California is home to an estimated 30,000-35,000 insect species—but scientists admit they don’t know the exact number. This knowledge gap has sparked an ambitious new project called the California Insect Barcode Initiative, which aims to identify and catalog every single insect species in the Golden State using DNA sequencing technology.

Led by Austin Baker, a postdoctoral researcher at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the project faces a monumental challenge. California’s incredibly diverse landscapes—from foggy coastlines to alpine forests to scorching deserts—harbor countless undiscovered species. “You could visit any vegetated area across that state and potentially collect several new undiscovered and unnamed insect species,” Baker explains.

Working under the California All-Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (CalATBI), Baker’s team is systematically sampling every ecoregion recognized by the EPA. They’re using multiple collection techniques, including passive traps that remain in place for months to capture insects that emerge for just brief periods each year. The comprehensive approach is necessary because many species appear only during narrow windows of opportunity.

This scientific endeavor represents more than just an academic exercise. As climate change and habitat loss threaten biodiversity worldwide, creating a complete inventory of California’s insect species provides crucial baseline data for conservation efforts. The project will help scientists understand ecosystem health, track species changes over time, and identify previously unknown insects that may play vital roles in California’s complex ecological web.