The Insect Diaries

As part of our semester at the Highlands Biological Station, my classmate Noa and I are working on research with the incredible Dr. Rada Petric. Dr. Petric is a bat-superfan, and we are on our way to being superfans as well! Bats are critical to the ecosystem here in Western North Carolina, but their population has recently been decimated by white-nose syndrome, a fungus that causes bats’ noses to be so itchy that it wakes them up from hibernation and causes them to deplete all their energy and die. Other than white-nose syndrome, rapid urbanization in the Highlands area is also threatening the diet of bats, aka what this post is all about: BUGS! I found that identifying and understanding the importance of insects to bat populations gave me a far greater appreciation for them and helped curb the ick factor they have historically elicited in me.

To conduct our research, Noa and I, doused in bug spray, set up blacklight traps, and collected a Ziploc bag full of bugs every 25 minutes. We collect 8 bags of bugs, which we will process and sort by order the following day. Why are we so concerned with bugs, you may ask? Every single one of the 14 species of bats in the Highlands area is insect-eating, so studying the bugs gives us valuable insight into what species of bats may be hanging out and how abundant the bat snacks are at each locale. A golf course, for example, will have far less diversity and breadth of bugs than a relatively undisturbed spot at the Highlands Biological Station, where a variety of pesticide-free grass provides amble stomping grounds for insects.

Setting up the light trap at the Highlands Biological Station

To conduct our research, Noa and I, doused in bug spray, set up blacklight traps, and collected a Ziploc bag full of bugs every 25 minutes. We collect 8 bags of bugs, which we will process and sort by order the following day. Why are we so concerned with bugs, you may ask? Every single one of the 14 species of bats in the Highlands area is insect-eating, so studying the bugs gives us valuable insight into what species of bats may be hanging out and how abundant the bat snacks are at each locale. A golf course, for example, will have far less diversity and breadth of bugs than a relatively undisturbed spot at the Highlands Biological Station, where a variety of pesticide-free grass provides ample stomping grounds for insects.

The next morning, we were up early to hit the lab and identify our bounty of bugs! We definitely had a steep learning curve, as we are both far from entomologists. Luckily, we are studying under an array of entomologists, such as Dr. Jim Costa, who was a valuable resource when we found ourselves stuck on the order of a particular insect. One of the hardest bugs to identify was in the order Hymenoptera, which is best known for containing stinging insects such as wasps, bees, and ants. These guys are usually diurnal or buzzing about during the day, so we did not immediately think to place our mystery bugs in this order! We found, with the confirmation of Dr. Costa, that we had ourselves a swarm of flying ants, as well as another Hymenoptera we got a good look at under the microscope.

Our mystery Hymenoptera under the microscope

After about six hours of bug identifying in the lab, Noa and I called it a day and headed home to make dinner. And we only got through half the bags! With our new entomological knowledge, as well as our recognition of common insects and patterns throughout the night, we are expecting the rest of our insect identification will be a breeze! While I am not the biggest bug guy in the world, this exercise gave me a deep appreciation for the crucial role bugs play in our world, and how crucial their existence is for the wellbeing of bats. One of the biggest threats to bats is the overuse of pesticides on residential lawns and gardens. A simple and immediate way anyone can help bats is by limiting their pesticide use. The pests will provide a delicious snack for bat species, and they will keep the bug levels low in residential areas! We, as well as bugs, are a part of a deeply woven system of interconnectedness, and every action or choice we make produces a ripple effect that extends way farther than we could possibly imagine!

Written by Rachel Maunus