Rich bugs revealed: Homes in wealthier neighborhoods host a greater diversity of insects
Household insects — our most overlooked roommates — are grabbing the spotlight after centuries in the shadows. Prior research in the growing study of life indoors has shown that our homes support a variety of bugs in the far reaches of cupboard corners and attic alcoves. Now, researchers are looking beyond the nooks and crannies to consider the socioeconomic context of these households. A team from the California Academy of Sciences, North Carolina State University, and the Natural History Museum of Denmark surveyed the number of different insects in 50 urban homes and determined that wealthier neighborhoods host a greater number of species types than their lower socioeconomic counterparts. The findings are published today in the journal Biology Letters.