C16: Moth Diversity and Abundance in an Old Growth Eastern Deciduous Forest

Flying insect biomass is rapidly declining, despite insects being the most abundant and diverse group of animals on the planet. Research is only now revealing the extent of this ongoing decline, as most entomology-based research has remained focused on pest species in the past. It is vital that we begin to examine the extent of flying insect decline locally, so that we may better understand our insect community and the impact this decline will have on species relationships. With a focus on moths, we compare historical and present data to find abundance (measured by individual count) and species richness of three taxa (Saturniidae, Sphingidae and Arctiinae) over a 20-year time frame. Both present data from 2020 and historic data from 1999 sets include trapping dates from early summer (June) and late summer (August), and modern collections were done in accordance with our 1999 data set so the data was apt for comparison. Moths were sorted and identified in the lab, data was compiled to best align with the historical data set, and data analysis was performed with Microsoft Excel. Changes in moth community composition are noticeable among the three taxa, both between early and late season trapping and over the 20-year period. Total abundance declined by 45% and total species richness declined by 18.2%. Further local and regional studies must be conducted to build a dataset that facilitates historical and future comparisons of insect diversity. The first step to understanding the heterogeneous nature of moth and other flying insect decline is collecting data to better understand the current composition of smaller regions. When we are able to build upon this database, we will be able to examine how insect decline is affecting other organisms who depend on insects, and better understand the underlying causes of insect decline.

Author(s): Zoe Kehs, Zoology Major

Camryn McClelland, Zoology and Sustainability Major

Advisor(s): David Russell, Department of Biology

Matthew Valiga, Department of Biology