Insect collecting refers to the collection of
insects and other
arthropods for scientific study or as a
hobby. Because most insects are small and the majority cannot be identified without the examination of minute morphological characters,
entomologists often make and maintain insect collections. Very large collections are conserved in
natural history museums or
universities where they are maintained and studied by specialists. Many college courses require students to form small collections. There are also amateur entomologists and collectors who keep collections.