The McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity serves both
research and public education functions. The center includes the living Butterfly
Rainforest and exhibit space that features information about Lepidoptera and rainforests
worldwide, as well as 39,000 square feet of research laboratories and collection space.
The center houses Florida Museum Lepidoptera collections formerly stored at the Allyn Museum in Sarasota, other University of Florida collections and the State of Florida's Division of Plant Industry collections, making it the world's second-largest Lepidoptera collection, second only to The Natural History Museum in London.
The research space includes laboratories focusing on molecular genetics, scanning electron microscopy, image analysis, conservation and captive propagation of endangered species, optical microscopy and specimen preparation, as well as classrooms and offices for 12 faculty curators, collection managers and other staff.
Research Projects - Conservation
Research Projects - Ecology and Evolution
Research Projects - Surveys and Inventories
Research Projects - Taxonomy and Systematics
Search the Lepidoptera Collection
The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary
NEW! Donation of Butterfly Collection Will Boost Biodiversity Research
A gift of more than 2 million butterfly and moth specimens from Dr. William and Nadine McGuire contains hundreds and possibly
more than 1,000 new unnamed species, and will help researchers better understand biodiversity and environmental changes.
The gift brings the number of specimens in the Museum's collection to more than 9 million, one of the world's largest.
Learn More...
McGuire Center Publications
Bulletin of the Allyn Museum
McGuire Center News
Photos by Jeff Gage