The University of Hawai'i Insect Museum serves as a center
for insect identification and systematics-based research. We have workspace,
equipment, and resources for detailed taxonomic analysis, and researchers from
many different laboratories are able to work and interact under its auspices.
Our close association with the extensive collections and staff of the Bishop Museum greatly
enhances this interactive museum community.
Mating pair of the endemic
Hawaiian butterfly, Blackburn's Blue (Udara blackburni),
on the finger of the photographer,
Jim Snyder. Taken on Oahu in January.
Areas of strength
Conservation
We house extensive native insect collections, including the
Hawaiian Drosophila collection, which serve as historical records.
Older collection records help establish patterns of decline and
disappearance for different insect species, and may help to identify those
factors which have led to the declines.
Agriculture
We house synoptic pest collections for most crops of agricultural
importance including historical collections indicating the presence,
absence and patterns of invasions for newly introduced insects.
This part of the collection is invaluable for tracking the spread of
new invasive insects and the effectiveness of control efforts for current
and historical invasions.
