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In the heart of the Agricultural Research Council’s Biosystematics Division in the Plant Health and Protection (ARC-PHP) campus lies a hidden gem: the South African National Collection of Insects. This 112-year-old entomology collection comprises millions of documented and undocumented specimens. It is not just a repository of insects, but a vital resource for understanding biodiversity and developing sustainable agricultural practices.
The collection is part of the National Public Goods Assets (NPGAs), making it a strategic resource of economic and permanent value belonging to the country. The entomology unit uses these resources to identify new and harmful insect pests, such as the fall armyworm, tomato leaf miner, and sugarcane longhorn beetle. Their biocontrol reference collection is important for studying insects that are useful in naturally controlling insect pests.
What makes this collection truly special is the detailed host data accompanying many specimens. Host-associated information is crucial for understanding the relationship between insects and their hosts, whether plants, microorganisms, or other insects. Specimens in the collection are largely preserved as pinned insects and microscope slides. Researchers use these for morphological examinations under microscopes, DNA extraction for genetic analyses, and high-resolution imaging for detailed visual records.
Collections
Researchers, technical staff and students collect, sort, preserve, identify, describe, record, and manage specimens to make them accessible for scientific study and public education. This includes taxonomy research. Taxonomy is the study of discovering, describing and naming new species. The National Collection of Insects includes several specialist collections that have undergone detailed taxonomic research and development over many years. Among these are the Aculeata Hymenoptera collection featuring mainly bees and stinging wasps, and the Parasitica Hymenoptera collection which focusses on parasitoid wasps.
The Hemiptera collection is divided into Auchenorrhyncha (leafhoppers) and Sternorrhyncha (aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, and whiteflies). The largest depository belongs to the Coleoptera collection, as beetles form part of the largest insect order, while the Isoptera collection is dedicated to the largest termite collection in Africa.
Beyond these key collections, the ARC also maintains other major insect collections: the Thysanoptera (thrips), Diptera (flies), Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), Neuroptera (lacewings and related groups), and Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids). Other notable collections include termitophiles, dragonflies, damselflies, stick insects, and praying mantises.
Challenges and opportunities
The ARC relies heavily on government funding to preserve this asset for the agricultural sector and the nation at large. Mobilising data also requires financial investment and capacity building to make it accessible for research and management of species and areas of special concern.
The collection’s data has fuelled practical research with societal benefits. For instance, studies on crop pests such as the fall armyworm have informed management strategies to mitigate agricultural losses, directly aiding farmers. The bioeconomy supports scientific research, education, and public awareness, making it a vital asset for the country. The collection also plays a role in job creation and improving livelihoods by maintaining and restoring ecological infrastructure. Additionally, it aids in mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into various sectors and mobilising people to adopt sustainable practices.
Aside from the increasing knowledge and updating of existing data generated through the entomology unit and disseminated on the ARC website, specialists have shared this information through publications, popular articles, and formal and informal talks. They have also produced user-friendly guides on the collection, preservation, and identification of insects.
The Insect Ecology Division engages extensively with rural and smallholder farmers in sustainable pest management practices through farmers’ days, training, and awareness campaigns.
The ARC-PHP’s mobile plant health clinic supports subsistence farming and serves as a mechanism to identify and monitor pests and diseases, determine soil health status, and aid in improving soil health and crop production. Expertise from the Biosystematics Division is also involved in the plant health clinic. Courses are custom designed to suit the requests of the end-user, both for farmers’ and researchers’ support. – Light Ngobeni, and Drs Manana Mamabolo and Terry Reynolds, Agricultural Research Council
For more information, send an email to entoppri@arc.agric.za.