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1. Missing the bigger picture: Why insect monitoring programs are limited in their ability to document the effects of habitat loss

   https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12951  

   Forister, M_L; Black, S_H; Elphick, C_S; Grames, E_M; Halsch, C_A; Schultz, C_B; Wagner, D_L (April 2023, Conservation Letters)

   Abstract The fate of insects in the Anthropocene has been widely discussed in the scientific literature, the popular media, and in policy circles. This recent attention is justified because reductions in insect abundance and diversity have the potential to undermine the stability of terrestrial ecosystems. Reports of insect declines have also been accompanied by skepticism that is healthy and to be expected in scientific discussion. However, we are concerned about a prevalent misconception that equates reports from monitored natural areas with the global status of insects. In the vast majority of cases, areas monitored for arthropods are undeveloped and thus do not record or even necessarily reflect the masses of insects that are continuously being impacted by habitat loss to urban, suburban and agricultural expansion. We address this misconception and discuss ways in which conservation and policy can be enhanced by correctly locating results from insect monitoring programs within our broader knowledge of biodiversity loss. 

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2. Advancing Undergraduate Laboratory Education Using Non-Model Insect Species

   https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-062920-095809  

   Beck, Christopher W.; Blumer, Lawrence S. (January 2021, Annual Review of Entomology)

   null (Ed.)

   Over the past decade, laboratory courses have made a fundamental shift to inquiry-based modules and authentic research experiences. In many cases, these research experiences emphasize addressing novel research questions. Insects are ideal for inquiry-based undergraduate laboratory courses because research on insects is not limited by regulatory, economic, and logistical constraints to the same degree as research on vertebrates. While novel research questions could be pursued with model insect species (e.g., Drosophila, Tribolium), the opportunities presented by non-model insects are much greater, as less is known about non-model species. We review the literature on the use of non-model insect species in laboratory education to provide a resource for faculty interested in developing new authentic inquiry-based laboratory modules using insects. Broader use of insects in undergraduate laboratory education will support the pedagogical goals of increased inquiry and resesarch experiences while at the same time fostering increased interest and research in entomology. 

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3. Developing a vocabulary and ontology for modeling insect natural history data: example data, use cases, and competency questions

   https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.7.e33303  

   Stucky, B; Balhoff, J; Barve, N; Barve, V; Brenskelle, L; Brush, M; Dahlem, G; Gilbert, J; Kawahara, A; Keller, O; et al (March 2019, Biodiversity Data Journal)

   Insects are possibly the most taxonomically and ecologically diverse class of multicellular organisms on Earth. Consequently, they provide nearly unlimited opportunities to develop and test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. Currently, however, large-scale studies of insect ecology, behavior, and trait evolution are impeded by the difficulty in obtaining and analyzing data derived from natural history observations of insects. These data are typically highly heterogeneous and widely scattered among many sources, which makes developing robust information systems to aggregate and disseminate them a significant challenge. As a step towards this goal, we report initial results of a new effort to develop a standardized vocabulary and ontology for insect natural history data. In particular, we describe a new database of representative insect natural history data derived from multiple sources (but focused on data from specimens in biological collections), an analysis of the abstract conceptual areas required for a comprehensive ontology of insect natural history data, and a database of use cases and competency questions to guide the development of data systems for insect natural history data. We also discuss data modeling and technology-related challenges that must be overcome to implement robust integration of insect natural history data. 

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4. Recombination Rate Variation in Social Insects: An Adaptive Perspective

   DeLory, Timothy J; Romiguier, J; Rueppell, O; Kapheim, Karen M (July 2024, Annual review of genetics)

   Social insects have the highest rates of meiotic recombination among Metazoa, but there is considerable variation within the Hymenoptera. We synthesize the literature to investigate several hypotheses for these elevated recombination rates. We reexamine the long-standing Red Queen hypothesis, considering how social aspects of immunity could lead to increases in recombination. We examine the possibility of positive feedback between gene duplication and recombination rate in the context of caste specialization. We introduce a novel hypothesis that recombination rate may be driven up by direct selection on recombination activity in response to increases in lifespan. Finally, we find that the role of population size in recombination rate evolution remains opaque, despite the long-standing popularity of this hypothesis. Moreover, our review emphasizes how the varied life histories of social insect species provide an effective framework for advancing a broader understanding of adaptively driven variation in recombination rates. 

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5. Standards and Best Practices for Monitoring and Benchmarking Insects

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.579193  

   Montgomery, Graham A.; Belitz, Michael W.; Guralnick, Rob P.; Tingley, Morgan W. (January 2021, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution)

   null (Ed.)

   Benchmark studies of insect populations are increasingly relevant and needed amid accelerating concern about insect trends in the Anthropocene. The growing recognition that insect populations may be in decline has given rise to a renewed call for insect population monitoring by scientists, and a desire from the broader public to participate in insect surveys. However, due to the immense diversity of insects and a vast assortment of data collection methods, there is a general lack of standardization in insect monitoring methods, such that a sudden and unplanned expansion of data collection may fail to meet its ecological potential or conservation needs without a coordinated focus on standards and best practices. To begin to address this problem, we provide simple guidelines for maximizing return on proven inventory methods that will provide insect benchmarking data suitable for a variety of ecological responses, including occurrence and distribution, phenology, abundance and biomass, and diversity and species composition. To track these responses, we present seven primary insect sampling methods—malaise trapping, light trapping, pan trapping, pitfall trappings, beating sheets, acoustic monitoring, and active visual surveys—and recommend standards while highlighting examples of model programs. For each method, we discuss key topics such as recommended spatial and temporal scales of sampling, important metadata to track, and degree of replication needed to produce rigorous estimates of ecological responses. We additionally suggest protocols for scalable insect monitoring, from backyards to national parks. Overall, we aim to compile a resource that can be used by diverse individuals and organizations seeking to initiate or improve insect monitoring programs in this era of rapid change. 

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