2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): The objective of this agreement is to define and maintain long-term cooperation between these organizations to develop and maintain the U.S. National Entomological Collection. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): The two organizations will continue to work together to build the national treasure embodied in the NMNH Entomological Collections located at the National Museum of Natural History, the ARS, Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and the Museum Support Center, which is of mutual benefit to both ARS and Smithsonian Institute and to the international community. 3.Progress Report: The agreement supports the collaborative use and development of the U.S. National Insect Collection located at the National Museum of Natural History and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center for research and identifications of economic importance. Sixteen Research Scientists of the Systematic Entomology Laboratory (SEL) are responsible for the management of collections that includes care and upgrading of 642 families of insects and mites consisting of over 15 million specimens. Each year SEL scientists use these collections to produce more than 50 research papers, books, and electronic publications and provide over 30,000 identifications and 8,000 URGENT identifications. SEL uses these collections to transfer technology on moths, aphids, mites, and other insect groups by providing identification aids to regulatory personnel at ports-of-entry and State Entomologists. Using these collections we also detected and provided information on new immigrant and/or invasive species to the U.S.