Enhancing entomology education by creating online resources and upgrading a teaching collection

A high-quality and properly curated teaching collection is of great importance when teaching entomology students about insect systematics, anatomy, and curation techniques. At Utah Valley University (UVU), the teaching collection is primarily composed of specimens donated by former students. Unfortunately, students often retain their best specimens, leading to a collection dominated by damaged insects and insects pinned with improper technique. Furthermore, the geographic limitation of student-collected specimens results in low taxonomic diversity of specimens found primarily in Utah. Additionally, available online resources that address insect collection and curation, such as YouTube videos, are often of poor audio and visual quality and often emphasize preparation for display rather than for scientific use. To address these issues, this project focuses on two initiatives: (a) producing high-quality instructional videos demonstrating proper pinning techniques with an emphasis on scientific curation, and (b) collecting diverse insect specimens from across the United States, curated with correct techniques, to serve as improved reference examples. By providing better physical and digital resources, this project aims to strengthen entomology education at UVU for current and future students.