Franz Friedrich Kohl (1851 - 1924)
The collection in its present form was established by Franz Friedrich Kohl (1851-1924), who started with a single cabinet in 1885. He enlarged the collection continuously, until, when he retired,
it required a large hall of its own. Kohl worked mainly on Sphecidae and he left numerous important monographs on the group,
and his book "Die Crabronen der paläarktischen Region" is especially to be emphasized.
Maidl F. (1924): Franz Friedrich Kohl. Konowia Band IV, Heft 1/2.
Franz Friedrich Kohl (1851-1924)
Franz Maidl (1887-1951)
Franz Maidl (1887-1951)
His successor was Franz Maidl (1887-1951), who administrated the collection from 1916-1951. In his early years Maidl worked
on Sphecidae as well, but later he focussed his interest upon the biology of social insects; his masterpiece was "Die Lebensgewohnheiten
und Instinkte der staatenbildenden Insekten".
Beier M. (1953): Direktor Dr. Franz Maidl. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 59: 1-5.
Maximilian Fischer (1929-2019)
a specialist on parasitic wasps (Braconidae: Opiinae, Alysiinae), managed the collection from 1955-1994. M. Fischer has described
more than 1000 new species of bracon flies in more than 300 publications.
Fischer M. (2004): From my entomological life. Proceedings of the Russian Entomological Society. St. Petersburg, 2004. Vol.
75 (1): 73-81.
Stefan Schödl (1957-2005)
curator of the Hymenoptera Collection from 1995 until 2005, was particularly interested in systematics and zoogeography of
aquatic beetles and ants. He went for many expeditions, mostly to Southeast Asia. Among ants, he focused on the Oriental and
Australian species of the genus Meranoplus. Stefan's explorations of the Austrian fauna resulted in several publications.
His most important survey was his co-authorship in the "Red List of the Ants of Lower Austria". However, he intensively collected
also bees and other Aculeata. He participated strongly in the re-conception of the insect exhibition hall, where his many
ideas were realized. He was a very dutiful curator and within ten years he extended the Hymenoptera Collection enormously,
in particular the previously neglected ant collection.
Zettel H. (2005): Dr. Stefan Schödl. Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien 106B: 5-10.
Stefan Schödl (1957-2005)
