The National Forestry Insect Collection (FRNZ) contains entomological specimens - primarily forest insects and insects affecting timber in use. This is the most comprehensive collection of insects related to forestry in New Zealand. The collection was established in 1948, and now contains approximately 150,000 pinned specimens and 44,000 in ethanol.

The collection contains adults gathered during forest surveys and trapping, and those reared from field-collected caterpillars and wood boring larvae. Parasitoids are well represented, as are immature stages. The collection also contains many exotic insects discovered during quarantine inspections of imported timbers, casewood and dunnage. Major holdings include Coleoptera (Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Scolytidae); Lepidoptera (Tortricidae, Noctuidae, Geometridae); Hymenoptera (Ichneumonidae).

The collection is an essential research, diagnostic and archival resource for forest health work both in New Zealand and overseas. It is used routinely to provide identification and diagnostic services for pest detection surveillance programmes including the New Zealand Forest Owners Association’s Forest Biosecurity Surveillance Programme. The purpose of these programmes is early identification of new-to-New Zealand insects or pathogens, or pest and disease behaviours, that could have significant biosecurity implications for New Zealand’s trees and forests.

Areas of research supported by the insect collection include major taxonomic revisions and development of diagnostic tools, such as DNA barcoding for rapid diagnoses of pests discovered as immature life stages.

Further reading

• Bugging out at new Tasmanian beetles
• Rare beetles and promising finds
• Trialling insect traps at the Port of Tauranga
• Three new species of beetles discovered in Rotorua [NZ Herald]

Contact

Carl Wardhaugh, Forest Entomologist and collection curator