A Rare Mysterious Insect Discovered For The First Time In 50 Years At A Walmart Store
Giant Lacewing, a rare insect species, was recently spotted in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the first time in over 50 years.
The discovery was made by a Walmart employee who found the insect on the side of the building at night
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They believe that artificial light and pollution caused by urbanization, the suppression of forest fires in eastern North America, and the introduction of non-native predators, and non-native earthworms could be responsible.
According to Entomologist Michael Skvarla, the discovery of the giant lacewing is significant because the insect has not been seen in the region in over half a century.
The researchers analyzed extensive collection records of giant lacewings, including museum holdings and community science submissions, and placed them into a single map to observe their distribution.
The insect spotted on the side of a well-lit building at night suggests that it was likely attracted to the lights and may have flown at least a few hundred meters from where it originated.
Fayetteville is located in the Ozark Mountains, which are believed to be a biodiversity hotspot.
The researchers explain that the area is understudied compared to regions of similar biodiversity, such as the Southern Appalachians, making it an ideal place for a large, showy insect to hide undetected.
Skvarla said, “it could have been 100 years since it was even in this area- and it’s been years since it’s been spotted anywhere
n
ear it. The next closest place that they’ve been found was 1,200 miles away, so very unlikely it would have traveled that far.”
The mystery of how the insect arrived on the exterior of a Walmart still remains, but scientists hope that this discovery will encourage further findings.
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