Insect Collection
Insect collection can be a fun hobby for people of all ages.
| Additional Insect Resources Identifying Insects Pictures of Insects |
In the area of agriculture, insects are divided into pest and beneficial species, depending on whether they hurt or help the crops in their territory. Agricultural entomologists collect and study insects in order to help improve crop production for farmers and gardeners.
Cultural entomologists tell us many stories about the aesthetic, religious and social reasons underpinning hobbyist insect collection. The Art Nouveau movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s promoted a back to nature culture that inspired artists such as Louis Comfort Tiffany to celebrate nature in his experimental and commercial glass work. Tiffany's dragonfly images on lamps are one of many examples of cultural infatuations with insects at different points in time.
The actual practice of collecting insects takes a variety of forms that can be divided into live and representative categories. Both scientists and hobbyists capture and document insect species. This How to Collect Insects Guide is written by an entomology professor at the University of Nebraska. It covers all the basic information necessary for the capture and preservation of insects in the field, including an extensive explanation of tools and techniques.
The live category of insect collecting also contains many tools for insect enthusiasts who favor the idea of insect as pets. Ant farms and the housing of other insect species in glass containers for viewing purposes, stirs wonder in minds young and old. People opting for this form of insect collecting need to understand and provide for the habitat and nutrition needs of the insects under their care.
Photography is one example of an insect collection tool that falls in the representative category. Pictures visually represent insects encountered by the photographer, and they have been used for purposes such as the creation of field guides and the creation of works of art.
There are many advantages linked to photographic insect collections. First and foremost, there is no insect fuss or upkeep involved after the initial insect capture (photograph). Depending on the media used, once you've taken a species picture, it's yours to keep forever. The insect is also free to continue on its merry way in its own environment.
© 2007 Patricia A. Michaels