Insects, Arachnids and their relatives
The Entomology Collection of the Royal British Columbia Museum
(RBCM) contains approximately 240,000 accessioned specimens/lots of
insects, arachnids and myriapods. About 55% of these are electronically
databased with collection information; the rest are in the database but
all the data are not yet entered. Approximately 70% of the total
accessioned collection is identified to species.
Most specimens are from BC localities, although in some groups
active research has resulted in the accumulation of some material from
around the world (e.g., Odonata, Lepidoptera, Asilidae). About 183,000
specimens are pinned, 11,500 lots are in ethanol vials and 40,000
(Odonata) are stored in polyethylene envelopes. The earliest
collections were assembled in 1886 but it was not until the early 1970s
that the haphazardly stored collections were amalgamated and organized
into standard insect cabinets. Collection dates range from the 1880s to
the present. Type specimens are documented in the RBCM type specimen list .
Collectors significantly represented include E.M. Anderson
(general), Robert Bennett (Araneae), David Blades (general), Robert and
Sydney Cannings (Odonata; general), (Crispin Guppy (Lepidoptera;
general), Richard Guppy (general), A.W. Hanham (Coleoptera), George
Hardy (Lepidoptera, Coleoptera), J.R. Llewllyn Jones (Lepidoptera),
Hettie Miller (Lepidoptera), Dennis Paulson (Odonata), Leah Ramsay
(Odonata), Geoffrey Scudder (Hemiptera), Jon Shepard (Lepidoptera),
Gerald Straley (Lepidoptera) and Frank Whitehouse (Odonata). The
collection is strongest in the Odonata (40,000 specimens/lots),
Lepidoptera (60,500 specimens, especially macro groups), Coleoptera
(56,500 specimens, especially certain families such as Carabidae and
Cerambycidae), a few Diptera families (e.g., Asilidae), Hemiptera
(11,500 specimens) and the Araneae (4000 lots).
Data associated with specimens provide basic information for
assessing the status of BC insects, other terrestrial arthropods and
for constructing species range maps. They also often supply useful
information on species life histories and habitat requirements. The
insect, myriapod and arachnid collections are also used for identifying
unknown specimens. Records of threatened or endangered species are
shared with the BC Conservation Data Centre in the BC Ministry of
Environment; this agency produces the provincial lists of species and
habitats of species at risk.
Click here for information on how to access this collection.
Staff
Dr. Rob Cannings, Curator, Entomology
Claudia Copley, Entomology Collections Manager
Entomology Research Associates...
Insects, Arachnids and their relatives – an overview.
(In preparation)
Insects, Arachnids and their relatives in British Columbia
Spiders (Araneae) (in prep.)
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata)
True Flies (Diptera)
Moths and Butterflies (in prep.)
Other groups (in prep.)
Special project: Insect families of BC (in prep.)
General Entomology Links BC Conservation Data Centre.
The CDC systematically collects and disseminates information on plants,
animals and ecosystems (ecological communities) at risk in
British Columbia.
Entomological Society of Canada. The ESC represents hundreds of entomologists from all parts of
Canada
and around the world. The Society is a dynamic force in promoting
research, disseminating knowledge of insects, and encouraging the
continued participation of all “students and lovers of Entomology” in
the most fascinating of all natural sciences.
Entomological Society of British Columbia. The ESBC is a registered scientific society for the advancement of entomological knowledge in the province of British Columbia.
Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial
Arthropods). The BSC helps to coordinate scientific research among
specialists on the Canadian fauna of insects, mites, and their
relatives.
E-Fauna BC is a
GIS-based,
biogeographic wildlife atlas that aims to function as a centralized, freely available "one-stop shop" for wildlife information in
British Columb