Gallery 01 – Rocheleau Lepidoptera
Thomas Rocheleau donated his 96-drawer insect collection to the WIRC in 2019. Rocheleau began building his wonderful collection—comprising mostly Lepidoptera—several decades ago. Rocheleau skillfully pinned and labeled these historically important specimens after collecting them primarily from Wisconsin State Natural Areas.
Not only did Rocheleau expertly pin his specimens, he also meticulously arranged the material in about one-third of the 96 drawers to form a variety of aesthetically pleasing patterns. Thus, these specimens have three fundamental components to their value: intrinsic, scientific, and artistic. It is therefore hard to deny the visual impact of this wonderful collection!
