North Carolina State University Insect Museum
Encyclopedia
The NCSU Insect Museum is the center for research and training in insect systematics
and biodiversity informatics
at North Carolina State University
. The Museum's collections hold more than 1.5 million specimens, with major emphases on the insects of North Carolina and on the Auchenorrhyncha
and Aphididae
(Hemiptera
) of the world. A smaller but historically important (especially for bees of the eastern USA) and rapidly increasing portion of the collection is dedicated to Hymenoptera
.
, an Auchenorrhyncha systematist who served as the Insect Museum's first director.
This museum has since been referred to as the NCSU Insect Museum, and it continues to serve as a resource for entomologists who need to identify specimens, for researchers attempting to understand more about species distributions through time, for students learning insect taxonomy, and as a repository for vouchers that reference entomological research. The Museum also hosts an annual poetry contest called the Hexapod Haiku Challenge.
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
and biodiversity informatics
Biodiversity Informatics
Biodiversity Informatics is the application of informatics techniques to biodiversity information for improved management, presentation, discovery, exploration and analysis...
at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. The Museum's collections hold more than 1.5 million specimens, with major emphases on the insects of North Carolina and on the Auchenorrhyncha
Auchenorrhyncha
The Auchenorrhyncha is the suborder of the Hemiptera which contains most of the familiar members of what was called the Homoptera - groups such as cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers, and spittlebugs. The aphids and scale insects are the other well-known "Homoptera", and they are in...
and Aphididae
Aphididae
Aphididae is a very large insect family in the aphid superfamily , of the order Hemiptera. There are several thousand species in this family, many of which are well known for being serious plant pests...
(Hemiptera
Hemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
) of the world. A smaller but historically important (especially for bees of the eastern USA) and rapidly increasing portion of the collection is dedicated to Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
.
History
Deitz (1983a and 1983b) provides the most comprehensive reviews of the history of the NCSU Insect Museum. Insect reference collections started growing soon after the foundation of NC State University in 1889, with each individual collection being cared for by one curator. These multiple independent collections across campus were then collated into a single resource in 1952, then referred to as the Entomology Museum. This effort was organized by Zeno P. MetcalfZeno Payne Metcalf
Zeno Payne Metcalf was an American entomologist specialising in Homoptera.-Education:Metcalf, born in Lakeville, Ohio, was educated at Ohio State University. He received his A.B. degree in 1907. He attended Harvard University and was awarded the degree of D.Sc...
, an Auchenorrhyncha systematist who served as the Insect Museum's first director.
This museum has since been referred to as the NCSU Insect Museum, and it continues to serve as a resource for entomologists who need to identify specimens, for researchers attempting to understand more about species distributions through time, for students learning insect taxonomy, and as a repository for vouchers that reference entomological research. The Museum also hosts an annual poetry contest called the Hexapod Haiku Challenge.