A compelling case for the re-discovery of C.V. Riley’s insect collection boxes

Authors: Miller, Gary; O'DONNELL, CHERYL - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); ROSARIO-LEBRON, ARMANDO - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: American Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2022
Publication Date: 9/10/2022
Citation: Miller, G.L., O'Donnell, C., Rosario-Lebron, A. 2022. A compelling case for the re-discovery of C.V. Riley’s insect collection boxes. American Entomologist. 68(3):40-47. https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmac045.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmac045

Interpretive Summary: Charles Valentine Riley (1843-1895) is an icon of American entomology. His contributions to insect ecology, economic entomology, and insect systematics/ taxonomy are a sampling of an impactful career that still resonates today. His insect collection, at the time, was one of the largest general collections in North America and served as the basis for the Smithsonian's National Insect Collection. But, prior to the current work, very little information exists as to the original physical appearance of Riley’s original insect collection boxes that held his insect specimens. Our recent re-discovery of unique insect boxes and subsequent research now gives us compelling evidence that at least two of Riley’s insect boxes are hereby now located and identified. Photographs and descriptions of the rediscovered Riley boxes are included in this current study. This finding is of national historical and scientific importance to the National Insect collection as it represents a connection between C.V. Riley, the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the enduring legacy of all. This work is of importance to entomologists, historians, archivists, and those interested in the history of science.

Technical Abstract: Charles Valentine Riley (1843–1895) is an icon of American entomology (Fig. 1). His contributions to insect ecology, economic entomology, and insect systematics and taxonomy are a sampling of an impactful career that still resonates today (Sorensen et al. 2019). Riley’s multifaceted career was also inextricably tied to his personal insect collection. While there were several collections that surpassed Riley’s collection for a single insect order, few general collections in North America at that time were its equal (Baird, 1882). At the official transfer of his collection in 1885 to the Smithsonian Institution, Riley’s collection of 766 boxes (115,058 specimens; 15,328 species) surpassed that of the United States Department of Agriculture’s collection (623 boxes: 50,000 specimens; 5,000 species) and the Smithsonian’s collection (50 boxes: 20,000 specimens; 2,000 species; Sorensen et al. 2019). The placement of Riley’s collection along with the USDA’s and Smithsonian’s holdings represented much of the foundation of the National Insect Collection. It also served as a catalyst for additional insect collection donations and acquisitions (Sorensen et al. 2019). Establishment of the National Insect Collection represents both an enduring scientific legacy and a long-standing collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Department of Agriculture that remains to this day. Rightfully, the specimens of Riley’s collection were central for their significance in entomological study and science. The physical containers that held these important specimens garnered much less attention, and their scientific importance could be considered ancillary, although still important for entomological study. During Riley’s time, descriptions of the physical containers of his collection were brief. While the receptacles of Riley’s collection may not have the scientific gravitas of the insect specimens, they are nonetheless historically important and give context to the Riley collection. This investigation represents a unique aspect of the history of the National Insect Collection and what we believe is compelling evidence for the historical and scientific importance of a special set of unusual insect boxes.