Entomology Collections

Entomology (Insects) at the Australian Museum

What is Entomology?
What is in the Entomology Collection?
History of the Entomology Collection
Major donated collections

What is Entomology?

David Britton. Photo: P Ovenden

Collection specimens - Phasmid. Photo: B Carson-Ewart

Collection specimens - Christmas beetles. Photo: B Carson-Ewart

Collection specimens - Robber flies. Photo: B Carson-Ewart

Collection specimens - Butterflies. Photo: B Carson-Ewart

Entomology is the study of insects. Insects are arthropods. This means they have a jointed external skeleton of chitin (a tough semitransparent horny substance forming the basic component of the exoskeletons of arthropods). Insects are characterised by having six legs, three major body segments (head, thorax and abdomen) and a single pair of antennae on the head. They are the only arthropods to have evolved true flying abilities, although not all insects can fly.

What is in the Entomology Collection?

Insects are the most diverse group of terrestrial organisms, and this is reflected in the Australian Museum entomological collection. This is the second largest insect collection in Australia and the largest collection in the Museum. There are an estimated one million insect specimens in dry (pinned) storage and four million in the wet (alcohol-preserved) storage. It is not known how many species of insects are held in the Museum collection, as many remain unidentified by entomologists. A recent estimate of the number of type specimens held in the collection listed about 3,500 primary types, and an additional 6,000 or so secondary types. Types are the original specimens from which the first description of a particular species or subspecies is based.

The collection has many strengths which are largely the result of concerted collecting and associated systematic research by Museum researchers. We have the largest collections of acalyptrate and dolichopodid flies (Diptera), heteropteran bugs (Hemiptera), and booklice and barklice (Psocoptera) in the Southern Hemisphere. The incorporation of specimens collected by the Museum's Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research (CBCR) have greatly increased the holdings of several important insect groups. Our collections of Australian ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), beetles (Coleoptera) and heteropteran bugs (Hemiptera) are growing rapidly as a result of active research. The ant collection is the most complete, curated collection of the New South Wales fauna. It will be a valuable resource for the increasing number of environmental scientists and others who use these insects for research.

There are also numerous important collections from amateur and professional entomologists that have been donated to the Museum. The GA Waterhouse Collection of Australian butterflies is considered to be the finest collection of these insects ever assembled by one collector.

History of the Entomology Collection

The real growth of the collection commenced in 1885 following the appointment of the first Australian Museum entomologist Arthur Sydney Olliff. His research interests were beetles (Coleoptera), butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). Prior to this, the main contributions to the Museum insect collection were specimens from Alexander and George Macleay, and from Phillip Parker King.

Subsequent entomologists, research associates and curators (and their research interests) include:

Frederick Skuse (Diptera - flies)
William Joseph Rainbow (Arachnids - spiders and their relatives)
Anthony Musgrave (Diptera - flies, Arachnids - spiders and their relatives, Hemiptera - true bugs)
Keith McKeown (Coleoptera - beetles)
Gustavus Athol Waterhouse (butterflies)
John William Evans (leaf hoppers),
Geoff. A. Hollowy (Hymenoptera - ants, bees, wasps and their relatives)
SP Kim (Diptera - flies).

Current entomologists and research associates include:

Courtney Smithers (Psocoptera, Neuroptera, Mecoptera, Lepidoptera)
David McAlpine (Diptera- flies)
Dan Bickel (Diptera - flies)
Dave Britton (Lepidoptera - butterflies and moths)
Max Moulds (cicadas and hawk moths)

Entomology Collections

Entomology (Insects) at the Australian Museum

What is Entomology?

What is in the Entomology Collection?

History of the Entomology Collection

Insects navigation

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