If you wish to learn about the numerous different kinds of mosquitoes in Davis, or hear the myth of the Brown Recluse, the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis is an excellent place to field your questions. With the seventh largest insect collection in North America, including seven million specimens and half-a-million species, it is one of the vital worldwide resources for information regarding these creatures. Lynn Kimsey, museum director, spearheads the enthusiasm that awaits anyone with an interest in terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates - the museum’s focus. "Our collection is mostly insects (six-legged)," she said, "but we also have other terrestrial arthropods (not marine), including millipedes, spiders, scorpions and mites (eight or more legs)."

Founded in 1946, beginning with a mere two Schmitt boxes - which house pinned insects - the collection grew as teaching and research expanded for the Department of Entomology. The collection was later named after Professor Emeritus Richard Bohart, followed by creation of the museum, which is housed inside the Academic Surge building. Lynn clarified the museum’s focus: "We don’t do any of the marine things. No crabs, no clams, but we have collections