Dr Russell G Wilkinson Collection
The Central Victorian Regional Insect Collection was established around 1956 by biology students from La Trobe ddfgUniversity in Bendigo and totals around 250,000 specimens.
The majority of specimens were sampled during environmental assessment projects throughout Central Victoria with many specimens being new and undescribed to science. Many specimens were also collected and donated by members of the public. Due to the redevelopment and planned demolition of the La-Trobe University Bendigo Applied Science Buildings in 2021, this unique and valuable collection was scheduled to be discarded. Its scientific value was far too great to allow this to occur. Fortunately, this unique collection was saved and relocated to its new location and is currently undergoing curation and further development.
What makes the C.V.R.I.C Collection so valuable is that it now represents the only specific collection of the entomological fauna for the Central Victorian Region in existance. The only other collection that existed was the former Insectarium of Victoria Collection which was sadly lost due to neglect by its new owners. In order to catalogue and database the C.V.R.I.C collection, and to utilize its full potential in future climatic change studies, all specimens are being digitized and cataloged. Once completed, the C.V.R.I.C Collections will help make a positive contribution in addressing climate change and monitoring species decline as well as making a major contribution towards the understanding and conservation of the insect fauna of the entire central Victorian region.
The National Institute of Entomology is the custodian of several important and historical Entomological Collections including its extensive Reference and Research Library and Scientific Equipment inventory. Its Insect Collections are listed below:
DR RUSSELL GEORGE WILKINSON COLLECTION
Russell Wikinson2Dr Russell George Wilkinson (1/2/1939-2/7/2019) grew up in Perth, WA. His undergraduate degree was inR Wilkinson Drawer 2 the Zoology Dept at the University of Western Australia, majoring in Entomology.
This was when the bulk of his collection was made. It is possible that some of the specimens he collected at this time, particularly in the area of Perry’s Lakes, are now extinct since this area has long since become a housing estate. His Professor advised him to get into ‘this new molecular biology’ and he won a scholarship to get his PhD from London University at the Lister Institute.
(These days the once famous Lister Institute is a private hospital specialising in IVF and cosmetic surgery.)
He followed this with Post-Doc work at Johns Hopkins in the US. He was offered a lecturer position in the Dept of Microbiology at the University of Melbourne and that is where he remained until his retirement as senior lecturer. He specialised in anaerobic bacteriology.
Although his career took him away from entomology, it remained a life-long interest. On a work trip to PNG in 1982 he bought some specimens to add to his collection, it being illegal to collect them himself.
In retirement, his interest came to the fore. He ran a silkworm project which he took to local primary schools, having mastered the art of spinning the silk off the cocoon without harming the chrysalis. Thus the whole life cycle could be observed with the population controlled by the number of eggs one kept. After making the ‘tree change’ to Hepburn Shire and becoming a Foundation Member of the U3A and joining a local garden club, he gave talks on insects and helped educate both adults and children on differences between types of insects, which insects were beneficial in the garden, which to be wary of etc.
He was something of a local expert and people would leave insects in jars in his letterbox for his opinion on whether they were ‘good’ or ‘bad’ on the particular plant on which they were found (or does this ‘bite’ and is it poisonous?). His expertise stretched to the arachnids and he was the ‘go-to’ man to rescue people at all hours from the mythical ‘tarantula the size of a dinner plate’ found in their home. This was despite his explaining that Australia lacks tarantulas and Huntsmen are indeed useful.…
Dr Wilkinsons collection now resides with the National Institute of Entomology thanks to the generous donation by his wife Peppa.
Targeted Aims:
1. To incorporate the collection within the C.V.R.I.C Main Collections.
2. Database specimens in the collection to begin to define each species and where each species occurs.
3. Microscopic and Photographic documentation of each specimen held within every represented insect order in the collection.
4. Provide for future public access to this important collection.