The Hymenoptera collection is one of the strongest segments of the CNC and one of the largest in the world. An estimated two to three million dried specimens are housed in about 250 cabinets and about 6000 drawers. There is a separate liquid collection of about 30,000 vials containing unidentified but partially sorted specimens in ethanol, estimated at around one million specimens, which is the source of most of the pinned material. There is a relatively small slide collection (fewer that 100 slide boxes - many only partly full) mainly of Chalcidoidea and a collection of 155 fossils in Cretaceous amber.
On staff currently there are three full-time scientists, four full-time technicians, two honorary research scientists, one associated biologist, and one visiting scientist working on the collection.
