Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes

08/24/2026

A new article on the prevalence of toxins such as arsenic and heavy metals in natural history collections, including a history of arsenical pigment use in Canada and globally:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s40494-026-02920-x

07/15/2026

The IUCN Species Survival Commission has published a Position Statement on the vital role of biological collections in biodiversity conservation: a formal acknowledgement that natural history museums, herbaria, fungaria and their staff are central to conservation.
https://iucn.org/news/202607/collections-conservation-indispensable-role-natural-history-museums?fbclid=IwdGRjcATDn4VjbGNrBMOfZGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHgqtlCl8pxw92OXUIQqbdK5H7IbhdnEIXxWgY62xsj14Roc9lk3YviBkXxAk_aem_PFTet19cCMrT_qWfB2e3zw

The IUCN Species Survival Commission has published a Position Statement on the vital role of biological collections in biodiversity conservation: a formal acknowledgement that natural history museums, herbaria, fungaria and their staff are central to conservation.

07/08/2026

A number of agriculturally important species from the Palaearctic uncovered in Nova Scotia

https://bioone.org/journals/the-coleopterists-bulletin/volume-80/issue-2/0010-065X-80.2.151/A-Targeted-Survey-of-Coleoptera-on-European-Plants-in-Urban/10.1649/0010-065X-80.2.151.full

05/20/2026

A new book by one of our valued volunteers, Richard Yank. A well imaged book to the robber flies of Quebec and Ontario.

05/20/2026

Did you know that some Ichneumonidae are ectoparasites of jumping spiders?
Read about it here:

The world species of Piogaster Perkins are revised including the description of a new species: Piogaster variegata Bass, Bennett & Schwarzfeld, sp. nov. from Alberta, Canada. The new species is described and the seven previously known species are redescribed, with an illustrated key to all eight...

04/30/2026

CNC taxonomist Marla Schwarzfeld talks soil biodiversity with CBC!