The beetle collection is world-wide in scope, with special strengths in the Staphylinidae (rove beetles), Histeridae (clown beetles), Silphidae (carrion beetles), Sphaeritidae (false clown beetles), Synteliidae & Agyrtidae (primitive carrion beetles):
- Staphylinidae (rove beetles) – about 35% of 43,287 valid described world species or subspecies, including the former Scaphidiidae, Dasyceridae, and Micropeplidae. These species counts do not include the formerly separate families Pselaphinae (9,646 valid described spp. and sspp.) or Scydmaeninae (5,021 valid described spp. and sspp.), our extensive holdings of which are not yet inventoried. The collection includes those of Max Bernhauer (1866-1946), Alexander Bierig (1884-1963), Orlando Park (1901-1969), and D. H. Kistner (still active); significant collections made by former curators Henry S. Dybas (1915-1981), Larry E. Watrous, and James Stephen Ashe (1947-2005); former Research Associate Charles Seevers (1907-1965), Field Associate Walter S. Suter (1934-2008), Research Associate and Associate John A. Wagner (1935-2012), and Stewart B. Peck and Jarmila Kukalová-Peck; and most collections made by Curator Emeritus Alfred Newton and Associate Curator Margaret Thayer.
- Histeridae (clown beetles) – 43% of 4,377 valid described world species and subspecies; includes research material of former curator Rupert L. Wenzel (1916-2006)
- Silphidae (carrion beetles)– 80% of 192 valid described world species and subspecies
- Sphaeritidae (false clown beetles)– 33% of 6 described world species
- Synteliidae – 57% of 7 described world species
- Agyrtidae (primitive carrion beetles) – 42% of 77 described world species and subspecies
and, not yet inventoried:
- Nearctic Coleoptera (besides families listed above) – including the collection of Norville M. Downie (1911-1994)
- Palearctic Coleoptera (besides families listed above) – including the collection of Karel Brančik (Brancsik) (1842-1915)
- Leiodidae (round fungus beetles, small carrion beetles, and mammal-nest beetles), worldwide – including the Palaearctic cave Leptodirini from the collection of Eduard Knirsch (1869-1955), many austral taxa, and thousands of specimens collected by Stewart B. Peck and Jarmila Kukalová-Peck
- Ptiliidae (featherwing beetles), worldwide – including the research material of former curator H. S. Dybas (1915-1981)
- Lucanidae (stag beetles), worldwide – including the collections of Bernard Benesh (1891-1964) and Eduard Knirsch (1869-1955)
- Dryopoidea (riffle beetles, long-toed water beetles, and others), especially Nearctic and Oriental – including the collection of former summer curator and Associate H. G. Nelson (1922-2006)
- Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae (flower chafers), worldwide – including the collection of Eduard Knirsch (1869-1955)
- Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles), especially South American – including the research collection of Luis E. Peña Guzman (1921-1995)
Information on the databased Coleoptera is below under Database Information.
