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Course Instructors
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Dr. Matthew Buffington
USDA-ARS Systematic Entomology Lab
PO Box 37012
National Museum of Natural History, NHB 168
10th & Constitution Ave.
Washington, DC 20013-7012 U.S.A.
matt.buffington[at]ars.usda.gov
Matt is a Research Entomologist with the Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL) of the Agriculture Research Service (USDA) and is an Adjunct Scientist in Entomology at the Smithsonian Institution. During his 3 years with SEL, Matt has focused on the systematics of cynipoid wasps (gall wasps and allies), with an emphasis on the Figitidae. Matt is also collaborating with large biodiversity initiatives in Maylaysia, Thailand, Colombia, Madagascar, Ecuador, Kenya, Fiji and the United States. He has published over 20 papers on the systematics and taxonomy of Figitidae, as well as morphological studies and phylogenies of these wasps. Matt is also interested in phylogenetic methodology, especially the interaction of morphological and molecular datasets. In addition to research, Matt is responsible for identifying ants and cynipoids, platygastroids, ceraphronoids and proctotrupoids for APHIS-PPQ, other organizations, and individuals. Matt is also an avid microphotographer and has co-developed with Mike Gates the Hymenoptera Imaging Suite at the USNM.Matt is also curator of the Platygastroidea, Ceraphronoidea and Proctotrupoidea at the USNM and assists researchers worldwide with pinned and ethanol preserved specimens for research.
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