Entomology
With over 800,000 described species—more than half of all known living organisms—insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth. NHMLAC’s entomology collection, one of the largest at the museums, has approximately 6 million specimens of insects, spiders, and other terrestrial arthropods. It is the largest in Southern California and has specimens from all over the world. The collection's strength lies in its holdings of specimens of ants, phorid flies, scarab beetles, and moths from North and Central America. We also have a large and growing collection of insects in amber, about 3,000 pieces.
Entomology at the Natural History Museum goes back as far as 1913, when NHM first opened.
RESEARCH
Museum scientists conduct world-class research on systematics, studying species and their relationships, the evolution of major groups, and fossil insects in amber. They conduct field work on insect biodiversity at home and in tropical countries.
Qualified researchers can request loans from the collection by contacting us at the address below.
RESOURCES
Urban Nature Research Center
flyobsession.net
phorid.net
dipteracourse.com
bugguide.net
SEARCH our COLLECTIONS
Our Staff
Contact Us
Questions? Contact Brian Brown at bbrown@nhm.org.