India’s first insect museum to come up in southern city

Reuters: India’s first insect museum is all set to come up in Coimbatore city of southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The museum, to be built in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), will be of great help to students, entomologists, people who study insects as a hobby and farmers as well.

The museum will house over 100,000 specimens of insects collected from across ecosystems. The museum will also have specimens of the Coleoptera Order, the largest family of the 29 orders and comprising of beetles. Specimens of three broad categories of insects including terrestrial insects, acquatic insects and those which live on plants will also be kept in the museum.

Director in-charge, Centre for Plant Protection and Studies, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, K. Ramaraju, said on Sunday (August 16) the construction of the museum is going on in full swing.

“As a unique aspect of giving focus to the entomology aspects, collection of insects and study of insects, now it has been planned by our vice chancellor, with the help of our vice chancellor support and government of Tamil Nadu, an insect museum will be constructed and it will come to function within two to three months,” said Ramaraju.

Ramaraju added these insects have been collected over a period of 50 years by the Centre for Plant Protection and Studies.The department otherwise focuses on problems of pests in agriculture, horticulture and plantation crops and suggests solutions for the same.

Etymologists trap insects by luring them with a light bulb placed between two pieces of white clothes.

The museum will be spread over an area of 5000 square feet and will also consist of an audio-visual room which will offer visitors an insight into the world of insects.

The specimens of insects have been collected from across India and other countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Pakistan and include varieties of pests, predators and productive groups.