(Redirected from Entomologists)
'Entomology', from the
Greek: ''entomo-''/εντομο- "that which is cut in pieces or engraved/segmented", hence "insect"; and ''logos''/λόγος, "knowledge",
[1] is the
scientific study of
insects. Insects have many kinds of interactions with humans and other forms of life on earth, so it is an important specialty within
biology. Though technically incorrect, the definition is sometimes widened to include the study of terrestrial
animals in other
arthropod groups or other
phyla, such as
arachnids,
myriapods,
earthworms, and
slugs.
History of entomology
Entomology is rooted in nearly all human
cultures from
prehistoric times, but
scientific study began only as recently as the 16th century. Entomology has even entered popular modern culture;
Gil Grissom on the TV show is an entomologist, who is played by actor
William Petersen.
Identification of insects
Insects other than
Lepidoptera are typically identifiable only through the use of
Identification keys and
Monographs. Because the class
Insecta contains a very large number of species and the characters separating them are unfamiliar, and often subtle (or invisible without a
microscope), this is often very difficult even for a specialist.
Insect identification is an increasingly common hobby, with
butterflies and
dragonflies being the most popular.
Taxonomic specialization

Part of a large beetle collection
Many entomologists specialize in a single order or even a family of insects, and a number of these subspecialties are given their own informal names, typically (but not always) derived from the scientific name of the group:
★
Apiology (or
melittology) -
bees
★
Coleopterology -
beetles
★
Dipterology -
flies
★
Heteropterology -
true bugs
★
Lepidopterology -
moths and
butterflies
★
Myrmecology -
ants
★
Orthopterology -
grasshoppers,
crickets, etc.
★
Trichopterology -
caddis flies
Organizations
Like other scientific specialties, entomologists have a number of local, national, and international organizations. There are also many organizations specializing in specific subareas.
★
Centre for Entomological Studies Ankara (CESA)
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Amateur Entomologists' Society
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Deutsches Entomologisches Institut
★
Entomological Society of America
★
Entomological Society of Canada
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Royal Belgian Entomological Society
★
Royal Entomological Society of London
★
Société Entomologique de France
★
Netherlands Entomological Society
Museums
Many museums contain very large and important insect collections. Here is a list of some of the most important.
Europe
★ Natural History Museum, Vienna
Naturhistorisches Museum.
★ Natural History Museum, Paris
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
★ Natural History Museum, Berlin
Humboldt Museum
★ Natural History Museum, London
Natural History Museum
★ Royal Museum for Central Africa, Brussels
Royal Museum for Central Africa
★ Natural History Museum, Leiden
Natural History Museum, Leiden
★ Natural History Museum, Sweden
Swedish Museum of Natural History
★ Natural History Museum, St. Petersburg
Zoological Collection of the Russian Academy of Science
★ Natural History Museum, Geneva
[1]
★ The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
United States
★
National Museum of Natural History,
Washington, DC
★
American Museum of Natural History,
New York
★
California Academy of Sciences,
San Francisco
★
Field Museum of Natural History,
Chicago
★
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County,
Los Angeles
★
Academy of Natural Sciences,
Philadelphia
★
University of Kansas Natural History Museum,
Lawrence, KS
★
University of Nebraska State Museum,
Lincoln, NE
★
Peabody Museum of Natural History,
New Haven
★
Colorado Plateau Museum of Arthropod Biodiversity Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona
Canada
★
Royal Ontario Museum,
Toronto
★
Canadian Museum of Nature,
Ottawa
★
Montreal Insectarium,
Montreal
See also
★
List of entomologists
★
List of entomological journals
★
Insects on stamps
★
Ethnoentomology
For further reading
★ Chiang, H.C. and G. C. Jahn 1996. Entomology in the Cambodia-IRRI-Australia Project. (in Chinese) Chinese Entomol. Soc. Newsltr. (Taiwan) 3: 9-11.
★ Davidson, E. 2006. Big Fleas Have Little Fleas: How Discoveries of Invertebrate Diseases Are Advancing Modern Science University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 208 pages, ISBN 0-8165-2544-7.
★ Triplehorn, Charles A. and Norman F. Johnson (2005-05-19). Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, Thomas Brooks/Cole. ISBN 0-03-096835-6. — a classic textbook in North America.
External links
★
Malaria video Professor Andrew Speilman
★
Mosquitoes video Rob Hutchinson
★
Entomology Laboratory University of Vermont
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Annotated Entomology directory Iowa State University
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Fossil Insects Meganeura, University of Barcelona
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Goliathus (Entomology hobbyist site)
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Coleoptera (Beetles) Linda Treadwell
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Medical Entomology images
★
Division of Entomology University of Nebraska State Museum
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Insects of Townsville, Australia Graeme Cocks
★
Compendium of References on Flies and Disease Actronic
★
USDA Collecting methods.Detailed instructions
★
Arthropa Fascinating site from France.Extensive photo album sorted by topic.
★
Best of the Bugs Great entomology Web sites selected by entomologists.
Footnotes
1. A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition), Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott, , , Oxford University Press, 1980, ISBN 0-19-910207-4