Invertebrates

The diversity of insect life on the Monument is very high—over 1500 species have been documented. Darkling beetles (family Tenebrionidae) are some of the more conspicuous ground-dwelling insects on the Hanford Site, including the Monument. These beetles play an important role in the nutrient cycling in shrub-steppe communities and are prey for a variety of mammals. Darkling beetles are generally more abundant in warmer and drier locations and in areas dominated by native vegetation, and thus may be a good indicator of change in shrub-steppe habitats.

The Arid Lands Ecology Reserve is particularly rich in butterflies and moths; 46 butterfly species and 107 moth taxa have been identified. Umtanum Ridge, Rattlesnake Ridge, and the shorelines of the Columbia River appear to support a wide variety of butterflies, including several rare species. An alkaline spring on Umtanum Ridge supports an endemic snail not known from any other location. Most insects are associated with specific microhabitats or host plants, are short-lived, and travel only short distances during their life. Unlike birds and mammals that may colonize an area if suitable habitat develops, the ability of insects to re-invade sites is minimal. Preservation of the variety of habitats available throughout the Monument is therefore particularly important for invertebrate conservation.

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