Spotting Lady Beetles: Using zoological collection and citizen science records to assess Coccinellid biodiversity loss in Vermont.
Flynn, Finn
Flynn, Finn
Citations
Altmetric:
License
License
Abstract
Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) are a charismatic invertebrate group with high ecological impact, serving as natural biological control for pests such as aphids and scale insects. Examination of zoological collections has indicated that Native Lady Beetle species are in sharp decline across North America, with formerly abundant species now extirpated from much of their range. Despite their beneficial ecological impacts, conservation attention towards Lady Beetles has been limited. In order to determine conservation status, the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas is utilizing zoological collections and citizen science records to identify which species of lady beetles have been historically present in Vermont, and to assess recent population and range declines in native species. As part of this effort, I digitized and geocoded 2,500 historical Coccinellidae specimens from the Zadock Thompson Zoological Collection, collected in Vermont from 1910 to 2022. Bayesian occupancy modeling was utilized by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies to identify species in decline. As a result of this research, four native species have been declared critically endangered in Vermont: the Nine-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella novemnotata), the Two-spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata), the Transverse Lady Beetle (Coccinella transversoguttata), and the Thirteen-spotted Lady Beetle (Hippodamia tredecimpunctata). Establishing conservation status of lady beetles in Vermont will lay the groundwork for legislation and conservation efforts that protect these charismatic insects.
Description
Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Senior (Graduating in 2026)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type of presentation
Poster
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
DOI
Advisor(s)
Department
Program/Major
Biology
College/School
College of Arts and Sciences
Organization
Research Category
Life Science