history

Collection History
(Adapted and Revised From"History of Entomology-Zoology at South Dakota State University 1884-1976"
by E.U. Balsbaugh

The establishment of a natural history museum was an early priority with the founders of this institution. The Second Annual Catalog (1886-1887) included the first report on the museum, which was housed in "...one of the largest, most commodious and beautiful rooms of the Territory." The museum contained minerals, shells, fossils, and zoological specimens, and plans had been laid to enlarge the collections as rapidly as possible in other areas, including entomology. I. H. Orcutt, M.D., Ph.D., was the first Curator of the Museum.

In 1888 John M. Aldrich joined the staff of the Department of Entomology. More than likely Mr. Aldrich contributed enthusiastically to the Insect Collection during his employment at Dakota Agriculture College (1882-1892) for he later attained considerable renown as a specialist of flies.

In 1892 entomology was associated with botany and the entomology collection was separated from the Museum, which had been situated on the third floor of the Main Building. The Insect Collection was transferred to the second floor of the old dormitory building and was curated by Professor Thomas Albert Williams in the Botanical and Entomological Laboratories. The Tenth Annual Catalogue and Calendar of the South Dakota Agricultural College for 1893-1894 reported that "...the insect collection is a representative one, and is particularly rich in beneficial and noxious species found in the state..."

De Alton Saunders, A.M., was named in 1895 to replace Prof. Williams. Saunders served through 1903. From 1903-1906, the Insect Collection was in the charge of William Archie Wheeler, M.S., Professor of Botany and Entomology. In 1906, Robert Matheson, B.S.A., was named Instructor in Entomology, taking over from Prof. Wheeler.

Separation of the insect specimens from the Museum proper in 1892 proved to have been of little lasting benefit for the permanence of either collection. The Museum's collection of mammals and birds became neglected and severely deteriorated, especially after having been moved to what is now the Old Extension Building. The fumes from a soils laboratory ruined most of the birds and mammals.

The insect collection faired little better. When H.C. Severin came to South Dakota State College in 1909, he reported that there was no collection of insects in the college worthy of the name. The few hundred specimens that were in the Department were "moth" eaten and in such a state that it was necessary to destroy them. Severin was named Professor of Entomology and Nature Study and became head of the Entomology-Zoology Department in 1918, serving as such until 1954. The majority of specimens in the present collection were collected and curated by him. George I. Gilbertson, also a staff member in Entomology-Zoology Department, from 1917-1943, accompanied Severin on many of the annual field trips, which were made especially to survey for Orthoptera.

Chiefly through Severin's efforts, the Insect Collection grew by leaps and bounds. It was housed in the old Horticulture Building until 1935 when it was transferred to the "Entomology Annex" of the Extension Building, a structure then used for music practice.

The Collection of Philetus C. Truman was purchased for $2000 in 1911. This collection, consisting of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera entirely, contained specimens principally from the United States, Canada, Mexico, South and Central America and the British Isles. The exotics are chiefly Lepidoptera but include some Coleoptera from Great Britain. This collection has been incorporated into the general collection. A native of New York, Truman homesteaded in Lake Sinai Township, Brookings County, S.D., in 1881. Even though his name does not appear n his specimen labels, his material is recognizable by the style of his labels. Many of his specimens are labeled simply "Volga" (his later residence), or "S.D.", in India ink and bold, broad hand printing. Some of his "Volga" specimen labels had been machine printed, but these are discernable in that the type is of a large point. Many of the early literature references to South Dakota records were obtained from Truman's specimens. Labeling errors have been detected among some of Truman's specimens and some caution is urged in treating the Truman material.

In 1930, the first report on the status of the S.D.S.C. Insect Collection was made to the Entomological Society of America. This indicated strength in the holdings of Orthoptera, much of which was studied by Morgan Hebard. A second report to the Society indicated that during 1933 considerable progress was made in identification of Coleoptera. Meloidae were collected in abundance in the state during the year as a part of the work on an experiment station project. In 1937, Prof. Severin made the final report on the status of the Insect Collection to the E.S.A. Ten thousand specimens, other than Orthoptera, were added to the Collection during the previous year and special surveys of the Meloidae had continued.

Since 1953, the S.D.S.U. Insect Collection has been housed in room 308 of Agricultural Hall, whose every nook and cranny is filled. In 1956 Severin estimated that the collection surpassed the 1 million mark for total number of specimens.

Edward U. Balsbaugh, Jr. joined the staff in 1965. Under his direction major rearrangement of the collection was achieved and the collection began its transfer into metal cabinets with modern drawers and unit trays. The collection has continued to grow, but in restricted areas. Dr. Balsbaugh's major interests were the Coleoptera, especially the Chrysomelidae. Dr. Emmet Easton contributed large numbers of biting flies to the collection.

In a 1930 report to the E.S.A., Severin indicated his intent to present type specimens in the S.D.S.C. collection to the U. S. National Museum. However, a check of the records in 1970 by the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution showed that only a single hymenopteran type was received from Prof. Severin. Evidently the bulk of the types was never sent. It was the policy of the S.D.S.U. Entomology-Zoology Department to keep any type material it acquired, but this policy is now reversed and all primary type specimens will be sent to the Smithsonian to prevent loss.

Burruss McDaniel, Ph.D., joined the staff in 1966 and replaced Dr. Balsbaugh as curator in 1976. Dr. McDaniel's specialties included mites and mealybugs, but he also worked on plant parasitic wasps during a major decline of entomology as a scientific discipline at SDSU. The collection was renamed the Severin-McDaniel Insect Collection upon his retirement in 1990. McDaniel's large slide collection was donated to Texas A&M University at that time. McDaniel passed away in 2004, but through his Estate donated to the SDSU Foundation for a small endowment to help support the SMIRC.

In 1993 Paul J. Johnson, Ph.D., assumed the collection curatorship when he came to SDSU. His specialty is beetles, especially the click beetles, byrrhid beetles and their allies. Since Dr. Johnson's arrival the collection has seen space remodeling, new cabinetry and numerous new materials from the Black Hills and other areas, computerized database development, and new research projects, including faunal compilations for the Black Hills and other parts of the state.

Updated 5 March 2009