KWP Lepidoptera Collection (Arctos)
Citation
Sikes D (2025). KWP Lepidoptera Collection (Arctos). University of Alaska Museum of the North. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/u4fp2u accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-07-15.Description
Kenelm W. Philip Lepidoptera collection,includes the Alaska Lepidoptera Survey (ALS) collection. ALS was a citizen science initiative lead by Dr. Philip that was active from 1970 to 2014 and included over 600 people. 90% of the KWP pinned collection (~43,200 specimens) will be transferred to the NMNH in August 2018.
Purpose
The purpose of the KWP collection was primarily to understand the diversity fna distribution of butterflies in the Beringian region.
Sampling Description
Study Extent
Eastern Russia, Alaska, western Canada (aka Beringia). Sampled during spring, summer (primarily), and fall.Sampling
Aerial net and black light traps were used to collect Lepidoptera. Some sites were repeatedly visited on multiple years, many were not.Method steps
- Specimens were stored initially in field envelopes, the KWP collection has 37,151 specimens stored within field envelopes; some were transferred to curated envelopes stored by collection event, (37,389 specimens), and some were mounted on pins and spread (49,636 specimens). Identifications were mostly by Kenelm Philip and Clifford Ferris (for moths). Georeferencing was initially performed by use of topographic maps. Post 2014 georeferencing was performed using Google Earth, GeoLocate, etc.
Additional info
The KWP collection was used to produce: Philip, K.W., Ferris, C.D. 2016. Butterflies of Alaska: A Field Guide. 2nd ed. Alaska Entomological Society. 110 pp. ISBN 978-1-945170-60-7.Taxonomic Coverages
Lepidoptera, primarily butterflies
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Lepidopteracommon name: Butterflies and Moths rank: order
Geographic Coverages
Eastern Russia, Alaska, western Canada, (aka Beringia)
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
Derek Sikesoriginator
position: Curator of Insects
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Dr
Fairbanks
99775
Alaska
US
email: dssikes@alaska.edu
homepage: http://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/ento/
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4336-2365
Derek Sikes
metadata author
position: Curator of Insects
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Dr
Fairbanks
99775
Alaska
US
email: dssikes@alaska.edu
homepage: http://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/ento/
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4336-2365
David Bloom
programmer
position: Coordinator
VertNet
email: dbloom@vertnet.org
homepage: http://www.vertnet.org
Derek Sikes
administrative point of contact
position: Curator of Insects
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Dr
Fairbanks
99775
Alaska
US
email: dssikes@alaska.edu
homepage: http://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/ento/
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4336-2365