Large insect collections may be made with a few pieces of inexpensive equipment. A net, insect pins, identification guide, collecting jars and display cases are the most essential and allow any beginning entomologist a great start. A few other pieces of equipment come in handy and enable the more advanced collector to obtain an even larger variety of specimens.

You can buy most equipment for catching, handling, identifying, and displaying insects from biological supply outlets. Some of these can be made at home. Both serve the purpose equally well. This booklet describes how to make or where to purchase the basic equipment for collecting and displaying insects. It also serves as a basic insect guide for identification and classification. As students gain experience, however, their identification skills will improve if they buy and use any of several field guides to insects. Many different field guides are available from bookstores and libraries. In most cases, the more color photos, the more helpful the guide.