The National Institute of Entomology is the custodian of several important and historical Entomological Collections including its extensive Reference and Research Library and Scientific Equipment inventory. Its Insect Collections are listed below:

CENTRAL VICTORIAN REGIONAL INSECT COLLECTION    
 

The Central Victorian Regional Insect Collection was established around 1956 by biology students from La Trobe University in Bendigo and totals around 250,000 specimens.

The majority of specimens were sampled during environmental assessment projects throughout Central Victoria with many specimens being new and undescribed to science. Many specimens were also collected and donated by members of the public. Due to the redevelopment and planned demolition of the La-Trobe University Bendigo Applied Science Buildings in 2021, this unique and valuable collection was scheduled to be discarded. Its scientific value was far too great to allow this to occur. Fortunately, this unique collection was saved and relocated to its new location and is currently undergoing curation and further development.

What makes the C.V.R.I.C Collection so valuable is that it now represents the only specific collection of the entomological fauna for the Central Victorian Region in existance. The only other collection that existed was the former Insectarium of Victoria Collection which was sadly lost due to neglect by its new owners. In order to catalogue and database the C.V.R.I.C collection, and to utilize its full potential in future climatic change studies, all specimens are being digitized and cataloged. Once completed, the C.V.R.I.C Collections will help make a positive contribution in addressing climate change and monitoring species decline as well as making a major contribution towards the understanding and conservation of the insect fauna of the entire central Victorian region.

Many of the specimens held in the C.V.R.I.C collection are new and have never been named or described and include examples of insects collected during environmental surveys taken well over 50 years ago. As a result, the collection represents a unique opportunity to document climatic change in this region from an entomological perspective. The collection not only covers the Insect Fauna of the region, but also houses many other invertebrate groups such as spiders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes and many other orders forming a valuable resource of over 200,000 specimens.

Targeted Aims:

1. To firstly document the Hymenoptera (Ants and Wasps) held by the C.V.R.I.C. (The ant groups have now been completed).
There are still many undescribed species in Central Victoria and many specimans are represented in these collections. Taxonomic work and description of these currently undescribed species and publishing them in taxonomic journals and/or collaborating with other entomologists who are working on these groups to have them described will be a priority.
2. Database specimens in the collection to begin to define each species and where each species occurs.
3. Microscopic and Photographic documentation of each specimen held within every represented insect order in the collection.