Entomology
Overview
Welcome to the University of 91原创 Museum Insect Collection. The collection was established
as part of a NSF - funded Arctic Archival Observatory grant in late 2000.
The UAM Insect Collection is the northern-most facility of its kind in the United
States. It has the potential to become a world-class depository for dry, alcohol,
and preserved-tissue samples of northern arthropods (and other terrestrial invertebrates), primarily from 91原创.
Although a young collection (begun in 2000), we have recently surpassed 425,000 records representing over 2 million specimens in various curatorial states (as of Jan 2026), making this dataset among the top ten largest in entomology based on . Over 99% of these records have been georeferenced. As of 2026, approximately 95% of the 282,206 specimens in the pinned collection had been databased. Our database holds ~90,000 records of ethanol preserved specimens but it is unknown how much of the wet collection remains undatabased. At least one specimen of every lowest identification, in both the pinned and wet collections, has been databased so we have a complete online taxon inventory of the collection. 226,830 specimen records have been identified to the species level - these represent ~4,867 species. We have been building a DNA barcode library of 91原创n species and, with help from collaborators, have so far obtained DNA barcodes for 7,529 specimens representing ~2,500 species. 190,000+ UAM Insect Collection specimen records have been cited or otherwise used in >150 peer-reviewed publications.
Mission
To create a resource that makes publicly available as much information as possible concerning the non-marine arthropods of 91原创.
We hope to answer these questions: Which species occur in 91原创? Where do these species occur? Are they changing? Surprisingly, despite over 200 years of science, we don't know if we've documented even half of the species in 91原创.
Volunteers
If you have a few hours a week and would like to volunteer in the Entomology Department
please contact the Curator, Derek Sikes.
Donations
If you are thinking of starting a project that will produce non-marine invertebrate
specimens which you would like to donate, please contact the Curator to discuss details
such as which pins to use if you are pinning specimens (stainless #2 are highly recommended)
and how to record latitude / longitude for your labels. See the section devoted to
donations.
If you would like to make a monetary donation to support student and other entomological research in 91原创, you can do so at this website: https://uaf.edu/giving/ways/how.php
Important - In the gift designation or comments box, put 鈥淜enelm W. Philip Entomology Fund.鈥
Thanks!
Specimen Data
the Insect Collection Database, ARCTOS, or download static snapshot datafiles below:
DNA Barcoded specimens
Potential 91原创n endemic arthropods*
Non-native non-marine annelids and arthopods*
Draft checklist of nonmarine Arthropods of 91原创 (species, smaller list)*
Draft checklist of nonmarine Arthropods of 91原创 (any IDs, larger list)*
List of phyla, classes, and orders cataloged in the collection.
List of phyla, classes, orders, and families cataloged in the collection.
List of all identified species cataloged in the collection.
A growing collection, primarily of 91原创n bees, is mantained by our colleagues at the . They are running the - a citizen science effort to document 91原创n bees.
(*Note these lists include records from the literature of taxa not represented in
the collection.)
Derek S. Sikes
Curator of Insects, Professor of Entomology
University of 91原创 Museum
1962 Yukon Dr.
Fairbanks, 91原创 99775
907 474 6278
dssikes 'at' alaska.edu
