Have you spotted a transverse ladybug, one of the
lost lady beetles ARS is seeking? Photo courtesy of Whitney Cranshaw,
Colorado State University, Bugwood.org.
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ARS Scientists and Cooperators Surveying for Rare
Ladybugs
By Don Comis
September 18, 2008 Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
scientists and cooperators are seeking the public's help in surveying for
once-common ladybug species that are now hard to find.
Researchers with ARS, Cornell
University at Ithaca, N.Y., and South
Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings want people to photograph every
ladybug possible, and to send the photos to Cornell so researchers can
inventory the insects. In particular, the scientists are looking for rare
species, such as the nine-spotted, two-spotted and transverse lady beetles.
These beetles were common 20 years ago, but have become harder to find in
the past few decades. There are more than 400 ladybug species native to North
America, but some have become extremely rare, displaced perhaps by development,
pesticides, non-native species and other factors.
Entomologist
Louis
Hesler at the ARS
North
Central Agricultural Research Laboratory in Brookings is particularly
interested in the nine-spotted, two-spotted and transverse ladybugs because the
farm community in South Dakota where he works has depended on these predatory
beetles for years to eat insect pests that eat farm crops.
Urban gardeners are interested in ladybugs because they protect garden crops
as well. Ladybugs also protect North American forests.
In a survey this past summer, Hesler and colleague Mike Catangui, an
entomologist at SDSU in Brookings, found 1,000 ladybugs, but only about 10 each
of the three rare species. Hesler and Catangui are co-principal investigators
in the SDSU part of the "Lost Ladybug
Project."
The project has two facets: the research component, which Hesler, Catangui,
and other scientists in New York State are participating in, and the citizen
science component.
As part of the citizen science part of the project, researchers are
encouraging participation from students who are interested in entomology,
agriculture or science.
Those wishing to participate can visit www.lostladybug.org for tips on finding
and photographing ladybugs and submitting photos. The website includes ways to
track and map the Lost Ladybug data.
ARS is a scientific research agency within the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.