Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
960 Carling Ave. K1A 0C6 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday January 16, 2020, 7:30pm Come see an illustrated talk by Benoît Ménard Dragonfly investigator Benoît Ménard and guest Ray Hutchinson will show and discuss dragonfly nymphs life in the Ottawa area using his photographs, and short films. The presentation will include new behavioural details, such as nymphs feeding on mosquito larvae and pupae and other invertebrates. With new indoor emergences of locally collected nymphs, Benoit has new informati...on on local habitat use by many species. Naturalists and conservationists will also learn new insights on how and where to find nymphs of Neurocordulia, Epiaeschna, Gomphaeschna , Nasiaeschna, Somatochlora, and others for which microhabitat-specific searching is required. Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

The Ottawa Entomology Club meeting has been cancelled for this week. Stay healthy!The Ottawa Entomology Club meeting has been cancelled for this week. Stay healthy!

The CNC is suspending the shipment of all non-essential loans (both IN and OUT of the collection), and we are temporarily closed to all visitors. This is linked to reductions in operations as part of the effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Thank you for understanding.

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday February 20, 2020, 7:30pm Come see an illustrated talk by Mary Ann Perron, Canadian cities have thousands of recently-built stormwater ponds, in many cases representing most wetlands in a city. Ottawa alone has approximately 100 stormwater ponds meant to manage flooding and protect waterways from pollutants. These ponds can attract much-appreciated wildlife, including adult dragonflies. But, can odonates successfully reproduce in these systems,... or are they population-sinking ecological traps? Stormwater runoff (i.e. rain that lands on pavement and cannot be absorbed into the environment) is usually high in contaminants, such as metals, road salts and nutrients, and many aquatic insects are pollution-sensitive, so dragonfly reproduction might be affected by poor water quality. Mary Ann Perron will share stories, photos and results from her comparisons of dragonfly emergence at local stormwater ponds and natural ponds, and show us how these new ponds affect urban dragonfly reproduction. Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday January 16, 2020, 7:30pm Come see an illustrated talk by Benot Mnard Dragonfly investigator Benot Mnard and guest Ray Hutchinson will show and discuss dragonfly nymphs life in the Ottawa area using his photographs, and short films. The presentation will include new behavioural details, such as nymphs feeding on mosquito larvae and pupae and other invertebrates. With new indoor emergences of locally collected nymphs, Benoit has new informati...on on local habitat use by many species. Naturalists and conservationists will also learn new insights on how and where to find nymphs of Neurocordulia, Epiaeschna, Gomphaeschna , Nasiaeschna, Somatochlora, and others for which microhabitat-specific searching is required. Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Ottawa Entomology Club Thurs. October 17, 2019, 7:30pm Come see an illustrated talk by Kevin Moran The fly family Syrphidae, the flower flies or hover flies, vary in appearance more than any other fly family. Some, like Sphegina, are small, slender mimics of wasps while others, such as Mallota, mimic bumble bees. This talk will try to answer questions about mimicry, and the evolution of mimicry in this family of flies. ... Why has this mimicry evolved in Syrphidae: does it deter predation by vertebrates or is it better explained by another theory? Why are some species poor mimics while others match their model in detail? What adaptations have syrphids developed to enable mimicry and is this mimicry of Hymenoptera purely physical? Finally, we will examine the state of mimicry in subtribe Criorhinina which includes many of the most spectacular mimics. Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Ottawa Entomology Club Thurs. September 19, 2019, 7:30pm Come see a film about Charlie and Lois OBrien Film by Allison Otto... Over the course of 60 years, Lois and Charlie OBrien, two of the foremost entomologists and pioneers in their field, traveled to more than 67 countries and quietly amassed the worlds largest private collection of insects. He was the Indiana Jones of entomology and she was his Marion Ravenwood. Their collection is a scientific game-changer with more than one million specimens and more than 1,000 undiscovered species. During the past several years, however, Charlie, 86, and Lois, 92, have grappled with the increasingly debilitating effects of Charlies Parkinsons disease and the emotional toll it takes on Lois. They realize that a chapter of exploration and discovery is coming to an end in their lives. So in 2017, after decades of teaching, writing, research and the development of an almost-parental bond with their collection, these two soulmates decided to give all their insects away. This humorous and poignant documentary explores the nature of Love and the love of Nature, and what it means to devote oneself completely to both. Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Catherine McKenna, visited the CNC today.

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday May 2, 2019, 7:30pm Flower flies: new field guide! Dr. Jeff Skevington... CNC, AAFC Come see an illustrated talk by Dr. Jeff Skevington Jeffs talk will introduce this amazing group of pollinator flies and will discuss the production of the new field guide for our fauna. Flower flies are abundant in both cultivated and natural ecosystems but are often overlooked as many are excellent mimics of bees and wasps. They are common in our gardens and many of our species are easy to identify once you know what to look for. Although most adult flower flies are pollinators, larval flower flies have many lifestyles. Some species are predators of aphids and other soft-bodied insect pests in our gardens, others are plant feeders, some live as predators or parasitoids in insect nests and many filter feed bacteria from sap or rotting material. Jeff recently co-authored a book entitled, Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America (with Michelle Locke, Andrew Young, Kevin Moran, Bill Crins and Steve Marshall). The book is available for pre-order for about $32 CAD at Chapters, Amazon and other book stores and is expected out by May 7th. Jeff will bring a couple of copies to show and will give away a copy during the evening. Send digital copies of your flower fly photos to Jeff ([email protected]) before the meeting or bring copies to the meeting on a memory stick (please include date and location photographed). We will all look through the images after the talk. Best photo, best syrphid story or best question of the evening will vie for the free book. You can even bring a few flower fly specimens to show off or look up. Jeff will bring a microscope and some specimens down to the room before the meeting. The co-authors worked together for 10 years to assemble this book: the first comprehensive field guide to any group of flies for a large area in North America. If you arent familiar with flower flies, this meeting is a well-timed introduction. Not only will the field guide be out soon, but 2019s first flower flies should be flying by the time of the meeting. Take a closer look at those pollinators on your flowers. If they have two wings (and usually short antennae), they are likely flower flies rather than bees. Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Reminder this talk is tomorrow night!

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday March 21, 2019, 7:30 PM The integrative physiology of insect chill tolerance Prof. Heath McMillan... Carleton University Come see an illustrated talk by Prof. Heath McMillan A gradual decline into disorder: The integrative physiology of insect chill tolerance The MacMillan Lab at Carleton University studies the physiology of stress tolerance in insects. The timing and severity of the winter season are key predictors of insect distribution and abundance, but we lack and integrative understanding of why chilling causes tissue damage and death in insects. Most insect species are chill susceptible, meaning they enter a cold-induced coma (chill coma) and suffer irreversible chilling injury well before any freezing of their body fluids occurs. For these insects, the ability to maintain salt (ion) and water balance is critical to cold tolerance. In this talk Heath McMillan will cover how we define and study insect overwintering strategies and give examples of our recent efforts to connect insect chill tolerance to its underlying physiology. Photo caption for Poster: A female field cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus) lies comatose after being exposed to 0C for 6 hours. At this moment, the renal system (Malpighian tubules and rectum) are burning metabolic energy to restore salt and water balance. Once that balance is restored, and its nerves and muscles are functional, the cricket will again move and respond to its environment. Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday November 15, 2018, 7:30 PM Mite taxonomy in Canada Dr. Fred Beaulieu... Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Come see an illustrated talk by Dr. Fred Beaulieu Your bed may have a million mites, but they all belong to only 1 or 2 species. Over 54,000 species of mites are described worldwide and another 0.51 more remain undescribed. How many occur in Canada? Lindquist et al. (1979) counted ~1900 species from Canada, with an overall estimate of ~9,500: 80% yet to be discovered. Based on literature and museum specimens (Beaulieu et al., in press), Fred will present an entertaining summary using a mix of beautiful pie charts, dazzling BINS*, refreshing SEMs*, and biological intrigues. He will also talk about what has changed since 1979, what we still dont know, and the wild guesses we make about the diversity, ecology and geography of Canadas mites. *BINs: DNA Barcode Index Numbers; SEMs: scanning electron micrographs. Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Ottawa Entomology Club Thursday September 20, 2018, 7:30 PM Come see an illustrated talk by Adam Brunke and Hume Douglas... Entomology Fieldwork in Vietnam Hume and Adam will tell stories from 2017 insect collecting work in two provinces of northern Vietnam. Northern Vietnam is an under-sampled link between the beetle faunas of China, Europe and North America. Familiar plants such as maples and oaks serve as reminders that these regions have been connected in the past, and for the same reason, relatives of beetles important to Canadian agriculture also occur in Vietnam. They will talk about the logistics and challenges of overseas fieldwork, techniques used, beetles caught and experiences along the way. Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building Central Experimental Farm 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

We get a shout out in this article. Read on to see how our collection is used by other scientists.

On April 19th, come see an illustrated talk by Megan McAulay and Manuel Sevenello: "Factors shaping bee-plant interactions" When: Thursday April 19, 2018, 2018 @7:30 PM Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... Abstract. Many factors influence bee-plant interactions including the timing of bee emergence and of plant flowering (phenology), and availability and the nutritional quality of floral resources. Manuel will discuss how spring temperatures and timing of snowmelt influence the phenology of spring wildflowers, activity of bees, as well as the temporal overlap between bees and flowers in Gatineau Park. Some pollens, including those from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), may be poor diets for generalist bees. Megan will discuss experimental work on how the pollen composition of larval provisions influences mason bee survival and development (Osmia: Megachilidae).

On March 15th, come see an illustrated talk by Chris Schmidt: "Canadas iconic Bogbean Buckmoth: can DNA barcodes resolve the problematic taxonomy of an endangered species?" When: Thursday march 15th, 2018 @7:30 PM Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... Abstract. The bogbean buckmoth is a large, charismatic moth that occurs in only a few fens of the eastern Lake Ontario region. It is of conservation concern in Canada and the USA. Buckmoths are ecologically very specialized across differing habitats and larval hostplants across their North American range, but are nevertheless morphologically very similar, and it has therefore been difficult to resolve their taxonomy, hampering conservation management and a better evolutionary understanding of the group. Recent research applying molecular techniques shows some promising results in elucidating the taxonomy and biogeography of this iconic species.

On February 15th, come see an illustrated talk by Prof. Jayne Yack: "A Foray into the Extraordinary Acoustic Worlds of Insects" When: Thursday February 15th, 2018 @7:30 PM Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... Abstract. Most people are familiar with insect sounds, particularly those used for advertisement over long distances, such as the familiar chirps of crickets or buzzing of cicadas. What many do not realize is that insects generate and detect an extraordinary diversity of acoustic (sound and vibration) signals that extend far beyond human sensory capabilities. Jayne Yacks team uses specialized instruments to tap into these secret communication channels. Dr. Yack will discuss among other things, how caterpillars engage in rap battles, how male bark beetles croon to females inside trees, and how butterflies use hearing aids to eavesdrop on predators. The complex acoustic landscape of insects and other invertebrates remains unchartered territory ripe for further exploration.

On January 18th (Tomorrow!), come see an illustrated talk by Jacob Miall: "Just add buckwheat? A recipe for changing the parasitoid community of leek moth in Canada" When: Thursday January 18th, 2018 @7:30 PM Where: Salon A, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... Abstract. The introduced leek moth, Acrolepiopsis assectella Zeller, has been killing leek, onion, chive, and garlic plants in the Ottawa area for more than 25 years, but resident generalist parasitoids have been slow to reduce moth populations. As a result, this pest quickly expanded its range into southern Ontario, Quebec, and into New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. It has even managed to jump the border into the United States as it is now found in northern New York and Vermont. Biological control research and regulatory approval resulted in the eventual release of the European pupal parasitoid, Diadromus pulchellus, in Ontario and Quebec beginning in 2010. But eight years later, and after releasing more than 15 000 wasps, what is happening in the leek moth system (host plants + herbivore + parasitoids)? This talk examines leek moth mortality factors, including its dynamic parasitoid community. Jacob will also discuss how this system might change if we adopt a conservation biology approach to this classical biological control project. Will biotic interference theory help to predict whats next for leek moth and other introduced plant pests?

Scientific illustrators at the Canadian National Collection ... we are lucky to have Go Sato and Jessica Hsiung here!

On November 23rd, come see an illustrated talk by CFIA Research Scientist Bryan Brunet: "Nomenclatural principles and tortured tortricid taxonomy: the tale of Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman" When: Thursday November 23rd, 2017 @7:30 PM Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... Abstract. The spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, species complex are some of the most widely studied forest insect pests, yet uncertainty still remains surrounding the number of included species. While most species have been accepted as such since the 1960s, new molecular approaches to characterize phylogenetic relationships have revealed a much more complex scenario. Dr. Brunet reviews the taxonomic history and life history strategies of species in the complex, and highlights recent efforts to characterize species boundaries. He will also discuss the taxonomic challenges resulting from this work regarding the western spruce budworm, C. occidentalis Freeman.

CNC is hiring! Research Scientist Hemiptera Taxonomist

Together at Last.... The Kluane Tiger Moth (Arctia brachyptera) was discovered in 1991 and formally described and named 8 years later. It was known to science f...rom only two specimens, both females. Fast forward to 2017, when I found some caterpillars on the Bullion Plateau,Yukon, during the Kluane BioBlitz; the caterpillars flew with me back to Ontario, then out to British Columbia - where they finally pupated and emerged, including the first known male of the Kluane Tiger - heres said male (bottom), compared to the female holotype (top). And some people think taxonomy is boring... See more

On September 21st, come see an illustrated talk by Andrew Smith: "A survey of Canadian scarab beetles, with observations on Canadas insect collections" When: Thursday September 21st, 2017 @7:30 PM Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa The first part of the presentation will be an outline and progress report on a survey and inventory of the scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of Canada. Since 2013, when the project... started, over 56000 Canadian specimens have been authoritatively identified and databased. An exhaustive inventory of all Canadian scarab beetle specimens has been completed for 10 major insect collections in Canada, including the Canadian National Collection and Canadian Museum of Nature. So far, 18 new country records have been discovered including two previously undescribed species. Around 100 new provincial and territorial records have also been uncovered. The second part of the presentation will be an examination of the general state of insect collections in Canada using the scarab specimen dataset. Temporal and geographical patterns of the specimens from various collections will be discussed as will gaps in coverage. It is important to assess the collections as their specimens form the basis of knowledge for Canadian biodiversity. See more

All set for #BugDay2017 here in Ottawa! Come down to the Experimental Farm from 9-4 to see some live insects, eat cricket cookies and meet the scientists!

#bugday2017 is coming to a close and it was a big success! Thanks to everyone who participated; see you next year!

Cricket-Chocolate-chip cookies baked and ready to give away tomorrow! Come try them at @bugdayottawa #bugday2017

It will be 18C and sunny for Bug Day tomorrow; see you at the Central Experimental Farm!

BugDay Ottawa is only 3 days away! See you on Saturday September 9th, at the Central Experimental Farm!

Mark your calendars: BugDay is on Saturday September 9th!

We sometimes receive spiders from imported bananas and grapes, but not often from imported paintings.

On April 20th, come see an illustrated talk by Christiane Weirauch: "Travels in search of True Bugs: from natural history to the heteropteran Tree of Life" When: Thursday April 20th, 2017 @7:30 PM Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa... About Christiane Weirauch: Christiane joined the faculty in Entomology at University California Riverside in early 2007 as a systematic entomologist. Her interest is in systematic research of Heteroptera, with an emphasis on Reduviidae, Miridae, and Dipsocoromorpha, on combining morphological and molecular data, and on integrating our systematic knowledge with the evolution of exciting character systems (such as glands), the evolution of prey capture strategies in Reduviidae, and biogeography. Christiane received a Diplom in biology from Eberhard Karls Universitaet in Tuebingen (working on the assassin bug fauna of a small nature reserve in Southern Brazil) and obtained her PhD from Freie Universitaet Berlin studying systematics of Reduviidae. She then moved to New York and became a post doc in the PBI (Planetary Biodiversity Inventory) project on Plant Bugs, where she focused on systematics of the mirid subfamily Phylinae.

The Lepidopterists Society meeting in Ottawa, 1966. Please help us identify these people! See legend in the first comment.

On March 16th, come see an illustrated talk by Eric Guerra: Evolutionary ecology of insect egg coloration: an underrated and egg-citing topic How can an immobile egg protect itself? Eggs face threats including ultraviolet radiation and predation, but are not able to actively seek protection. One protective adaptation is egg coloration. Much is known about bird egg coloration, but little on how adaptive it is in insects. Eric Guerra-Grenier began to explored egg colouration du...ring supposed to be a summer internship that grew into a graduate studies topic. He will present current knowledge on invertebrate egg coloration, and adaptive functions in insects. The talk will also cover crypsis, mimicry and aposematism, while answering questions such as what is a color, why cant humans see ultraviolet radiation and differences between pigmentation and structural coloration. When: Thursday March 16, 2017 @7:30 PM Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Public presentation, TOMORROW: "Herbicides, beetles, and the decline of insectivorous birds" Speaker: Henri Goulet Location: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa Tuesday, 14 February, 7 p.m. social, 7:30p.m.

Come see an illustrated talk by CNC research scientist, Dr. Marla Schwarzfeld: Invisible biodiversity the hidden world of mites beneath our feet In this talk, Marla Schwarzfeld will introduce you to the wildly diverse, but mostly hidden world of soil and litter mites.... When: Thursday February 16, 2017 @7:30 PM Where: Salon B, K.W. Neatby Building, Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa All persons interested in moths are invited to attend Summary: A single handful of soil can contain hundreds of mites and dozens of species, each with its own ecological role and unique adaptations.

Research by CNC scientist Lubomr Masner featured in ZooKeys