Entomological Collections Network Annual Meeting Orlando, FL, USA 23–24 September 2016 http://ecnweb.org/ #ECN2016 Entomological Collections Network Annual Meeting Friday, September 23 – Saturday, September 24, 2016 Rosen Center Hotel, Orlando, FL #ECN2016 http://ecnweb.org/ Friday, September 23, 2016 Rosen Center Hotel, Grand Ballroom A 7:00–8:15 am Registration and coff ee 8:15–8:20 am Welcome and announcements CONTRIBUTED TALKS SESSION 1 8:20–8:35 am BoilerBug: A networked science collaboration between the Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) and the Logansport Indiana Youth Correctional Facility (LIYCF). Jennifer M. Zaspel (1), Crystal Klem (1), Timothy A. Anderson (1), Eugenio H. Nearns (1), & Lori Harshbarger (2) (1) Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA; (2) Logansport Indiana Youth Correctional Facility, Logansport, IN, USA Th e Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) is the largest and most important collection of insect specimens in the state of Indiana. Th e PERC has acquired numerous historical collections of great signifi cance to the systematic entomology community. Despite the importance of its holdings, the PERC has remained underutilized by, and in some cases inaccessible to, scientists and other professionals from outside of Purdue. As part of recent digitization workfl ows and ongoing electronic expansion eff orts, we developed a new project, BoilerBug, with the Logansport Indiana Youth Correctional Facility (LIYCF). Th is collabo- ration involves data transcription of digitized specimens by high-risk Indiana youth. Current workfl ows involve hourly student workers with dedicated desktop stations 5–6 days per week. Training workshops are held regularly and the LIYCF instructional staff and PERC curatorial assistants manage quality of data entry. Student workers will receive a certifi cate of participation in a biodiversity scienc- es project at Purdue University and electronic expansion eff orts in the PERC will be accelerated, ultimately increasing its accessibility to the scientifi c community. Supporting entomology for almost 70 years! When we look back at the past and review our personal and colletive histories, we want to believe the contributions we have made will make a difference and enrich the lives of those that follow us. This is especialy true for museum based entomolgists. The knowledge they uncover is of a very high value as the world changes and spieces are lost and found. Without natural history collections the basis for the information discovered could be lost forever. Our successful partnership has continued to strenghten for seven de- cades. The relationship between museum entomologists and Bio- Quip is very important. We staunchly support each other in our quest to find answers to the the questions presented by the natural world. BioQuip’s 34 employees have a combined experience of over 480 years with an average tenure of over 14 years, working in our manu- facturing, customer service, technical information, marketing, ship- ping, and other departments. Lest we forget to mention our Bio- QuipBugs divison that has over 14,000 arthropod listings available. BioQuip, including their dedicated employees and the Fall family are here to help and serve you. We wish to congratulate and thank Louise Fall for 60 years of service to BioQuip and our entomological family. 8:35–8:50 am Th e University of Arizona Insect Collection (UAIC): Renovation and revitalization Wendy Moore & Gene Hall Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA Th e University of Arizona Insect Collection is a UA core facility that is the cor- nerstone for entomological research and insect diagnostics for the state of Arizo- na. Th e UAIC maintains 2.0+ million insect specimens and is the most compre- hensive in the world for the Sonoran Desert Region. To continue its mission of documenting the insect biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert and adjacent regions, the UAIC recently underwent extensive renovations and upgrades, leading to unprecedented expansion and research activity. As part of the Symbiota Collec- tions of Arthropods Networks, the UAIC is digitizing the collection to facilitate making specimen data available to researchers worldwide. Th e UAIC is involved with the Arizona Sky Island Arthropod Project (ASAP) as part of the fi rst in- depth survey of sky island arthropods in the region. Th e UAIC is a repository for fossilized arthropods from packrat middens collected in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, providing data for reconstructing past climates and arthropod communities. Th e collection is also involved in local outreach, including the UA’s Arizona Insect Festival, which attracts thousands of attend- ees annually. Th rough the generosity of the Schlinger Foundation, each year the UAIC hosts the Visiting Systematist Program, supporting research in the UAIC and Sonoran Desert. As part of UA’s Cooperative Extension Insect Diagnostics Clinic, the UAIC provides identifi cation services to the public, agriculture, medi- cal, veterinarian, forensic, state, and federal agencies. 8:50–9:05 am Submitted for your consideration, three ideas from the wandering mind of a wondering curator: 1) Th e Art of Leaving (we all do it, one way or another); 2) Recap- turing Bycatch: so we can set it free; 3) Identifi cation— the future of placing name. Michael L. Ferro Clemson University Arthropod Collection, Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC, USA Th ree vignettes into the shadowy recesses of deep curation. 1) Leaving can be a very dangerous time for specimens and research but we rarely teach proper methods. Whether the destination is the white-light in a new lab or the black- light sheet in the sky, there are strategies to leave with style. 2) “Th e best col- lecting is done in someone else’s museum.” If we rearrange existing technology, workfl ows, and resources we could easily make past and future bycatch available to researchers. 3) You’re gonna hate this, but we need to rethink how we “identi- fy” specimens. Placing a “name” is much more complicated than we like to admit and (sigh) it should be more formal (ugh) and maybe even involve standardized forms (Th at’s a terrible idea!). 9:05–9:20 am A digital species index of the entomology collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University Stephen C. Mason, Jr., Isabelle Betancourt, & Jon K. Gelhaus Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA Th e entomology collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences (ANSP) of Drexel University includes approximately four million insect specimens and some of the oldest specimens collected in the western hemisphere in addition to the most important Orthoptera collection worldwide. Like most large entomology collections, no inventory of the species in the collection was available and even a physical search for a species could not insure that all available specimens would be recovered for study. During 2010 – 2014, a species level inventory, funded by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), created a master index of all species in the collection. Th is is now searchable online: http://symbiont. ansp.org/entomology. Th is species inventory took place in concert with a facility renovation that was funded by NSF. At present, the collection has representatives of 100,000+ species, approximately 10% of the described insect fauna. Additional information collected in the project included number# of specimens per species, type of specimen preservation, type status, and specimen location in the collec- tion. Th e process of the IMLS project along with future goals will be presented. 9:20–9:40 am Coff ee break MEMBER SYMPOSIUM 1: Collecting Methods Organizers: Sydney Brannoch (1) & Gavin Svenson (2) (1) Case Western University, Cleveland, OH, USA; (2) Th e Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH, USA Th is symposium seeks to highlight various collecting strategies employed by researchers working across a diversity of invertebrate taxa. Th is will include the unique and interesting aspects of taxon-specifi c fi eld work. “Tricks of the trade,” sampling equipment (both professional and makeshift ), and lessons learned along the way will be discussed by our presenters. 9:40–9:55 am Goldilocks and the scolytine collectors (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a tale of plants, sharp objects, and timing Anthony I. Cognato & Sarah M. Smith A.J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection, Dept. of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Bark and ambrosia beetles occur throughout the world’s forests and utilize a diversity of plants and their parts as a food source for larvae and adults. Speci- mens are oft en taken at lights and fl ight intercept traps however these specimens are typically the most common and widespread species. Collection directly from infested plants yields greater diversity and specimens and provides valuable insight into the biology of the species. However, their mostly subcortical lifestyle hides them from the general insect collector and collecting requires training to recognize infested plant hosts. Once found, the beetles are excised from the host with a combination of saws, chisels, pruning shears, hatchets and knives. Much practice is needed to remove the beetles without damage. Collecting bark and ambrosia beetles is at times a haphazard process greatly liable to timing. Most scolytines feed within dead or dying plants and the stage of the decay is critical for the beetles’ decision