Entomologists are scientists who focus specifically on the study of insects.
More specifically, lepidopterology is the branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the two superfamilies of butterflies.
Historically, insect collecting has been widespread and a very popular educational hobby - the oldest known pinned butterfly specimen was collected in 1702!
Many people still collect insects and other arthropods for scientific study or as a hobby. This can be important for study, as most insects are very small and the majority cannot be identified without the examination of minute morphological characteristics. Entomologists often make and maintain insect collections for this reason and many college courses related to the field require students to form small collections.
But insect collecting is not just for entomophiles!
Collecting butterflies is a fun and rewarding summer activity, and a mounted butterfly collection has both scientific and artistic value!
This step can come after you’ve brought the specimen home, but often it’s helpful to identify it right away, so you can remember where you found it. A field guide like the Butterflies & Moths Golden Guide can help you identify many common species, or you can try an Audubon guide with color photos of 600 species. Using a guide, find out what type of plant the caterpillar of that species eats, then check any of those plants in the area for tiny butterfly eggs on the underside of the leaves. (And come back later to see the caterpillars!) If you decide to identify your captures when you get home, make a note of where you found each one and what plant or flower it was feeding on. The first step of the identification process is to determine whether your capture is a butterfly or a moth, the two groups of Lepidoptera. Sometimes they are very difficult to tell apart, but in general moths have plump, furry bodies, are more dull in color, are active at night, and have wings spread flat when resting. Butterflies, on the other hand, usually have smoother bodies, brighter colors, are active during the day, and fold their wings up over their backs when they land. Another important difference is their antennae – butterflies have slender antennae that form a club shape at the end. Moths tend to have feathery antennae and very few species have clubbed antennae.
This page was built by Julia Phillips
