Student Insect Collections
For anyone who wants a simple, inexpensive insect collection we have several to choose from. These collections are offered to you at bargain prices because the insects are not "spread". This means that the specimens in these collections have not been subjected to the labor-intensive preparations used on the specimens pictured in our Museum. Instead, these collections will contain dead, dried "unspread" insect specimens mounted on pins (the pin pierces the insect completely, allowing the specimen to be handled by grasping the head of the pin), such as they appear in typical museum collections. Each insect specimen in every collection will be a different species and you will receive no duplicate specimens unless requested. The various species that you receive may vary from one collection to another. Specimens are archival as long as they're kept protected from moisture and pests.
Our insect collections generally contain specimens collected in the U.S.A. When ordering, please specify one of the following areas of the U.S.A. > Northeast, Southeast, Central, Southwest*, Northwest*, Mix (entire country) or, No Preference (specimens could be from anywhere on Earth). IF YOU DO NOT STATE WHICH COLLECTION YOU WANT, IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT YOU HAVE NO PREFERENCE!
*NOTE: We are currently out of collections from the Northwestern and Southwestern parts of the U.S.A.
Please note that these insects will not come with any collecting data. These collections are meant to serve as educational tools by showing a sampling of insects from generalized geographic areas. If requested, it is sometimes possible to have a collection made that will contain only insects found in your particular state. However, since the insects will not be from any one locale, it is not advisable to pass this off for scientific purposes as a genuine collection of insects from your own backyard. Please remember that if you are an entomology student and want to use one of these collections instead of insects you collected yourself. These insects will be sent pinned into a piece of polystyrene foam, within a cardboard box (display cases can be purchased separately). The butterflies and moths in these collections may be species pictured in our Museum, but will be of lesser quality. These collections contain only insects. If you want spiders, centipedes and various arthropods other than insects, add $1 per specimen (small), $3 per specimen (medium) or $5 per specimen (large).
The Mini Insect Collection
The Mini Insect Collection contains 10 insects from the U.S.A. They will represent 6 different insect orders. This collection will consist of 1 moth, 1 butterfly, 3 beetles, 1 fly, 1 wasp, 1 cricket or grasshopper, 1 leafhopper, and 1 true bug. Insects will come with identification. The cost of the Mini Insect Collection is $20.
The Standard Insect Collection
Our Standard Insect Collection looks like an average, students' insect collection. You have a choice of 20 specimens for $30 (contains 5 insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera) or 40 specimens for $55 (contains 8 insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, and Blattodea). Additional specimens can also be purchased. The collection will be composed mostly of average small and medium-sized insects. There will be some larger specimens, but these will be imperfect. These insects will not come with identification.
Order a Standard Insect Collection
The Deluxe Insect Collection
These collections will make nice presentation pieces. You have a choice of 20 specimens for $60 (contains 5 insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera) or 40 specimens for $100 (contains 8 insect orders: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, and Blattodea). Additional specimens can also be purchased. The specimens will be a mix of small and medium-size insects along with several large ones, all in good shape. These insects will come with identification, but it may not always be the genus and species.
Order a Deluxe Insect Collection
Deluxe Insect Collection with Additional Insect Orders
If you want your collection to have specimens from more than the 8 orders listed in our standardized collections, you must pay extra per specimen. Specimens from the following orders are available for $3 each (they will be sent in small vials containing alcohol): Isoptera, Thysanoptera, Thysanura, and Psocoptera. Specimens from the following orders are available unspread, on pins, at $3 per specimen: Dermaptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. Specimens from the following orders are available for $5 each (they will be sent in small vials containing alcohol): Siphonaptera, and Phthiraptera. Specimens from the following orders are available unspread, on pins, at $5 per specimen: Megaloptera, Neuroptera, and Mecoptera. Specimens from the orders Mantodea and Phasmatodea are available unspread, on pins, at $10 per specimen. Additional orders to be available soon.