More than 60,000 different species of insects inhabit California, and scientists have described only about two-thirds of them, according to an observational study published in the journal Ecography. Led by researchers at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the investigation indicates that at least one-third of the state’s insect biodiversity remains undiscovered, demonstrating a substantial gulf between earlier estimates and new assessments of insect life across the state.

The published findings represent the first results from the California Insect Barcode Initiative, a six-million-dollar grant-funded project aimed at collecting and identifying every species of insect in California. Despite being the most diverse group of animals on land, insects have long been recognized by researchers as underrepresented in large-scale conservation assessments. To address this deficit, researchers from the Natural History Museum collaborated with partner institutions including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Riverside, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

To construct the reference library, researchers gathered tissue samples from existing museum collections, including holdings at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and carried out DNA barcoding on more than one million insect specimens. Field teams deployed Malaise traps across 72 ecoregions statewide and conducted dedicated sampling expeditions to 454 additional locations throughout California. While Malaise traps passively capture flying insects, their continuous operation and sample retrieval require active labor.

Community science played an essential role in maintaining the statewide trap network. According to co-author and Natural History Museum entomology collections manager Giar-Ann Kung, volunteer participants managed traps to maintain continuous weekly sampling that project researchers could not have conducted alone. Working alongside Baker, researchers across the state, and volunteer contributors, Kung coordinated statewide trapping efforts. Notably, volunteers Sara Fairchild and Michael Nance operated a Malaise trap for more than three years at a high desert site, representing the longest continuous sampling location of the project.

The study evaluated insect occurrences across Level 3 ecoregions, which are areas defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as sharing similar ecosystems. Examined designations included the Mojave Basin and Range, the Southern California Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada. Among these surveyed geographic areas, the authors determined that the Mojave Basin and Range supported the highest insect species richness.

When comparing parallel ecoregions sharing similar climates and geography, the researchers observed that essentially every study site contained distinct insect communities. As noted by study co-author Dr. Barkdull, while desert areas shared broad similarities and northern California mountains shared common elements, each part of the state retained a distinct insect fauna. The researchers emphasized that the richness of insect life across California is both more abundant and more delicate than previously understood, underscoring the urgency of conserving the state’s wild places.

The observational study, published under digital object identifier 10.1002/ecog.08572, carries the formal title “DNA barcoding of more than one million insect specimens indicates that at least one third of California’s insect biodiversity remains undiscovered.” By examining animal tissue samples from museum repositories and modern field captures, the investigation addresses the persistent deficit of insect representation in comprehensive conservation assessments.

Subject of Research: Statewide insect biodiversity and DNA barcoding across California ecoregions

Article Title: Scientists discover there are way more bugs in California than you thought

Article References: Scientists discover there are way more bugs in California than you thought. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: Not provided

Keywords: entomology, DNA barcoding, California biodiversity, insect species, ecoregions, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Ecography, community science, Scientists, discover, there, bugs