About the laboratory
The collections of recent insects, fossil insects, and other terrestrial arthropods including spiders comprise an estimated 700,000 prepared specimens. The number of specimens is increasing by more than 10,000 per a year on the average by the cooperation of many citizens circles that act around the museum. Most of them are dried specimens except for a part of theinsect fossils and remains, the larvae, etc as specimens with alcoholic liquid, and minute insects as praparat specimens.
Though the collections with the trait are beautiful butterflies in the world and beetles occupying some half of the total number, the number of wasps and flies' specimens also increases recently. Especially, orthopterous specimens of the grasshopper etc. is splendid as not seen in other museums. Recent additional specimens of Dermaptera in the world have enhanced the collection more and more.
Total number of specimens : 649,330（In 2001）
（Collection from Japan 456,273，Collection from foreign countries 119,214）