HEMIPTERA (TRUE BUGS) by K.G.A. Hamilton

Holdings | Personnel | Publications | Links

The Hemiptera collection has over 850,000 bug specimens housed in over 4500 drawers and slide boxes, plus 8 alcohol cabinets and 17 slide cabinets, making it one of the largest Hemiptera collections in North America. Approximately 30% of the slide and alcohol collection is sorted to species group, 80% of the pinned collection is curated to the level of species or species group, and over 90% of the collection is curated to the genus level. Over 700 primary types reside in the Hemiptera collection, including 218 primary types of aphids.

The Hemiptera collection stresses the northern half of North America, with many series in both the alcohol and pinned material having been collected from identified plant hosts. It includes the H.H. Ross grassland leafhopper survey collection of 1955-1971 and the A.G. Robinson aphid collection. Although most specimens are from the Nearctic region, coverage is worldwide, with significant holdings from Nepal and Mexico. Aphids are the largest part of the slide collection (225,000 slides) and alcohol collection (35,000 vials). Families that are particularly well represented in the pinned collection include Cicadellidae and Miridae. In addition, the collection contains several hundred Upper Cretaceous fossils, mainly aphids, in Canadian amber.

The CNC Hemiptera Collection is Currently Housed as Follows:

Personnel

Hamilton, K.G.A. Scientist (Auchenorrhyncha, Cryptocerata) & Unit Curator of Hemiptera
Foottit, R.G. Scientist (Sternorrhyncha, Thysanoptera)

Elsaesser, J. Technician (Auchenorrhyncha, Cryptocerata)
Maw, E. Technician (Sternorrhyncha, Thysanoptera)

Schwartz, M.D. Research Associate (Gymnocerata)

Hardcopy Hemiptera Publications

Plant Bugs on Fruit Crops in Canada. Agriculture Canada Monograph 24
The Insects and Arachnids of Canada (Handbook Series)
     Part 3 - The Aradidae [Flat Bugs] of Canada (Hemiptera: Aradidae)
     Part 4 - The Anthocoridae [Flower Bugs] of Canada and Alaska (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)
     Part 6 - The Plant Bugs of the Prairie Provinces of Canada (Heteroptera: Miridae)
     Part 10 - The Spittlebugs of Canada (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)
     Part 22 - The Genera of the Aphids of Canada (Homoptera: Aphidoidea and Phylloxeroidea)

Hemiptera Links

Assessment of Short-Horned Bug Species Diversity in the Mixedwood Plains Ecozone
Assessment of Short-Horned Bug Species Diversity in the Montane Cordillera Ecozone

This page last updated on 20-Jun-2006

CNC Webmaster: Dr. J.H. Skevington