Use of EMUS Collections

Scientific communication is integral to facilitate better practices concerning our environment. Research and community-oriented programs bring both the scientific community and community at large together to understand Earth's secrets. EMUS is a resource that we encourage members of Utah, the intermountain region, and beyond to use.

Use Of Collections Policy

OVERVIEW: The Entomological Museum at Utah State (EMUS) supports the use of our collection for scientific research and educational activities by the USU Logan campus and the community at large. Requests for campus visits may be made by contacting the EMUS curator at least one month prior to desired visit date for research-oriented visits, or by contacting the Outreach Coordinator with the USU Entomology Club via usu.insect.tours @ gmail.com.

CARE OF MATERIALS: A member of the EMUS research team must accompany all visitors to the collections. The collection space will remain locked when no EMUS research team member is in the room. Microscopes, pinning supplies, and photographing equipment are provided by EMUS to any visitor conducting research. All material examined by the visitor should be returned to the appropriate cabinet at the end of the day. For community visits, small groups less than five (5) may request a visit - larger groups should contact the USU Entomology Club Insect Tours to schedule a campus visit (email usu.insect.tours @ gmail.com). Microscopes may be set up during small group visits to the collections to show micro-structures of various insects.

DONATIONS: EMUS has grown to over two million specimens during the past 100 years through the generous contributions of entomologists, biologists, and naturalists in Utah and across the planet. We accept donations of insects mainly from the state of Utah and the intermountain regions that were collected and/or obtained legally and in accordance with collecting permits and state and federal laws. While our focus is on the insect fauna of the intermountain region, we will also consider donations of internationally collected specimens. EMUS has never paid for new material and will not purchase specimens. Specimens collected by USU students for coursework remain separate from the EMUS collection, and are deposited with the teaching collection in a separate building.

DEACCESSIONS: EMUS has focused on the insect order Hymenoptera for the past 20 years, but houses many historic collections from past EMUS researchers, including Orthopterra and Hemiptera. There are many large specimens of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera as well. All of this takes up a large amount of space within the collection room. Under certain circumstances, material conserved in EMUS will be deaccessioned (e.g. exchange and deposition of specimens in other natural history collections). Exchanges of material will be considered on a case-by-case basis; permission is solely granted by the curator through writing. 

CITATION OF COLLECTION: If examination of material from EMUS results in a publication or other educational materials, we request that the EMUS is listed in the acknowledgements section of the article and a PDF copy of the material is emailed to the EMUS curator.