Hemiptera collection

Hemiptera are an order of insects that have two pairs of wings, with the forewings transformed into hemelytra. It includes cicadas, aphids and shield bugs, amongst others.

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Our collection databases remain available for consultation.

Natural History Collections

The Museum’s collections portal is once again accessible. Last updated: 01/04/2026

Documentary Collections

For any requests regarding access to the MNHN’s collections (loans, sampling, images, visits), please refer to the procedure outlined on the page for the collection relevant to your request.

Presentation

Alongside the Thysanoptera, the Hemiptera collection is organised into 4 main units: Sternorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Cicadomorpha and Heteroptera. The general collection is completed by nominal collections (Bagnall, Bergevin, Cohic, Dlabola, Mamet, Goux, Noualhier, Puton, Ribaut, Sorin, etc.). This group is a highlight of the Muséum’s entomological collections, with over 7 million specimens including 7,000 holotypes. Depending on the taxonomic group, 30 to 70% of described 100,000 Hemiptera species are represented there, making it an unrivalled source of primary information. The Palearctic and Afrotropic regions are particularly well represented, as well as Madagascar, Réunion, New Caledonia, the Antilles and French Guiana. The specimens are preserved dry, in alcohol or on microscope slides.

Cercopides (*Cercopis arcuata*)
© G. Kunz

Cigale (*Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadomorpha, Cicadidae*)
© G. Kunz

Fulgure (*Fulgora laternaria* Linné, 1758) (*Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Fulgoridae*)
© G. Kunz

Research

The collections play an important role in high-level fundamental research in the fields of systematics, comparative morphology, taxonomy, ethoecology, phylogeny and molecular biology. They are also available for expert assessment activities in applied, medical and veterinary entomology, and are a valuable aid to the BarCode of Life project and other European or international projects (Catalogue of Life, GBIF). The management, maintenance and enrichment of the collections (2,500 specimens loaned and 50,000 new specimens per year) are the responsibility of the following researchers: A. Soulier-Perkins (Cicadomorpha except for Cicadoidea), J. Sueur (Cicadoidea), E. Guilbert (Heteroptera) and T. Bourgoin (Sternorrhyncha and Fulgoromorpha), with the help of a technician, L. Fauvre. The Hemiptera section welcomes doctoral students, post-doctoral students, guest researchers, permanent volunteer scientists (M. Boulard, D. Pluot-Sigwalt, D. Matile-Ferrero, I. Foldi and A. Matocq), many temporary foreign researchers and volunteer amateurs.

Contacts

Thierry Bourgoin : +33 1 40 79 33 96 - bourgoin [@] mnhn.fr
Éric Guilbert : +33 1 40 79 34 11 - guilbert [@] mnhn.fr
Adeline Soulier-Perkins : +33 1 40 79 31 57 - soulier [@] mnhn.fr
Jérôme Sueur : +33 1 40 79 33 98 - sueur [@] mnhn.fr

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Terrestrial arthropods