ZMH Lepidoptera collection

The ZMH Lepidoptera collection is part of the bigger Holometabolous collection of the Museum der Nature in Hamburg. It includes the collection of butterflies and moths, wing insects that have scales. We have ca. of 1,100 type species of lepidopterans, that are maintained in fireproof cupboards. The main collection is composed of ca. of 1,000,000 specimens of adult butterflies, dried, pinned and organized in ca. of 4,500 entomological drawers, while caterpillars are kept in alcohol in the wet collection. Most of the specimens came from Europe, Africa and Asia, but the collection also includes samples from South America.