INSECT LOVE: A pair of Tipula (Yamatotipula) pierrei crane flies mating along the Bulgan River in Khovd Province, Mongolia JON GELHAUS
Almost every year for the past decade and a half, a crew of about 20 entomologists, water ecologists, meteorologists, and other specialists converges on the shorelines of Mongolia’s lakes, rivers, and streams, just when swarms of aquatic insects do the same.
For three arduous weeks, teams traverse the sparsely populated countryside by jeep, helicopter, horse, and on foot. They sweep nets, set traps, flip rocks, dig into the soils, and sample water in order to collect as many insects as possible. The specimens are then sent to specialists around the world, who identify them and prepare them for museum collections.
Led by Jon Gelhaus, a curator of entomology at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and a specialist in crane flies, the Mongolian ...
