Essig Museum of Entomology in Berkeley, San Francisco Bay, United States | Museum

Welcome to the Essig Museum of Entomology, Berkeley, United States. The Essig Museum of Entomology is a world-class terrestrial arthropod collection with a historical focus on surveying the insect fauna of California. Today that focus has broadened to include the eastern Pacific Rim and the islands of the Pacific Basin.  The Essig Museum of Entomology is part of a consortum of Museums on the UC Berkeley campus, the Berkeley Natural History Museums.

Collections of insects and other terrestrial arthropods have been housed on the University of California (UC), Berkeley, campus since the 1880’s, initially for the purpose of teaching. The strength of the Essig Museum of Entomology is due in large part to its long, distinguished history as a powerhouse of research and producer of renown entomologists, and its close bonds with other Museums.

 After Edward O. Essig joined the faculty in 1914, the growth and uses of the collection were expanded primarily through a summer field course and the efforts of Edwin C. Van Dyke and Edward P. Van Duzee. The research collection, starting with 10,000-15,000 specimens (less than 1% of the present holdings), was formalized in 1939 as a function of an Agricultural Experiment Station project entitled the California Insect Survey (CIS). Conceived by Essig and E.Gorton Linsley, the CIS expanded its activities after World War II. Paul D. Hurd became supervisor in 1947, and through his efforts the collection grew rapidly and gained wide recognition.

In 1961 Jerry A. Powell was appointed as Junior Entomologist, and in 1963 assumed responsibility for the CIS. The collection was named the Essig Museum of Entomology by the curators in 1972 in recognition of Essig’s contributions. During the 36 years of Powell’s tenure through 1999, the Museum experienced continued rapid growth (126%, 1961-1970) and increased activity, and was ranked among the top university-based collections in North America (S. E. Miller, 1991, American Entomologist 37(2):77-84).