How to translate text using browser tools
11 July 2023 Analysis of host plant availability and use by 2 species of soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) using community-gathered digital specimens
Katlyn A. Catron, Derek A. Hennen, Jennie F. Wagner, Bryan L. Brown, Donald C. Weber, Thomas P. Kuhar
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Digital specimens collected by community members are a largely untapped source of entomological data. By mining and curating data from photo observations uploaded to online community data repositories, researchers can utilize this wealth of information to address questions about predator–prey interactions, phenotypic variation within species, plant–pollinator interactions, and a host of other topics. We mined data from photo observations on the community science website iNaturalist to investigate patterns in host plant availability and affiliation by 2 species of soldier beetles, Chauliognathus marginatus (F.) and Chauliognathus pensylvanicus (De Geer). Chauliognathus marginatus was observed with white flowers more than expected based on their potential availability, while C. pensylvanicus was observed with yellow flowers over all other flower colors and more than expected based on their potential availability. Communities of flowers available to, and observed with, C. marginatus and C. pensylvanicus differed significantly at the family and genus levels. To our knowledge, this is the first study to utilize a dataset mined and curated from community science photo observations to address species-specific behavior and ecology questions. With appropriate study design and analytical methods, these types of data could prove invaluable in future investigations of a variety of entomological and ecological questions.

Katlyn A. Catron, Derek A. Hennen, Jennie F. Wagner, Bryan L. Brown, Donald C. Weber, and Thomas P. Kuhar "Analysis of host plant availability and use by 2 species of soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) using community-gathered digital specimens," Annals of the Entomological Society of America 116(5), 305-313, (11 July 2023). https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saad016
Received: 23 January 2023; Accepted: 19 June 2023; Published: 11 July 2023
JOURNAL ARTICLE
9 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
citizen science
host plant preference
iNaturalist
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top