Mercer Times

Sarah Knapik, a senior biology major at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), has made a significant discovery in the field of entomology. While working on her bug collection for an entomology class, she discovered a Lepidotarphius perornatella moth near Lake Ceva. This colorful species had never been recorded in New Jersey before and was previously only sighted once in the United States, in Iowa in 2017.

Knapik plans to document her find on bugguide.net, where she will receive credit for discovering this species on the East Coast. "I love organismal biology a lot," said Knapik, who is preparing for graduate school after graduating from TCNJ this spring. "This has been a really interesting roller coaster," she added.

Unable to identify the moth initially, Knapik consulted her professor Mark Mayer. Mayer reached out to Ryan Rieder, bureau chief of plant pest and disease control at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, who confirmed the identification. Mayer expressed his excitement about the discovery: "It’s a really attractive little moth, really pretty. Two thirds of the wings are metallic green and the back part are orange with silver spots."

The moth likely arrived from Asia on a host plant. Mayer noted that only about two percent of shipping containers entering the United States are inspected, which can lead to non-native species arriving undetected. However, he reassured that Knapik's find is not considered an invasive species or an "actionable pest."

Mayer praised Knapik's skills as a field biologist: "Sarah is an excellent field biologist. There is a good chance that if you get down in the weeds, you’ll find something new." He highlighted that many insect species remain unidentified worldwide.

Knapik also works as a herpetology research intern in Professor Howard Reinert's laboratory at TCNJ. She shared her passion for working with snakes during an interview: “As we’re speaking, I have a snake on me,” she said from the lab. “They’re all sweethearts, they’re my babies.”

Further details about Knapik's discovery can be found in an article by NJ.com.