Member Resources

Resources & References

Collecting guides, identification references, articles, and materials to support your entomological pursuits.

Collecting Guides

Practical guidance on field collecting, specimen preparation, and building a quality collection.

A beginner's overview of equipment, techniques, and ethical collecting practices.

Step-by-step instructions for preparing and mounting dry specimens to museum standards.

Netting, beating, malaise traps, light traps, and other proven collection strategies.

Best practices for wet preservation of soft-bodied insects and larvae.

Keys, checklists, and reference materials to help identify specimens from major insect orders.

An illustrated reference covering ants, bees, and wasps with key diagnostic features.

Family-level key to beetles with notes on distinguishing characteristics.

Regional checklists for butterflies and moths with distribution notes.

Introduction to fly families with morphological notes and collecting tips.

Member-contributed articles, research notes, and association bulletins from the GICA archive.

Protocols and etiquette for participating in the association's specimen exchange program.

Advice from experienced collectors on curating a scientifically valuable personal collection.

Macro photography techniques for documenting live and pinned specimens.

Association standards for locality labels, data labels, and determination labels.

Back issues of the GICA quarterly newsletter, featuring member articles, collecting reports, and association news.

Members are encouraged to contribute articles, guides, and identification aids to the association's resource library.