AJ Cook Arthropod Research Collection part of $3.2 million effort to digitize Lepidoptera specimens

The National Science Foundation is funding a $3.2 million effort to digitize millions of butterfly and moth specimens within the Lepidoptera of the North American Network.

Butterflies and moths are challenging and economically significant pests for growers. Because they are closely associated with the plants they feed on, they are also frequently used by scientists for evolutionary and ecological studies. On the flipside, they are also aesthetically pleasing and have captured the attention of many nature admirers throughout history.

With these impacts in mind, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is funding a $3.2 million effort to digitize millions of butterfly and moth specimens within the Lepidoptera of the North American Network. The grant was awarded to 27 U.S. institutes including the A.J. Cook Arthropod Research Collection (ARC) in the MSU Department of Entomology, which is led by MSU entomologist Anthony Cognato.

Read the full MSU AgBioResearch story: “MSU joins $3.2 million effort to digitize butterfly and moth research collections.”

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