[1] The entomology collection initially consisted mostly of boxes of specimens used for teaching, and was supplemented through light-trapping on campus in the Orchard Car Park.

[3] Roy Harrison and fellow entomology lecturer Rowan Emberson were instrumental in acquiring specimens from the late 1960s onward.

[4] For years they led and took part in annual departmental summer field trips all over New Zealand;[5] the first of these was a collecting trip to Mt Cook in 1969, followed by expeditions to the West Coast, Stewart Island, D'Urville Island, Fiordland, Central Otago, and many other locations, with a focus on areas that were entomologically poorly-known.

[3] Taxonomically, its strengths are:[3][8] In August 2019 amateur entomologist John Nunn donated thousands of foreign beetle specimens, in 100 boxes, to the collection.

[9] The following are some publications that are based heavily on the Entomology Research Collections, including taxonomic surveys citing its type specimens.