Catherine Galus, Enrique Gardea, & Dr. Ruben Alarcon
Holometabolous insects are the most successful of the insects worldwide. They are characterized by complete metamorphosis between juvenile and adult stages. The larva of a holometabolous insect occupies a different niche as an adult of its species, allowing for less competition between parents and offspring. We decided to study the prevalence of holometabolous insects on campus at California State University Channel Island using insects collected by entomology students (BIOL 452) in 2019, 2021, and 2023. We calculated the proportion of holometabolous insects overall and compared the abundance of the four largest holometabolous orders (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleoptera) both overall and by year. We used a chi-square test to analyze the data for significance. Holometabolous insects were consistently more numerous than non-holometabolous insects. There was no significant difference between the overall number of each of the major holometabolous orders. However, there was a statistically significant change in population number within the orders year-to-year. The cause of this trend cannot be determined, but this could be investigated in further research. Monitoring changes in insect activity and populations is important, especially as global warming continues to change the environments in which they live.