The Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) is dedicated to the preservation, documentation, and scientific study of insect biodiversity.
The Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC) is an integral part of the Department of Entomology at Purdue. Specimens housed in the collection are the basis for research in systematic entomology at Purdue and by specialists worldwide. The PERC also serves as a reference to facilitate the accurate and timely identification of insects for extension and teaching needs. Approximately 2 million
04/17/2026
Our Collection Manager, Dr. Chris Wirth, will be co-leading a two-day macrophotography workshop on May 2-3 in West Lafayette, Indiana—if you've ever wanted to learn how to take close-up photos of any insects, spiders, or other arthropods this is a fantastic in-depth opportunity with both classroom and in-field activities! For more information and to register please visit: https://cvent.me/qK5bOo
03/11/2022
09/17/2021
We are excited to share our new logo—featuring Nicrophorus americanus, once "frequent" in Indiana, today no longer found in the state, highlighting the importance of collections work!
Help track Brood X!
02/01/2021
February is Black History Month
Book of Black entomologists’ memoirs shows young people the possibilities Book co-editor Willye Bryan says young Black people need to see individuals who look like them in the field of entomology as an incentive to choose the field as a career.
01/12/2021
Scientists decry death by 1,000 cuts for world's insects The world’s vital insect kingdom is undergoing “death by a thousand cuts,” the world’s top bug experts said. Climate change, insecticides, herbicides, light pollution, invasive species and...
12/17/2020
On Dec. 31, the Purdue College of Agriculture has 47 faculty and staff retiring, including some longtime friends of PERC. As a group, they represent 1,508 years of service to Purdue University. The video below gives a glimpse of each of their contributions during their time in the college. We wish them all well.
12/03/2020
How the insect got its wings: Scientists (at last!) tell the tale It sounds like a "Just So Story"—"How the Insect Got its Wings"—but it's really a mystery that has puzzled biologists for over a century. Intriguing and competing theories of insect wing evolution have emerged in recent years, but none were entirely satisfactory. Finally, a team from the Marine ...
07/19/2020
The spiny flower mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) knows how to strike a pose—but it’s not for the ‘gram. It takes this position when it feels threatened and wants to intimidate a foe. By raising its wings, the critter reveals markings that resemble big eyes and makes itself appear larger than it actually is. But this mantis doesn’t always have such a striking look. In the early stages of life it looks like an ant; it becomes more colorful with each molt as it grows.
Photo: Frupus, flickr
07/02/2020
Weird caterpillar uses its old heads to make an elaborate hat Meet the mad hatterpillar, the invertebrate that keeps its old moulted heads attached to its body to make a beautifully bizarre headpiece
06/24/2020
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-06/aiob-lbs062320.php
Leveraging biodiversity science infrastructure in the COVID-19 era The BioScience Talks podcast (http://bioscienceaibs.libsyn.com) features discussions of topical issues related to the biological sciences.