Community Science

In collaboration with the Elya Lab at Harvard University, the ZomBeetle lab is teaming up with the community to collect Entomophthoraceae species — like zombie beetles and zombie flies — worldwide! If you are interested in learning more about zombie flies (and how you can find and submit your own samples), please visit the Elya Lab webpage here

The Zombuddies Project

Zombie-making fungi — which infect, manipulate the behavior of, and then kill their insect hosts — are found worldwide! Many of these species belong to the fungal family Entomophthoraceae – also known as "the insect destroyers" – a branch within the early-diverging fungal phylum Zoopagomycota. We’ve been observing many of these fungi for over a century and a half, but we still know very little about their genetic diversity and host ranges.

Zombuddies aims to build a zombie DNA database to fill this gap. Specifically, we want to sequence host and fungal DNA from zombie insects killed by Entomophthoraceae with help from an incredible community of citizen and professional scientists. If you come across an insect you suspect was killed by one of these fungi, we ask that you please collect the specimen and submit a specimen inquiry (a zombinquiry, if you will). We’ll check out your sample(s), and if everything looks good will work with you to ship us your samples to the lab. In the lab, we will extract DNA and sequence diagnostic genetic regions to identify both host and fungal species. We’ll reach back out with results, as well as share them right here.

While we would love to collect specimens from around the globe, current shipping restrictions prevent us from collecting samples that are not collected in the United States. Like these fungi, we hope to expand our network soon!

The ZomBeetles Community Science Project!

Interested in Zombie beetles in particular? You can join our team of zombie hunters on iNaturalist! iNaturalist is a free app and online platform where people can upload photos of organisms to identify and share observations of biodiversity! When you upload pictures, iNaturalist saves the GPS coordinates from your photos — allowing each observation to be mapped to a specific place. These georeferenced observations are used by scientists and conservationists to study species distributions, track changes in ecosystems, and support scientific research! Check out our project page for more information!

iNaturalist also has a leaderboard for contributors who take pictures of certain specimens and for those who help identify them! Do you have what it takes to rise to the top of our leaderboards? Our project is just kicking off and there has never been a better time to help build a more complete map of zombie beetle distribution in the United States!

Zombie Hunting 101

Where can I find zombie beetles?

The zombie beetles in our project are goldenrod soldier beetles infected by an Entomophthorales fungus called Eryniopsis lampyridarum. These zombie beetles can be found anywhere that goldenrod soldier beetles live. They are most abundant in the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast regions of the United States, but our map is still expanding. As their name implies, you can often find these beetles hanging out on goldenrods and other flowering plants on which they harvest nectar!

What time of year can I find zombie beetles?

Goldenrod soldier beetles like to lay their eggs at the end of fall, which hatch into larvae that live underground during the winter. In late spring, these larvae pupate and eventually emerge as adults in the summer. There are two excellent times to look for zombie beetles — first during the summer and then again in the fall! The goldenrod soldier beetle population has this two-peak seasonality because it is made up of two different species, each with their own different seasonal preferences. The "Margined Leatherwing" beetles prefer to be active first in late Spring/early Summer while the "Pennsylvania Leatherwing" beetles prefer the late Summer/early Fall! But don't be fooled by the name, you can find Pennsylvania Leatherwings all across the eastern US!

Did you know that there are actually two different species of goldenrod soldier beetles?

Goldenrod soldier beetles coexist as two intermixed but distinct species that you can tall apart based on their slightly different wing and thorax patterns! The first — and more common species — is Chuliognathus pensylvanicus, also sometimes called the "Pennsylvania Leatherwing". These beetles have a bright orangish yellow body with irregular black wing spots that can often look blotchy or uneven. They also have a wide black spot on their prothorax (the middle section of the beetle just below the head). The other, less common species is Chauliognathus marginatus, or the "Margined Leathering". This species has a more clearly defined set of black wing spots. Their prothorax is also different with a long vertical stripe instead of a spot.

What do I do if I find one?

First and foremost, take a picture and add it to our iNaturalist project page!
If you would like to submit your sample to the Zombuddies group for further analysis, carefully clip the plant below where the beetle is attached and place your specimen in a clean container.
Next, fill out our specimen inquiry form.
We will then review your sample and determine if it is suitable for submission.
Make sure to store your sample in a cool, dark, and dry place while you wait for our review process (but do not place your sample in the freezer, as this will damage the fungus and insect tissues).
We will then reach out to you and let you know if your sample is suitable for submission. If it is, we will send you the materials and information you need to send your sample to us!

Specimen Inquiry Form

ZomBeetles Data

FAQ for the ZomBuddies Project

Is zombie hunting safe?

Unless you or your loved ones are insects, there is no reason to fear these fungi. They are specialized to attack, infect, and kill insects, which lack an adaptive immune system and are unable to maintain high body temps like we do. That said, be mindful of the plants you may be sampling from and always wash your hands after handling specimens.

What will happen to my sample once it gets to you?

Upon receipt of your sample, we will image the specimen(s) and extract fungal material for diagnostic staining. We will use the rest of your sample to extract DNA and identify the host and fungal species. A picture of your sample along with your name will also be uploaded to the Community Science Data page!

Can I see the data?

Yes! We will post all of our data on our Community Science Data page for everyone to see! This approach to data sharing is called open access science.

What are you doing with the data?

Our goal is to amass a large collection of matched host and fungal sequences so that we can look for trends in host specificity among strains and evaluate co-evolution between the fungi and their insect hosts. With any luck, these trends will be published in an open access scientific journal!

How will my contributions to this project be acknowledged?

Anyone who submits a zombie beetle sample will be inducted as a member of the ZomBeetles Community Science Team and will be acknowledged as a contributor to the research project in any resultant publications! You will be able to find your name listed in the Acknowledgments sections of any science paper that uses your samples!

I have other questions not addressed here. Who do I ask?

For questions about zombie flies, you can email Dr. Elya at cnelya@g.harvard.edu (be sure to put “Zombuddies” in the subject line). For questions about zombie beetles, please contact us using the form on our Contact Information page.