The Utah State University Insect Collection has been an important research tool since the 1960s. Originally begun with one small cabinet, the collection now has over 117 cabinets housing approximately two million pinned insects and 35,000 microscope slides.

The collection is also home to an extensive library of historically significant entomological texts and reprints.

Our main areas of concentration include the Intermountain West and Neotropical countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Argentina, and Chile. The primary focus of our collecting efforts are the rapidly disappearing tropical rainforests of South America.

 

The main research interests of the various falcuty members that regularly work in the collection includes spider wasps (Pompilidae), velvet ants (Mutillidae), flies (Stratiomyidae), and aphids.

The collection is made available to researchers internationally through loans. We are also happy to host visiting taxonomists from other institutions. Please, make an appropriate appointment. The collection is closely associated with the U.S.D.A. Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, with whom we regularly share resources.

The collection is also an important community resource, visited regularly by school, scouting, and other groups of various ages. We feel that communicating the importance of entomology to everyone is an intrinsic part of the collection's mission.  Call the number below to arrange a tour!