Category: Invertebrates

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New paper on the imperiled Rattlesnake-master Borer Moth

Rattlesnake-master Borer Moths, Papaipema eryngii , are an imperiled species, that has had little genetic analysis done. A new paper from INHS PaCE Lab, led by affiliate Donald B. Shepard, examines the genetic diversity of this species across its range, information necessary to accurately inform management actions and Species Status Assessments.

Shepard and colleagues were able to collect legs of 72 specimens from the extensive collections of J. Wiker and J. Bess, representing 6 of the 8 states with historical records of the species. Mitochondrial haplotypes were shared in geographically separated populations indicating they were likely connected when their open grassland habitats were more expansive. Habitat corridors between existing populations can improve gene flow and prevent inbreeding.

Additional sampling and genetic analysis may be necessary to capture the more recent genetic shifts of populations separated by habitat fragmentation.

Read the full paper in Journal of Insect Conservation
Shepard, D. B., J.R. Wiker, J.A. Bess, T.L. Esker, J.A. Crawford, and M.J. Dreslik. 2025. Genetic Diversity and Historical Demography of the Imperiled Rattlesnake-Master Borer Moth (Papaipema eryngii). Journal of Insect Conservation 29 (4): 59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-025-00698-0
 
Find more about our research on Papaipema
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New technique aids researchers in finding elusive mussel

A new paper in Ecology by Freshwater Mollusk Ecology and Conservation Program lead Sarah Douglass and colleagues describes the use of emerging technology paired with traditional methods to try to locate a species not seen alive in Illinois in over 100 years.

The Salamander mussel Simpsonaias ambiguahas been proposed for federal listing under the US Endangered Species Act.  Despite intense surveys, live individuals were last documented in Illinois in 1906.

The Salamander Mussel differs from other mussel species in that instead of a fish species, it uses the Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus as host for its glochidia.

The emergence of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques provides a new method to guides surveys for potential populations.

Sarah Douglass and colleagues collected samples at 8 sites in the Sangamon River to test for both Mudpuppy and Salamander Mussel eDNA. Mudpuppy eDNA was detected in samples from 4 sites, 1 of which also contained Salamander Mussel eDNA. A group of surveyors returned to that site and conducted targeted searches of preferred habitat, yielding 12 live Salamander Mussels, the first seen in Illinois in over 100 years.

Read the complete paper here

Douglass, Sarah A., Savanna Palmer, Ashleigh R. McCallum, Olivia P. Reves, Hayley A. Robinson, Allison J. Rutledge, Jordan H. Hartman, Eric R. Larson, and Mark A. Davis. 2025. Environmental DNA Reveals the Salamander Mussel Simpsonaias Ambigua Alive in Illinois, USA , after a Century in Obscurity. Ecology 106 (7): e70145. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70145.
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We’re Hiring!

The Illinois Natural History Survey Population and Community Ecology Lab is seeking a Terrestrial Ecologist to conduct basic and applied research assisting with ongoing surveys for terrestrial reptiles, bats, and noctuid moths. This position will be based in Champaign, Illinois. See more or apply

 

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We’re hiring a Pollinator Ecologist!

Pollinator Ecologist

Photo by Jason Robinson

We are seeking a Senior Scientific Specialist, Pollinator Ecologist to conduct basic and applied research assisting with ongoing surveys for pollinator Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), focusing on bumblebees and butterflies. This position will be located in Champaign, Illinois. BS required – MS preferred

To Apply: Please complete your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a cover letter, CV/resume, and the contact information for three professional references by March 8, 2022.

 

 

 

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Five year, $6 million contract awarded to UBAP team

The Urban Biotic Assessment Program was awarded $6,226,400 to continue providing technical assistance to the Illinois Tollway Environmental team.

This is the third intergovernmental agreement between the INHS and the Illinois Tollway and will allow the continuation of this mutually beneficial partnership that began in 2005.

The partnership has grown from monitoring Blanding’s Turtles in the Des Plaines River Valley to a multi-disciplinary program. While the key function is to provide the ecological knowledge necessary to comply with state and federal regulations, both organizations share a goal of studying the natural resources of the region to protect them into the future.

Research projects in this new agreement include biotic surveys of each of the Tollway corridors, continuation of longterm monitoring of the Kishwaukee River mussel population, using eDNA to detect cryptic species, Rusty Patched Bumble Bee surveys, and identifying bat roost trees.

Download our report of activities from 2015-2020

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2021 NRES Symposium

PACE Lab graduate students presented at the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Symposium, April 17th, 2021.

    • Alma C. Schrage presented “Bumble Bee Detection and Occupancy in Northern Illinois” Click for more info
    • Devin Edmonds presented “Informing the Mantella cowanii Conservation Action Plan” Click for more info
    • Anastasia Rahlin presented “Spatial and temporal drivers of marsh bird occupancy in an urbanized matrix” Click for more info
    • Tyler Stewart presented “Distribution and Detection Probability for Kirtland’s Snake (Clonophis kirtlandii)” Click for more info
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Bumblebees bring excitement

PACE Lab graduate student Alma Schrage is surveying sites in northeastern Illinois for the Federally endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee, including sites that have been restored by the Illinois Tollway. Schrage was recently interviewed by the Chicago Tribune about the work.

Read the full story here

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PaCE Lab at the Illinois State Fair

Smokey Bear using snake tongs

Members of the PaCE Lab exhibited in Conservation World at the 2019 Illinois State Fair, providing information and education to over 500 visitors. In addition to displays about the research being done by the group, visitors were able to try their hand at using actual field equipment used by scientists in their daily work.

The Illinois Bat Conservation Program had a mist net deployed where visitors could untangle, identify, and measure bats, all while wearing leather gloves.

The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation group had snake tongs, hooks, calipers, and radio telemetry equipment available for visitors to try to wrangle snakes into a snake bag, measure turtles, or track a hidden turtle.

Other activities included Build-a-Bug, where people can assemble the arthropod of their dreams (or nightmares) from a variety of general and specialized appendages, Wheel of Migration, about the risks migratory birds face, and locating PIT-tagged animals.

Smokey Bear using snake tongs
Gray Treefrog picked the right tent to visit
Wheel of Migration
Build a Bug
Vin Vasive wrangling a snake with a hook
Build-a-Bug
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9 days, 3 conferences, 8 talks, 2 posters

It’s been a busy week of sharing science for members of the PACE lab.

The Chicago Wilderness Wildlife Committee Meeting was held at Lincoln Park Zoo on February 19th:

 

Tara Hohoff presented “The status of Illinois bats five years after confirmation of white-nose syndrome,” using data from her work with the Illinois Bat Conservation Program and the Urban Biotic Assessment Program monitoring for the Illinois Tollway.

 

Joshua Sherwood presented “Assessing the distribution and habitat of Iowa Darters (Etheostoma exile) in Illinois,” with co-authors Andrew Stites, Jeremy Tiemann, and Michael Dreslik. This work changed the way people look for the Iowa Darter.

 

Jason Robinson presented “Patterns of abundance and co-occurrence of bumblebees associated with the Rusty Patched bumblebee.” RPBB is a federally protected species found in northeastern Illinois that has experienced a decline in its range.

 

Jason Ross presented “Demographic influence of head-starting on a Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) population in DuPage County, Illinois,” with co-author Michael Dreslik, discussing what amount of head-starting is needed to keep this population viable

 

The  2019 Wild Things Conference was held in Rosemont on February 23rd:

Tara Hohoff, representing the Illinois Bat Conservation Program, presented a poster “Year Three of the Illinois Bat Conservation Program.”

Anastasia Rahlin co-presented “Secretive Marsh Birds in the Big City.” with Audubon collaborator Stephanie Beilke on their ongoing work using playback to detect 17 focal wetland bird species in northeast Illinois and southeast Indiana. Soras were the most commonly detected species which was surprising/unexpected since Marsh Wrens and Swamp Sparrows are expected to be more common, and Little Blue Herons and Yellow-headed Blackbirds were the least detected which was pretty expected due to their declines. Future directions include creating species-specific occupancy models to better understand how our focal species respond to urbanization and presence of different wetland types at three different spatial scales.

Josh Sherwood presented “Current status of Bigeye Chub (Hybopsis amblops) in Illinois”.

Sarah Douglass presented “A preliminary analysis of mussel population dynamics in the Kishwaukee River.”

Jeremy Tiemann presented “Pulling the plug – Results of the fish and mussel salvage following the removal of the Danville Dam on the Vermilion River.”

Andy Stites presented a poster “Fecundity estimates of the Gravel Chub Erimystax x-punctatus“

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The Enigmatic Asian Clam

Photo by L. Brian Stauffer Illinois News Bureau

UBAP Malacologists Sarah Douglass and Jeremy Tiemann wrote an article for the Fall 2018 issue of Illinois Audubon: “The Enigmatic Asian Clam.” Asian Clams are an invasive species that became established in the Midwest in the 1960s. Douglass and Tiemann identified an unknown species of Asian Clam found in the Illinois River in 2015 and have been studying its distribution. They plan to examine the effect of Asian Clams on the growth of native mussels in Illinois streams.

UBAP Malacologists Sarah Douglass and Jeremy Tiemann wrote an article for the Fall 2018 issue of Illinois Audubon: “The Enigmatic Asian Clam.” Asian Clams are an invasive species that became established in the Midwest in the 1960s. Douglass and Tiemann identified an unknown species of Asian Clam found in the Illinois River in 2015 and have been studying its distribution. They plan to examine the effect of Asian Clams on the growth of native mussels in Illinois streams.

The article is available from Illinois Audubon or by contacting the authors.

Illinois Audubon Magazine