Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC)

The Purdue Entomological Research Collection is the largest collection of insects in Indiana—over 1.3 million specimens! Housed in @PurdueInsects

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

We are leaving for bluer skies—find us at https://t.co/Rpwzc2oQaN !

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

We are leaving for bluer skies—find us at https://t.co/Rpwzc2oQaN !

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

With this species in the news here's a historic specimen of the Giant Lacewing, Polystoechotes punctata (Fabricius, 1793)—collected in 1895 from Greene County, Indiana by W.S. Blatchley, now housed in @InsectPerc

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

Where did the time go? It's #TenebTuesday! Here's a jumble of Platydema ruficornis (Sturm, 1826) from @InsectPerc's collection—I love the mix of preparation & labeling styles

[Entomological Society of America @EntsocAmerica]

"These creatures are invaluable narrators of environmental change. They are also, unfortunately, victims of the very trends they can identify—and they are now fading at a disturbing pace from freshwater streams, rivers and lakes around the world." https://t.co/hmJBuMp6iN

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

New unit trays—Thanks @BioQuip! Now to curating!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

Thanks to Jake Goldner for vouchering specimens from his dissertation research—nearly 1,700 Ebony Jewelwing damselflies (Calopteryx maculata) with digitized data!

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

This specimen was collected by W.S. Blatchley —his brief label only gives “R.P.P. Fla. ... 3-25-24”—but an unpublished manuscript, “Winter & Spring Insects of Royal Palm Park,” includes more details (under a synonymous name, N. viridimicans)—beetles were “beaten from dead limbs”

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

Thanks to @Crematojester for donating these well-prepared, identified ants!

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

Always neat to see what entomologists have used to hold/preserve samples—like this box of scale insects & host plants from 1914 in @InsectPerc! #PERCBugs

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

While sorting, moving, & rehousing part of our slide collection this week we came across these intricate brown lacewing wings (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) #PERCBugs

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

What a face! #PERCBugs #WeevilWednesday

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

A "fuzzy" fungus weevil, Toxonotus fascicularis (Schönherr 1833), collected in 1919 by W.S. Blatchley from Cape Sable, Florida #PERCBugs #WeevilWednesday

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

An unidentified CA weevil collected in 1888—on the pin you see a type of vivid green corrosion called verdigris—a reaction between the metals used in very old pins & drawer microclimate —can be a serious problem, but only a tiny % of our specimens are impacted #PERCBugs

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

New logo, now new stickers-the American Burying Beetle is actual size on these!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

Today, the specimens which Blatchley used in his "Coleoptera" are part of our collection—& still a source of new information on our local beetles!

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

Today is the 111th anniversary of Blatchley's "Coleoptera Known to Occur in Indiana"—this book was the standard reference for 2+ generations of coleopterists in the eastern U.S. & still remains relevant today!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

We are excited to share our new logo—featuring Nicrophorus americanus, once "frequent" in Indiana, today no longer found in the state, highlighting the importance of collections work!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

#PERCBugs

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

A beautiful bee from our collection—a male Agapostemon splendens (Halictidae)—appropriately named!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

A beautiful bee from our collection—a male Agapostemon splendens (Halictidae)—appropriately named!

[Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) @InsectPerc]

And a new species for the collection!

[Chris Wirth @AgeOfArthropods]

I’ve placed these specimens in their own tray-they just need a header label (and then to database!)