Department of Entomology
The Department of Entomology has a long tradition of prominent research in systematic entomology, with names such as Lars Brundin (1907-1993), founder of modern historical biogeography, and René Malaise (1895-1978), inventor of the widely used Malaise trap. Current research activities focus on the charting of insect diversity, one of the last blank spots in our knowledge about life on Earth.
More about current research
The sizable collections, comprising more than three million specimens, contain insects, arachnids (mites and spiders) and myriapods (millipedes and centipedes). The collections are worldwide, with broad geographic and taxonomic coverage. They contain many types and expand continuously through field work in many parts of the world, mainly in Sweden and in the tropics and subtropics.
The oldest collections are from the 18th century. Among the most valuable are those of the pioneers Carl Clerck (1709-1765) and Charles De Geer (1720-1778), both of whom had close ties to Carl von Linné (1707-1778). A significant addition was the collection of 8,600 insect species, donated in 1819 by Gustaf von Paykull (1757-1826). Carl Johan Schönherr (1772-1848) and Carl Henrik Boheman (1796-1868) were among several other early entomologists who contributed importantly to the collections. Later additions include material from a number of Swedish expeditions in the late 19th and early 20th century led by Yngve Sjöstedt and Sven Hedin, among others.
More about the collections
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