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Rare mounted specimens, female (left) and male (right), of Heteropterex dilata. Origin: Perak, Malaysia. Circa 1920. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Bloomsbury Auctions.

Illinois researchers to digitize insect collection

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Rare mounted specimens, female (left) and male (right), of Heteropterex dilata. Origin: Perak, Malaysia. Circa 1920. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Bloomsbury Auctions.
Rare mounted specimens, female (left) and male (right), of Heteropterex dilata. Origin: Perak, Malaysia. Circa 1920. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Bloomsbury Auctions.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) – Scientists based in Champaign with the Illinois Natural History Survey are part of an effort to digitize photographs of millions of insects.

The State Journal-Register reports the scientists are sharing $2.6 million in grants from the National Science Foundation. They will photograph specimens and create a digital collection. The survey is part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

Much of the money will go to InvertNet. Under the project more than a dozen institutions across the upper Midwest will create a virtual museum. The museum will feature 56 million species.

The fragile insects specimens are kept in drawers. They will be photographed from many angles so they can be seen from several different points of view.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com

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ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Rare mounted specimens, female (left) and male (right), of Heteropterex dilata. Origin: Perak, Malaysia. Circa 1920. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Bloomsbury Auctions.
Rare mounted specimens, female (left) and male (right), of Heteropterex dilata. Origin: Perak, Malaysia. Circa 1920. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Bloomsbury Auctions.