The Penn State Insect Biodiversity Center connects users to campus resources that support insect research, collection, and collaboration. This page highlights facilities, specimen repositories, and Penn State Centers, Institutes, and Departments that provide expertise, infrastructure, and opportunities for partnership across insect biodiversity science.
Specimens
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Frost Entomological Museum: First founded in 1969 in honor of Dr. Stuart Frost, an early Penn State entomologist and avid collector of local insects, this museum educates visitors about arthropod collections and the importance of maintaining them. It is located on Penn State’s campus across from the Berkey Creamery.
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Penn State Herbarium: The Herbarium at Penn State provides invaluable plant identification, specimen vouchering, and tours to anyone that is interested in botany or the history of the herbarium! It was first established in 1859 when Penn State’s first president, Evan Pugh, donated 3,000 specimens.
Facilities
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The Arboretum at Penn State: The Arboretum transforms Penn State’s research into a place of beauty and renewal, where visitors can learn about diverse plant species and communities and their importance to ecosystems and societies. It is located adjacent to Penn State’s main campus across Park Avenue.
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H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens: The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens are the jewel of the Arboretum, featuring 10 acres of themed garden spaces and another 14 acres of rolling meadows and walking paths to explore. Within the cultivated gardens, visitors will find seasonal displays, specialty gardens, water features, and a garden designed especially for children. The largest cultivated area comprises three acres of habitats and plants selected for their attractiveness to birds and pollinators.
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Snetsinger Butterfly Garden: To inspire the development and conservation of pollinator habitats through demonstration gardens, education, consulting, and outreach programs. Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of the Snetsinger Butterfly Garden work to educate the public about the importance of pollinators and their habitat needs as critical components of many ecosystems.
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Shaver's Creek: Committed to extending Penn State’s Outreach mission of instruction, service, and research. Through quality programs, we teach, model, and provide the knowledge, values, skills, experiences, and dedication that enable individuals and communities to achieve and maintain harmony between human activities and the natural systems that support all living species.
Centers, Institutes and Departments
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Department of Entomology: The Penn State Department of Entomology focuses on conducting outstanding research in insect science that will improve human health, quality of life, and the sustainability of our food and ecosystems. Visit their website if you want to know more about insects in your area and hear about the cutting-edge research being conducted at Penn State!
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Center for Pollinator Research: The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State is committed to developing and implementing integrative, multidisciplinary approaches to improving pollinator health, conservation, and management for ecosystems services through research, education, outreach and policy. If you want to know more about how you can help our native pollinators, visit the Center’s website!
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Sustainability Institute: The Sustainability Institute at Penn State reaches beyond the conventional definition of “sustainability” as we know it, creating a holistic approach for the pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations. To learn the actions you can take to live more sustainably in your everyday life, visit the Institute’s website!
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Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Science: SAFES is an interdisciplinary, science-to-practice platform that studies landscapes-level challenges and accelerates solutions within a novel environment. It is founded upon the science of agricultural sustainability and integrates natural and social sciences with technological advancements, human behavior, economics, and policy.
Request Outreach and Assistance
Entomology Department Outreach Request Form
This form is to be used to request an outreach event from the Penn State . Requests must be made a minimum of one month in advance of the event. You will receive an email from the Entomology Graduate Student Association Outreach Coordinator within a week of request in order to arrange the event.
Request OutreachRequest Insect Identification Assistance:
