I’ve had a bunch of news hitting my feed over the last week and couldn’t decide what to pick to write on. So I went completely off track and I’m talking about insects. Just insects in general. What does this have to do with pest control? Bare with me, we will get there.
The sheer number of insect species is almost half of all living species on earth. That number is likely low because new species are discovered and named yearly. In 2024, 53 new species of insects were described—fifty-three!!! In contrast, there were 12 reptiles, no birds, and no mammals.
J.B.S Haldane said, when asked about the creator that “God has an inordinate fondness for beetles”. Well, there were a few beetles on the list this year as well as some true bugs, spiders (not insects, I know!), and a cricket.
Here are some highlights:
Scaralina veracruzensis – a planthopper from Veracruz Mexico. (get it… veracruzensis/veracrus).
Pseudoloxops kamalaharrisae – Kamala Harris has a plant bug name after her!
So does Harrison Ford - Pseudoloxops harrisonfordi.
The pioneer of studies on enelegyne spiders Jemerny Miller had a spider named after him: Tabiboka milleri.
Zaorascar pasunepomme – Another crack-legged spider in which “The species name, a noun in apposition, refers to the famous painting of René Magritte depicting an apple, named ‘Ceci n’est pas une pomme’, to which the genitalia appear to be reminiscent.”
Nealcidion hardyi – a very cool longhorn beetle named after its discoverer Nelson Hardy.
I promised I would bring this back to pest control. New species can often mean new pests. The world is connected through travel, transportation of goods, and food, which means new species can enter the country. Those species have no natural predators here so they can quickly expand and become major pests. Global climate change is changing environments and some pests are expanding their ranges. Being able to identify those pests correctly means better information on how to treat them quickly and effectively.
Darwin once wrote to a friend on a particularly bad day that “I am dying by inches, from not having any body to talk to about insects.” I completely understand. There is nothing I like more than talking about insects. And solving the problems they cause.
What new invasive species will we see this year? What new species of insect will be found? Who knows. Whatever it is, we will be here with the science to help. Contact us. And a special thank you to the California Academy of Sciences for their help with the complete list of insects from 2024!
Lagniappe: Darwin also wrote:
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