New book: Collembola and insect research methods

Earth's biodiversity, formed over millions of years, is one of humanity's greatest treasures. Among the most numerous, from all the animal kingdom on Earth, stand out the invertebrates which, constituting over 80% of the total number of described species, are present in all types of habitats and on all continents. 

Nowadays, more than 2 million of species are known in the world fauna and about 15 thousand species are known to be present on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the collembola and some orders of insects, especially Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Odonata, some families from the Diptera and Hymenoptera orders being the best studied. The majority of invertebrate species in our country are still waiting to be discovered.

Methodological guide represents a synthesis of research methods for some invertebrates, in particular, collembola and insects in the field and laboratory conditions. Active and passive methods are described, as well as the equipment used in the collection process. Methods of displaying and mounting the entomological material, as well as its conservation and preservation, are also described. In the case of the storage of individuals in entomological collections, the rules for labeling the material, the arrangement and structuring of species in entomological boxes, as well as the preventive measures for their preservation are presented.

The Institute of Zoology, Moldova State University, has one of the most complete insects’ collections in the country, thousands of species found on the territory of the Republic of Moldova are stored here, including species of insects that have already disappeared from this territory. The fund of the entomological museum has several tens of thousands of insects from other parts of the world, exotic butterfly and coleoptera species, relict or endemic from the Caucasus, Crimea, Siberia, Asia, Cuba, rare species and threatened with extinction locally and globally. The museum is registered by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova (Certificate No. 75 of 31.01.2005).

Guide includes original photos of some collembola and insect species, collection and extraction methods, the equipment used to collect insects, methods of displaying butterflies and beetles, a model of structuring entomological material and photos of collections.  It is intended for researchers in the field of entomology, zoology and ecology, teachers, students and master students specializing in entomology, zoology, ecology and forestry, as well as nature lovers.

The book, published in Romanian language, is available in the Andrei Lupan Scientific Library, 5, Academiei Street, Chișinău.

Citation: Bușmachiu G., Enciu E., Bacal S., Țugulea C., Grozdeva S., Mihailov I., Calestru L. Metode de cercetare a colembolelor și insectelor: Ghid metodologic. Chişinău: [S. n.], 2023 (Căpăţînă - Print). 74 p. ISBN 978-9975-3644-1-6. https://doi.org/10.53937/9789975364416 

Bușmachiu Galina