Infinite Insects

Being in charge of a collection of more than 35 million insect specimens, representing about 450,000 species, is an awesome responsibility — one that the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History entrusts to Dr. Floyd Shockley, entomologist and collections manager for the National Entomological Collection. Shockley leads efforts to not only maintain but also expand the collection, which grows by 300,000 to 500,000 specimens per year (with the exception of the past two years), through field collection and donations.

“In normal times, when we’re not fighting a global pandemic, we typically have as many as three of our scientists out collecting at any one time, all over the world,” Shockley says. And while the museum sometimes accepts single specimens, the bulk of its donated specimens are collections. “If someone collected butterflies from around the world for 40 years, that’s a collection we really want,” he says. “With single specimens, we’re looking for those that represent something unique. If it’s the first record of a species in our collection, we absolutely want it.”

Photo: Donald E. Hurlbert, Smithsonian Institution

COLLECTING FOR THE FUTURE. Shockley emphasizes that the Smithsonian’s goals encompass much more than preserving collections from the past. “We’re collecting to catch a snapshot for today and also so that 100 years from now, when scientists have more advanced technology at their disposal, the specimens will be here, ready to go,” he shares. “We are gathering and protecting specimens for research purposes that haven’t been imagined yet, or for examination using genetic analytical techniques or high-resolution imaging that hasn’t been invented yet.”

In fact, scientists today are taking advantage of the historical information preserved in the Smithsonian’s specimens, some of which are 200 years old. For example, those studying the evolution and behaviors of pollinators, including adaptations related to the introduction of the European honey bee, are able to gain insights by examining the pollen preserved on the legs of bee specimens. And recent advances in microscopic capabilities enable scientists to study mites extracted from 100-year-old bird feather specimens.

DIGITIZATION = MORE ACCESS. Of course, it’s not solely scientists who have an interest in the National Entomological Collection, nor can every scientist make the trip to Washington, D.C., every time they have a question or theory to explore. For these reasons, the Smithsonian is investing in the digitization of its entomological (as well as other) assets, so they may become accessible to the worldwide public. In early 2020, the Institution made 2.8 million high-resolution two- and three-dimensional images representing all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo accessible through an open-access online platform (si.edu/openaccess). They continue to digitize their collections with the goal of ultimately sharing more than 155 million items.

Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Institution

“We serve vast audiences — not just those who can come and visit our physical collection,” Shockley explains. “Our goal is for people to use our collections for whatever their purpose may be. Teachers may use materials from our collections to teach classes. Conservationists may build research programs around our data. And pest management professionals can continue to build their knowledge of insect biology and biodiversity. Think about it: We provide access to one-third of all the known diversity of insects in the world. Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful resource to help them do their job better?”

Editor’s note: Access the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Entomological Collection here: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/entomology/collections-access.