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AZ Lepidoptera

AZ collecting

I have been collecting Lepidoptera at least since the age of 8. There were ups and downs, but I never fully quit this hobby. Except for a few gifts from friends, I only collect insects that I capture myself in the wild. For this reason I like to think of myself as a hunter and trapper, not a collector (this is a good moment to read my environmental statement). Right now my collection boasts 6017 unique cataloged specimens from 54 countries, representing 4122 subspecies of 3454 species in 1301 genera, as detailed in the complete holdings list.

boards drawers

My collection no longer belongs to me. It has officially become part of the millions-strong insect collection of my school ETHZ , in the Department of Environmental Systems Science. For now, I have it on loan in my house, where I can continue working on it in my free time. All specimens are stored pinned and dried in special drawers: almost airtight flat wooden boxes with a foamy bottom to hold the insect pins and a glass top. About 150 of these drawers fill up a dedicated room.

Each specimen has a unique ID tag and a digital counterpart. The latter is a pair of tagged photographs of the recto and verso sides of the set specimen. Additional photos and micrographs may also be included. Overall, this website contains 12651 high-resolution specimen images. All digital specimens are stored in "digital drawers" that you are invited to browse by clicking on them below.

Unfortunately, most specimens have not been carefully looked at since capture and were only subject to hasty preliminary identification. I am in the process of re-measuring and re-identifying everything. This will take many years. To date, only the following have been updated: Papilionidae, Nymphalidae (except Limenitidinae), Riodinidae, Bombycoidea, Noctuoidea (partim) and Arctiinae. For the rest, please take any identification with extreme caution.



Most recent inventory: 19.03.2024


Papilionoidea (partim) AZ15-0117R.jpeg AZ21-0222R.jpeg

Papilionidae, Hedylidae
Pieridae (partim) AZ14-0171R.jpeg AZ11-0073R.jpeg

Dismorphiinae, Pierinae
Coliadinae AZ14-0177R.jpeg AZ15-0057R.jpeg

Catopsilia, Phoebis, Aphrissa, Anteos, Gonepteryx, Kricogonia, Leucidia, Eurema, Gandaca, Nathalis, Colias, Zerene
Nymphalidae (partim) AZ23-0352R.jpeg AZ17-0040R.jpeg

Libytheinae, Charaxinae, Pseudergolinae, Apaturinae, Cyrestinae
Danaini AZ16-0436R.jpeg AZ19-0193R.jpeg

Amaurina, Danaina, Euploeina, Itunina
Ithomiini AZ16-0024R.jpeg AZ23-0398R.jpeg

Tithoreina, Melinaeina, Mechanitina, Napeogenina, Ithomiina, Oleriina, Dircennina, Godyridina
Heliconiinae (partim) AZ15-0282R.jpeg AZ11-0812R.jpeg

Acraeini, Argynnini, Vagrantini
Heliconiini AZ20-0308R.jpeg AZ22-0286R.jpeg

Philaethria, Podotricha, Dione, Agraulis, Dryadula, Dryas, Eueides, Heliconius
Biblidinae AZ21-0583V.jpeg AZ20-0489R.jpeg

Biblidini, Epicaliini, Eunicini, Ageroniini, Epiphilini, Eubagini, Callicorini
Nymphalinae AZ12-1000R.jpeg AZ19-0114R.jpeg

Coeini, Nymphalini, Victorinini, Kallimini, Rhinopalpini, Kallimoidini, Vanessulini, Doleschalliaini, Junoniini, Melitaeini
Limenitidinae AZ23-0470R.jpeg AZ18-0115V.jpeg

Parthenini, Cymothoini, Adoliadini, Limenitidini, Pseudoneptini, Pseudacraeini, Neptini
Satyrinae (partim) AZ22-0085R.jpeg AZ16-0390R.jpeg

Morphini, Brassolini, Amathusiini, Elymniini, Haeterini, Melanitini, Zetherini
Satyrini (partim) AZ19-0130R.jpeg AZ11-0702R.jpeg

Parargina, Lethina, Eritina, Ragadiina, Coenonymphina, Satyrina, Calistina, Ypthimina
Euptychiina Pronophilina AZ21-0276V.jpeg AZ13-0066R.jpeg

Euptychiina, Pronophilina
Mycalesina Erebiina AZ17-0037R.jpeg AZ23-0131R.jpeg

Mycalesina, Erebiina
Riodinidae AZ15-0100R.jpeg AZ13-0037R.jpeg

Nemeobiinae,, Riodininae
Lycaenidae (partim) AZ11-0529R.jpeg AZ11-0423R.jpeg

Poritiinae, Miletinae, Curetinae, Theclinae, Aphnaeinae, Lycaeninae
Polyommatinae AZ14-0036V.jpeg AZ15-0201R.jpeg

Lycaenesthini, Polyommatini, Candalidini
Hesperiidae (partim) AZ16-0032R.jpeg AZ11-1345V.jpeg

Eudaminae, Coeliadinae, Pyrrhopyginae, Pyrginae, Heteropterinae, Trapezitinae
Hesperiinae AZ19-0170R.jpeg AZ13-0140R.jpeg

Gretnini, Ceratrichiini, Erionotini, Hesperiini, Taractrocerini, Baorini, Ancistroidini, Pericharini, Aeromachini, Ampittiini
Bombycoidea (partim) AZ16-0059R.jpeg AZ12-0667R.jpeg

Apatelodidae, Eupterotidae, Brahmaeidae, Bombycidae, Sphingidae
Saturniidae AZ18-0130R.jpeg AZ20-0301R.jpeg

Agliinae, Arsenurinae, Ceratocampinae, Hemileucinae, Oxyteninae, Saturniinae
Noctuoidea (partim) AZ18-0228R.jpeg AZ16-0122R.jpeg

Noctuidae, Notodontidae, Nolidae, Euteliidae
Erebidae (partim) AZ15-0099R.jpeg AZ13-0317R.jpeg

Tinoliinae, Scoliopteryginae, Pangraptinae, Lymantriinae, Hypocalinae, Herminiinae, Eulepidotinae, Calpinae, Aganainae, Erebinae
Arctiinae (partim) AZ14-0257R.jpeg AZ21-0329R.jpeg

Arctiini, Amerilini, Lithosiini, Syntomini
Phaegopterina AZ16-0146R.jpeg AZ21-0518R.jpeg

"Eupseudosoma", "Bertholdia", "Euchaetes", "Halysidota"
Geometroidea AZ20-0303R.jpeg AZ21-0569R.jpeg

Sematuridae, Uraniidae, Geometridae
Heterocera AZ21-0245R.jpeg AZ16-0153R.jpeg

Sesioidea, Calliduloidea, Lasiocampoidea, Zygaenoidea, Cossoidea, Pyraloidea, Yponomeutoidea, Mimallonoidea