Have you ever wondered what insects think of skyscrapers?
Scientists at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles have. To find some answers, they installed an insect Malaise trap on the roof of the U.S. Bank Tower in downtown LA, reports Southern California Public Radio, 89.3 KPCC.
In an ongoing effort to understand the insect biodiversity in LA, a month-long study will show scientists how insects interact with the tallest building in the city. Is it just an obstacle, or maybe a new habitat? Entomologists are not sure why insects would fly to the top of a skyscraper.
The study is part of the BioSCAN project the Museum launched in 2012. Dozens of traps were placed around the city, which led to the identification of 30 new insect species.
Until now, the most notable structure they used to place a trap was City Hall. With the addition of the1,018 ft. U.S. Bank Tower, scientists hope to have a new pool of insect activity to research.
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