8,995 insect species discovered in 2006

This video is called Amazing Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly.

From Debbie’s Insects Blog:

David Grimaldi and Michael Engel, in their 2005 book Insects and Their Evolution, estimated that 75% of the insect species on Earth had yet to be described. Perhaps in response, entomologists picked up the pace of discovery. In 2006, entomologists described nearly twice the number of new insect species as they do in a typical year. A total of 8,995 new insect species and 1,269 new arachnids were described and named.

What kind of insects did entomologists discover? Here’s the ’06 tally:

beetles (order Coleoptera) – 3,176
ants, bees, or wasps (order Hymenoptera) – 1,416
flies (order Diptera) – 1,326
true bugs (order Hemiptera [see also here]) – 908
butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera) – 903
all others – 1,266

Each year, the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University releases its SOS (State of Observed Species) report on May 23rd, the birthday of Carolus Linneaus. Linnaeus is the father of modern taxonomy. The SOS report provides a summary of all the new plant and animal species discovered in the most recent year for which data is available.

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 6,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are students, researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, and hobbyists. For more information, please visit http://www.entsoc.org.