to continue work on your collection and make the fullest use of my presence during laboratory sessions.

PRESERVATION OF SPECIMENS.

An insect collection consists of the insects themselves, preserved dried on special insect pins [or other methods such as "wet" (alcohol) or slides]. No special handling or treatment of the specimens is required, other than the care required because dried insects are brittle.

LABELLING SPECIMENS

More details about pinning will be given in a separate document.

Below the specimen, there must be a paper label that specifies the locality and date of collection, the collector(s) name(s) and host or other biological data. These are special labels printed in very small print (about 4 point size). Handwritten labels are made with special pens which can be obtained from bookstores. More details will be given in a separate document.

Bear in mind the criteria and requirements of your collection, listed above.

You are encouraged strongly to begin your collection as soon as you possibly can. That only 25% of the final grade is allotted to the collection is NOT an indication that only 25% of your course time should be allocated to fulfilling this portion of the course. Most likely you'll fine that more like 30-50% of your time is needed.

Collecting and pinning and labeling are relatively easy, mechanical chores. Identification is the tough part and can take many hours!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE TIME NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS COLLECTION!!

More information on collections

• Label data standards for terrestrial arthropods
  Biological Survey of Canada
• Collecting Insects
  Transvaal Museum (note associated pages)
• Collecting and Preserving Insects and Mites. Techniques and Tools.
  Systematic Entomology Library, USDA
• Guidelines For Preparing An Insect Collection
  from Entomology Class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Les collections de référence
  Article du bulletin de l'Entomofaune
• Comment commencer sa collection d'insectes
  par Sylvain Côté, Association des entomologistes amateurs du Québec