Mitochondrial markers can be used as DNA barcodes to identify the macerated remains of insects to the species level. In this study, we used eDNA recovered from guano to update insect species occurrence in Minnesota. Guano was collected individually from bats that were identified by sex and species, which enabled the research team to extrapolate the areas insects may have been foraged from using average digestion and flight times for the predators. The spatial records for Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, Plecoptera, and known forest pests of North America identified in bat feces were compared to the current known records of each species. Known ranges were drawn from the Barcode of Life Database and the Biodiversity Serving Our Nation (USGS) databases.
Publications
Predator to Prey to Poop: Bats as Microbial Hosts and Insectivorous Hunters
Miranda Galey
University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy, 2020