Illinois Natural History Survey Insect Collection

The INHS Insect Collection, which comprises ca. 7 million prepared specimens as well as noninsect arthropods (e.g., arachnids and myriapods) and miscellaneous invertebrates (bryozoans), is one of the largest and oldest entomological collections in North America. The growth and wide-ranging scope of this collection can be credited to the diverse interests of the systematists who have spent all or part of their career at the Survey. Scientists such as Stephen A. Forbes, the first Director of the State Laboratory and Chief of the Natural History Survey; Theodore Frison, who succeeded Forbes; and H. H. Ross, who directed the intense systematics studies of the faunistic section for 40 years, placed considerable emphasis on enlarging the insect collection. These insects document the changing landscape and environmental conditions of the world. The INHS Insect Collection is one of the largest in North America. The most recent comprehensive size estimate was done in 1992. The heavy concentration of specimens from the last third of the 1800s also makes this one of North America's oldest insect and related arthropod collections. The INHS Insect Collection includes more than >3,932 primary and >21,124 secondary type specimens. Because of size, historical holdings, and wide breadth of coverage in certain groups, the collection is an important national and worldwide resource.伊利诺伊自然历史调查局昆虫标本馆（INHS Insect Collection）馆藏约700万件整装标本，同时收纳非昆虫节肢动物（如蛛形纲、多足纲类群）及杂类无脊椎动物（苔藓虫），是北美地区规模最大、历史最悠久的昆虫学馆藏之一。该馆藏的规模扩张与覆盖范围的广度，离不开曾在该局全职或兼职任职的分类学家们的多元研究兴趣。曾任职于此的多位科学家均极为重视馆藏昆虫标本的扩充，例如首位州立实验室主任兼自然历史调查局局长斯蒂芬·A·福布斯（Stephen A. Forbes）、继任者西奥多·弗里森（Theodore Frison），以及主持该区系研究部门长达40年深入分类学研究的H·H·罗斯（H. H. Ross）。这些标本详实记录了全球范围内不断变迁的地貌与环境状况。该昆虫标本馆仍是北美地区规模最大的馆藏之一，最近一次对馆藏规模的全面估算完成于1992年。馆藏中大量标本采自19世纪最后三十余年，这也使其成为北美地区历史最悠久的昆虫及相关节肢动物馆藏之一。该昆虫标本馆馆藏逾3932件正模标本及逾21124件副模标本。凭借其庞大的规模、悠久的馆藏历史以及对特定类群的广泛覆盖，该馆藏是极具价值的国家级乃至全球性科研资源。