Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes

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!

03/17/2026

On Friday, visitor Romain Nattier (Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris) presented on his work in museomics in Coleoptera

03/02/2026

Written in The Guardian", a heartfelt and sober examination of the decline of taxonomy through attrition from a Canadian fly researcher.
‘ “I am one of the last few standing. It’s crisis all around. As the taxonomic community ages, we are not being replaced... There are almost no university or museum positions,” he says. “My science is dying.” ‘
[Unfortunately in Canada we don’t have the ability to link directly to news articles, so just Google “Guardian midge”]

03/02/2026

A heartfelt and sober examination of the decline of taxonomy through attrition, including that of the taxonomy of flies.
‘ “I am one of the last few standing. It’s crisis all around. As the taxonomic community ages, we are not being replaced... There are almost no university or museum positions,” he says. “My science is dying.” ‘

Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be discovered

03/02/2026

A heartfelt and sober examination of the end of taxonomy through attrition, including the taxonomy of flies.
‘ “As the taxonomic community ages, we are not being replaced… There are almost no university or museum positions,” he says. “My science is dying.” ‘

Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be discovered

01/27/2026

If you've ever been on the fence about how necessary fly experts are, consider that the New World Screwworm is about to re-introduce itself into North America.
Issued by the CDC last week: “The parasitic… maggots [of Cochliomyia hominivorax] feed on and burrow into living flesh. Although they primarily affect livestock, such as cattle and horses, the flies can also lay eggs on people and other warm-blooded animals, both domestic and wildlife. Cases of NWS in people can be fatal if left untreated”.

HAN Health Advisory: New World Screwworm: Outbreak Moves into Northern Mexico

01/21/2026

Out today - A catalogue of the Plecoptera primary type specimens in the CNC! We're one step closer to total type coverage.

https://mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5750.3.9
[Figured: HT of Utacapnia labradora (Ricker 1954)]

01/19/2026

Kleptoparasites and phylogenies - all you could ever want, all in this new article on bees!

A subgeneric classification is proposed for Triepeolus—the second-largest genus of cleptoparasitic apid bees in the world—and its sister genus Epeolus, with support from a newly presented dated phyl...