Global project to sequence genomes of all 11,665 European butterfly and moth species reaches 1,000 milestone

Butterfly on a flower

Unravelling the secrets hidden in the DNA of butterflies and moths could help aid nature conservation, transform our understanding of evolution, and uncover new ways of tackling agricultural pests. 

A team from Queen Mary has been taking part in a project to do just that. So far, experts across Europe have sequenced the genomes of 1,000 species of butterflies and moths, including almost all UK butterflies. This data, which is made freely available to all, will help us understand and protect UK biodiversity. 

Project Psyche aims to sequence all 11,665 species of butterflies and moths in Europe. A collaboration of researchers, taxonomists, policymakers and citizen scientists, the project published a new white paper in Trends in Ecology & Evolution called Project Psyche: reference genomes for all Lepidoptera in Europe’. It details how the genomes of all butterflies and moths can help answer evolutionary questions and address challenges such as food security. 

“Inclusivity at every level” 

Queen Mary PhD students Marcus Hicks and Jenny Stewart, from the lab of Dr Vicencio Oostra in the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, are participating in the Project Psyche consortium, representing early career researchers and working on media and communications repectively. Meanwhile, PhD student Yuqian (Arina) Huang and Post-Doc Dr Madeleine Carruthers have also contributed to sample collection for the project in Cambridgeshire. 

Marcus Hicks said: “We are incredibly excited to be involved in the scientific discoveries that are made possible with the resources created by Project Psyche, and hope that it inspires similar initiatives across other continents.” 

He also noted that diversity has been a key strength of the project. “Project Psyche has stood out to me as an international consortium committed to listening to and incorporating ideas from a truly diverse range of people,” he went on. “With women in key leadership roles, members from across Europe, and individuals at various stages of their scientific careers, the project fosters inclusivity at every level. Its rapid success and growth are a testament to how an accepting and inclusive working environment can drive ground-breaking scientific progress.” 

Comparing genomes to understand how humans impact insects 

Butterflies and moths, collectively known as Lepidoptera, are major players in ecosystems all around the world. They also act as biodiversity and climate change indicators as they react quickly to environmental changes or habitat degradation. This means that a decline in butterfly numbers can serve as an early warning for wider losses in wildlife. Comparing the genomes of species that have disappeared, are declining, or are stable or growing can help us understand how environmental changes and human activities affect insect diversity and distribution.