University of Connecticut’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The University of Connecticut’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology recently moved its 750,000 specimens—including some internationally significant collections of preserved plants, insects, birds, fish, mammals, and parasites—into a new, $2.6 million state of the art facility.

Before the move, the university’s important natural science collections were stored in buildings that lacked adequate climate control, appropriate storage space, or sufficient security. A major steam leak in the vertebrate area threatened to destroy the skins and skeletons stored there. Cabinets were not sealed tightly against beetles, and high humidity led to outbreaks of silverfish and book lice.

Saving this collection for the benefit of students, faculty, and researchers was part of a 10-year, billion-dollar campus revitalization program and was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Biological Infrastructure. The new facility has sealed cases, temperature and humidity controls, room to store existing specimens, and room to accept new ones as the collection grows.