California Beetle Project > Collections
Collections
This project was based on extensive fieldwork throughout central and southern California. These collections added greatly to the holdings of the Museum's entomology collection, and now form the bulk of it. The beetle collection has gained standing as an important repository of central and southern Californian species. Many new specimens represent previously (and many as yet) undescribed beetle species, while others represent significant range extensions for known and rarely collected species.
A significant result of the phylogeographic component of this project was a large collections of DNA vouchers. The large sample sizes and precisely georeferenced localities to go along with mitochondrial DNA sequence data for each represents a rich resource for studying geographic variation.
While adding over 100,000 prepared beetle specimens to the Museum's collection, this work also resulted in large collections of unprepared arthropods from all groups. Residues from flight interception traps, Malaise traps, pitfall traps and litter samples contain many thousands of flies, wasps, ants, arachnids, myriapods, and other assorted arthropods. Most litter samples were berlese extracted directly into 100% ethanol, and may yield specimens suitable for molecular work. Residues are otherwise maintained in 80% ethanol, and having been collected into 80% or propylene glycol are not likely to yield molecular quality specimens. All residues are available for loan by specialists who wish to look for particular taxa.
An Excel spreadsheet detailing the entomology freezer inventory (as of February, 2014) can be downloaded here: