Research
Research areas of the NC State Insect Collection scientists
Diverse Research
Our research programs are diverse but are generally associated with three realms:
- Insect systematics and taxonomy – Several projects focus on uncovering the evolutionary history of insects using molecular and morphological tools and revising species and higher-level taxa.
- Patterns and processes in insect evolution – Much of our phylogenetic research is motivated by understanding the drivers of species diversification, the evolution of morphological or behavioral traits, and the evolution of biogeographic ranges and insect communities.
- Biodiversity discovery and analyses – Through field surveys and databasing efforts of existing material in our collection, we aim to improve knowledge on insect diversity patterns in North Carolina. Our field sampling program includes international components, particularly in the Afrotropical and Malagasy regions. Special interests include the development of methods to assess insect communities in the canopy.
For further information, please visit the websites of our core research groups and check out some of our publications:
- Wiegmann Lab (Google Scholar Page)
- Matt Bertone (Flickr Page, Google Scholar Page)
- Lewis L. Deitz
- Gareth Powell (Google Scholar Page)
Past research outputs include the following resources of broad interest:
- Treehoppers: Deitz, L. L., and M. S. Wallace. 2010. Treehoppers: Aetalionidae, Melizoderidae, and Membracidae (Hemiptera).
- The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. 2009-2012.
- The Bees of the Eastern United States: Link to PDF versions of T.B. Mitchell’s two-volume set, published in 1960 (Part I) and 1962 (Part II).
We are a CITES-registered research facility (permit: 08US827653/9).
Research Voucher Specimens
Entomology graduate students and faculty should be aware of their responsibility to deposit voucher specimens of the insects they research in the NC State Insect Collection (or another institution).
More Details
- Individuals embarking on studies that call for voucher specimens should plan carefully before the work is initiated. Such planning should involve direct consultation with entomologists knowledgeable in collection, identification, preservation, and storage of such specimens. When in doubt if vouchers are needed, individuals should check with the curators of the NC State Insect Collection.
- For each species studied a short series of specimens, perhaps 10 of each sex, is preferable to a single specimen or to hundreds of duplicate specimens which take up valuable space in a collection. Each specimen must be correctly prepared and bear a special voucher label (available from the curators of the NC State Insect Collection) clearly linking it to a specific research project, as well as an identification label and all the standard collection data (country and locality, date, collector or researcher, and such information as the host, etc.).
- Once a year, persons maintaining laboratory cultures used for research must preserve a few vouchers of all cultures in the NC State Insect Collection.
- Theses and research manuscripts for publication must indicate where vouchers have been deposited and the names of specialists who have identified material. Referees and graduate advisory committees should insist that authors include such statements in their works, except in the case of very well-known species that are unlikely to be misidentified. Even in the latter case, however, voucher specimens must be preserved so that future entomologists can substantiate results.