Some of the butterfly specimens in the INHS Insect Collection.
The INHS Insect Collection is a state and national resource. During the past 140 years the collection has grown exponentially to over 6,250,000 specimens and is now the ninth largest insect collection in the United States. It occupies over 8,000 drawers, 28,000 vial racks, and 180,000 slides. The collection is worldwide in scope, and has formed the basis for numerous widely cited revisions, evolutionary studies, and identification guides.
The oldest specimen in the collection dates back to 1860 and was collected by B.D. Walsh, Illinois's first State Entomologist. An avid collector, Walsh knew the importance of an insect collection for entomological studies. The eccentric and gifted Walsh was known to wear a cork-lined hat to which he would pin insects collected on his walks. Even when Walsh had his left foot amputated after a railway accident, he was heartened by the fact that he could use his cork prosthesis to collect more insects. Only a few of Walsh's original 10,000 specimens still exist. Most of his collection was sent from Springfield to Chicago in 1871 for safe-keeping, but ironically all but the synoptic collection left in Springfield was destroyed later that year in the infamous Chicago Fire.
The need for a reference insect collection for entomological research in the state was recognized during the 1850s at a time when the residents of Illinois were becoming increasingly aware of the destruction and devastation caused by native insects to their cultivated crops. Insects were studied and collected to help understand how to eradicate or limit their populations. The collection is still used for the identification of pest species. This past year Illinois has seen its share of exotic "invaders." One was the pesky but harmless lady-bird beetle, Harmonia axyridis, which swarms in large numbers in autumn, entering homes through cracks and crevices. This insect was imported from eastern Asia and first appeared in large numbers only a few years ago. Its arrival and distribution in the United States can be tracked by referring to the specimens in the INHS Insect Collection as well as in other collections throughout the nation.
Some of the butterfly specimens in the INHS Insect Collection.
Another introduced species that appeared this past year in Illinois is an extremely serious pest, the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis). This beetle is capable of destroying mature trees and currently the only way to stop its spread is to destroy the invaded trees. Its identity was confirmed by comparing specimens to those from an insect collection.
Our collection documents not only insect presence and distribution, but the numbers of specimens in the collection provides an indication of their abundance. Present studies in our native remnant prairies suggest that not only are some of our native insects no longer found in the same locations, but when found are often in only a fraction of the numbers known in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
Not only is the collection used for research and identifications, it also is recognized for its inherent beauty. The insects in the collection have been viewed by artists, photographers, film crews, even software designers, for use in their work. Many of the specimens are jewel-like, have unique and bold color combinations, and are of such unusual shape and design as to capture our imaginations. The INHS Insect Collection has been an invaluable tool for the study of entomology in the state and world and will continue to be a priceless storehouse of information for future scientists and the public.
Kathy R. Zeiders, R. Edward DeWalt, David J. Voegtlin, Christopher H. Dietrich, and Donald W. Webb, Center for Biodiversity
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