Entomology Division
| The entomology division of the Department of National Museums maintains a collection of over 95000 dry mounted insect specimens in storage cabinets and over 5000 wet preserved insect specimens in alcohol. The dry mounted collection includes Lepidopterans (butterflies & moths), Coleopterans (beetles), Dipterans (mosquitoes & flies), Homopterans (leafhoppers & Planthoppers), Orthopterans ( grasshoppers, locusts & crickets), Dermapterans (earwigs), Neuroptera (antlions), Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies).The wet preserved collection consists of Hymenopterans(ants, bees & wasps), Hemipterans ( plant bugs), Isopterans(termites) and several spider species found in Sri Lanka. These insects were collected from throughout the Island covering all the ecosystems. Museum gallery on insects in National Museum of Natural History in Colombo, comprising all type of common insect species in Sri Lanka, which representing economically and ecologically important groups. The collaborative project with the Smithsonian institution, Washington.D.C., U.S.A. (1969-1981) on insect fauna of Sri Lanka is one of the major projects and the collection of this project was also deposited in the division. This division has done very important research on biological controlling of coconut leaf miner beetle Promocithica cumingi in 1972 and it helped to save the coconut plantation of Sri Lanka. As a national service in 1992 this division involved to identify the Rover beetle which caused the disease “Peaderus Dermatites" on medical staff & patients in suburban hospitals. The Entomology section provided attract full exhibits for the mobile museum, school science museums in different districts and periodical temporary exhibitions. We have catered a large number of local and foreign researchers, scholars, students of universities, schools and officers from other various institutions by providing information, identification of the specimens, assisting on their projects and educating by means of lectures and exhibitions since early nineties. The staff of the Entomology division will provide support and direction for identification of insects and other subject related matters on request. |
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| Image Gallery : Entomology Division | ||
