Full description
The Tasmanian Agricultural Insect Collection (TAIC) was established in 1899 and contains insects and other invertebrates associated mainly with biosecurity and Tasmanian agriculture. Its core function is to provide a basis for Tasmania’s pest records which are stored in the Tasmanian Plant Pest Database (TPPD). These records are particularly important for trade and market access purposes. Specimens in the collection are also routinely utilised as important practical tools to aid routine biosecurity diagnostics, training, and professional development purposes for biosecurity staff. The main collection is housed at Hobart (New Town Research Laboratories). Satellite collections are located at Launceston (Mt Pleasant) and Devonport (Stony Rise). The collection includes more than 155,000 specimens (78 000+ pinned, 17 000+ slides, 55 000+ wet). Both TAIC and the TPPD are managed by entomology staff in the Plant Biosecurity and Diagnostics Branch, Biosecurity Tasmania. New specimens are routinely added to the collection from submissions originating from biosecurity surveys, interceptions, industry, and sourcing from other collections (e.g., reference specimens of pests of biosecurity concern). Identifiers
