The objective of this project is to create an insect field guide for Capitol Reef National Park that can be used by specialists and the general public who visit this park and other areas of the Colorado Plateau. Over 300 species of insect were collected in the five years the Ogden lab collected in Capitol Reef. There is a significant lack of literature addressing insects present in the area. We aim to fill that gap by cataloguing the insects collected over five years by the Ogden lab. Creating a field guide is a multifaceted and complex process requiring work in many different areas. For this project, a collection of insects representing those species that were both unique and common to Capitol Reef National Park were selected. From the collections and published data, we determined what kinds of insects were relevant to include, and which specimens to photograph to highlight remarkable and identifiable features. We selected the layout that would best represent the information we wanted to include. For example, written descriptions, the general size of the insects, and what months they are usually active. The field guide is sorted into orders, families, genera, and species. Photographs and illustrations will be a key feature to enhance the guide artistically and scientifically. This project is an interdisciplinary effort from biology, art, and design students and represents a conglomeration of years of collection, identification, and research of many individuals to put together a field guide showcasing the biodiversity of Capitol Reef National Park.
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