Lacewing Insects Collection

The collection covers the superorder Neuropterida (lacewing insects in the broad sense) and includes almost all material stored in Bulgaria of the three orders in the superorder: Raphidioptera (snakeflies), Megaloptera (alderflies) and Neuroptera (lacewing insects in the narrow sense). It was founded in 1967 by Alexi Popov. Еntomologists from abroad were interested in the collection and loaned specimens. As a result of exchange, materials from other countries were received.

There are no inventories in official inventory books of NMNH. There is a list on paper of a collection of Neuroptera from Bulgaria containing 10940 specimens of 108 species (species name, sex, locality, altitude, plant substrate, date, collector, mode of preservation, presence of macerated genitalia). Siginificant number of specimens of Neuroptera from Bulgaria are partially identified or unidentified. A large number of specimens, partially identified and unidentified, were collected in many European countries, Asia and Africa, and single specimens — from North and South America. Not numerous are collections of Raphidioptera and Megaloptera, mostly from Bulgaria, with single specimens from other countries in Europe and Asia. The collection contains type specimens of 8 species of Neuroptera and Raphidioptera from Bulgaria, Caucasus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and Nigeria, including holotypes.

The collection consists mainly of materials in alcohol and a smaller part consists of dry pinned insects. The genitalia of some specimens are preserved in plastic tubes in vials with alcohol and in celluloid cells on the pins of dry specimens. The collection of dry and alcohol materials is stored in metal and wooden cabinets along the corridors of the museum and a small part — in the office of Stanislav Abadjiev. The state of the collection in the cabinets is good. Photos can be made as needed.