1. Mission Possible?
The Modern Role of
Insect Collections in
Land Grant Universities
JASON J. DOMBROSKIE, JAMES K. LIEBHERR
CORNELL UNIVERSITY INSECT COLLECTION, DEPARTMENT OF
ENTOMOLOGY

2. Outline

CUIC basics

importance of collections
in land grant universities

outreach

funding

CUIC projects

3. Cornell University Insect
Collection (CUIC)

started in 1871

~7 million specimens

~200 000 species

7400 types (2700
primary)

global in coverage

4. Early days

Started by John Henry Comstock

Local specimens

Focus on agricultural pests

Extensive trading and donations (Venez.
beetles, European microleps, etc.)

Contributions from intl students (esp.
China)

Later collecting expeditions across the
US, Brazil, Panama, Puerto
Rico, Suriname, Congo, Sudan, Uganda,
Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Trend towards taxonomy

5. The modern CUIC

Incorporation of the Cornell Insect
Diagnostic Lab

Physical expansion by 40% supported
by the Entomology Department

Curator (Liebherr), Associate Curators
(Danforth, Reed), Collection Manager
(Dombroskie)

12 undergraduate students

Website, facebook

6. Importance

Train students

Deposition of research vouchers / careers
(Bradley, Dietrich, Evans, Forbes, Franclemont, Ne
edham, Pechuman, Wood, etc.)

Archival role needs to be emphasized to
administrators & faculty

poorly prepared / documented material

expectation on us to clean up

not following through

Basis for research and accountability

Outside researchers

7. Outreach

Support a strong diagnostic lab used by general
public & government (CAPS, invasives, etc.)

Provide training for extension agents, master
gardeners, etc.

Sacrifice – split position (dominant IDL in summer)

Not just NY State also the US & the world

web presence, easy way to pay
international
other US
NY

8. Funding

modern funding programs have focused on
documenting biodiversity changes over time
through digitization

digitization of useful images

must not lose sight of our original missions

continue to build collection (new mat. & cur. old)

become more efficient with current levels of
funding while addressing our growing taxonomic
impediment

9. Efficient and useful uses of
funding

Should produce something useful for society

Data should be of high quality

Multi-institutional grants are efficient

Need to try to incorporate student training, esp.
undergrad, HS

Produce something that administrators can
proudly point to (discover strengths, emphasize
and build them)

10. Focus databasing efforts
on expertly curated
groups

Reduced chance of bad data

Optimally determined, taxonomy updated

Larger multi-institutional collaborations

Aphididae, Cicadidae, Apoidea

future: Aculeata, lep gen images

11. Create taxon lists as first
step

Students get curational & taxonomic
experience, ownership so good job, community

Useful for diagnostic purposes

Ready for databasing

Lets researchers know what we have

No pointless data-grabbing

12. Taxon Lists

PREVIOUS YEAR:
Cicadoidea, Membracidae, Megaloptera, Raphi
dioptera, Neuroptera, Trichoptera
(alcohol), Mimallonidae, Saturniidae, Mecoptera,
Strepsiptera, Rhinophoridae, Tachinidae, Oestrida
e

IN PROGRESS:
Acari, Mantodea, Aphididae, Cicadellidae, Corei
dae, Miridae, microhymenoptera, Formicidae, Tric
hoptera (pinned), microlepidoptera, Lepidoptera
(alcohol), Sphingidae, Muscidae

3362 species curated & listed last year

14. Franclemont larval slide
collection

Recently rediscovered

>1000 Kodachromes of macrolepidopteran larvae
scanned

Online through the CUIC website

Used by many lepidopterists

Contains several species previously unknown as
larvae

Kodachromes available for loan

FUTURE: 8800+ genitalia slides

15. Conclusions

Our original missions can be maintained through
student engagement and active outreach


archival preservation of biodiversity


IDs for agriculture / public
vouchering research materials
Combine student training with curation and
quality data gathering