Denver Urban Gardens Research

This is a USDA-funded project in collaboration with Denver Urban Gardens (DUG) looking at insect biodiversity in urban community gardens. A very small sample of the insect individuals present across the gardens will be collected and identified. This information will give us an understanding of: 

• The most common community garden species

• Insect pollination and natural pest control

• How neighborhood characteristics impact insect communities

Insects are highly abundant, and studies have shown that the following listed forms of insect sampling have no significant impact on population sizes when done for small periods of time. 

Denver Urban Garden Research Sites

Insect Monitoring

Project Personnel

Project Outcomes

This research is supported by a USDA NIFA AFRI (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative) grant. The findings will be presented at a national conference and submitted for publication in a scientific journal. The insect specimens collected will be preserved and donated to the University of Colorado Natural History Museum's Entomology Collections, where they will be available for researchers and students for years to come.

We also aim to raise public awareness about the insect biology of urban community gardens. An informative report detailing the most common insects found in these gardens will be created and shared with members of the Denver Urban Gardens community. In addition, we will produce a short video showcasing the research process and study findings, which will be shared online.