The primary mission of the Oregon State Arthropod Collection (OSAC) is to provide the community with a vouchered record of insects and non-marine arthropods with an emphasis on the fauna of the Pacific Northwest.
The specimens in the collection:
(1) document the presence of a particular species in a given place and time,
(2) demonstrate the variation that may exist within a single taxonomic group throughout its geographic range,
(3) provide the raw material from which species new to science may be discovered and
(4) provide accurate, expertly identified reference material for comparison in making insect identifications.
Protection of the existing specimens and the data associated with them, maintaining growth of the collection, and providing access to the collection are all components of meeting this mission.