University Insect Collections and NM-RARe!

Question:

What are some rare insects in New Mexico, and where can I learn more about them?

- Sandoval County

Answer:

The Sandoval County Extension Master Gardeners recently had the privilege of touring the Museum of Southwestern Biology's Division of Arthropods collection. Located on the University of New Mexico campus and open to the public by appointment only, the Museum serves as a repository of biological specimens for scientists to study. Museum research collections like these allow scientists to describe new species and track distributions of known species over time, giving us one of the most concrete and accurate ways to tell how changes in habitat and climate affect populations. These collections also serve as great learning tools, offering the public an up-close look at plants, animals, and fungi from around the world and our own backyards. It was a wonderful treat to see the collection and hear about the Division of Arthropods' current research, which currently includes the study of flower-visiting insects across elevations to map where important pollinators are found. You can reach out to schedule your own tour by Museum of Southwestern Biology.

A collection of New Mexico insects on display
at the Museum of Southwestern Biology.
Photo credit: Bethany Abrahamson.

The Division also recently partnered with a few other groups to start a new initiative, the New Mexico Rare Arthropods Resource (NM-RARe). As the name suggests, the folks at NM-RARe catalog New Mexico's rare, threatened and local insects, and the collection is growing all the time as new species are added. NMRARe researchers hope to help spread the word about these local celebrities of the natural world, and also arm advocates with the tools they need to protect them. Some of the species profiles include the Southern Plains bumblebee under assessment to be listed as an endangered species in the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants and the Socorro Isopod is currently being reared by the Albuquerque Biological Park!

The beautiful Southern Plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus).
Photo credit: Johnny N. Dell, Bugwood.org, CC BY-NC 3.0 US

New Mexico State University also maintains its own Arthropod Collection in Las Cruces, which experts use to identify invasive species that pose risks to human, animal or plant health. If you submit an insect pest for identification to NMSU's Plant Diagnostic Clinic, it might just end up here. Their website has some great resources for all ages to learn more about local insects. Their collection is also only available for viewing by appointment, so Book A Visit.

You can learn more about the research into important local pollinators and how you can help the pollinators in your own backyard by attending this upcoming presentation on pollinator protection, coming June 7th to the Jemez Springs Library! See flyer below.

Hope to see you there!

Bethany Abrahamson is the Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent for Sandoval County.

Marisa Y. Thompson, PhD, is the Extension Horticulture Specialist, in the Department of Extension Plant Sciences at the New Mexico State University Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center, email: desertblooms@nmsu.edu, office: 505-865-7340, ext. 113.

Links:

For more gardening information, visit the NMSU Extension Horticulture page at Desert Blooms and the NMSU Horticulture Publications page.

Send gardening questions to Southwest Yard and Garden - Attn: Dr. Marisa Thompson at desertblooms@nmsu.edu, or at the Desert Blooms Facebook page.

Please copy your County Extension Agent and indicate your county of residence when you submit your question!