A fly-by or fly-in?

Of what use is a tent with I-shaped walls?

This is called a malaise trap, and its primary job is to collect flying insects. It is specially designed to collect flies, which make up an important part of the diet for aerial insectivores – a globally declining group of organisms. Working with University of Lynchburg’s Dr. John Styrsky, we used this type of trap to contribute to an international collaboration sampling the abundance of insects across continental North America. The resulting paper was published this week and is open access. Collected over three years, the data show that insect populations from separate geographic regions respond differently to temperature.

Why study insect communities? Insects are a critical component of food webs, and many species occupy different habitats during their lifecycles. Because flying insects spend their larval lives in water or soil, the composition of flying insect communities can indirectly help us assess soil, water, and overall ecosystem health. Our abilities to quickly identify and interpret key indicators of ecosystem health can allow us to determine positive management practices that generate widespread benefits throughout our communities.

Teachers, make it real! Insects are ubiquitous and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Consider using them to make topics like classification, life cycles, habitats, population dynamics, species interactions, and food webs more tangible and accessible. Observe a group of organisms over time and blend your scientific observations with art, math, and reading activities for an experience that fully integrates your curricular objectives. A variety of citizen science projects can help you observe and identify different types of insects, contribute your data to professional research efforts, and connect you with data gathered by many other people over the course of many years.

Engage! If you’d like to get involved with our collaboration, we are interested in expanding to new sites and involving student researchers and classes. Or, if you’d like more general help incorporating research and outdoor learning throughout your curriculum, Explore Nature By Nurture is ready to assist! Connect with us at www.explorenaturebynurture.com, and we’ll work with you to identify a project and training plans that meet your goals.

Check it out: Dunn, Peter O., Insiyaa Ahmed, Elise Armstrong, Natasha Barlow, Malcolm A. Barnard, Marc Bélisle, Thomas J. Benson, et al. 2023. “Extensive Regional Variation in the Phenology of Insects and Their Response to Temperature across North America.” Ecology e4036. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4036

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