Mapping the Beetle Tree of Life with The Biological Recording Company

Dr Beulah Garner (Natural History Museum) discusses new efforts to comprehensively map the phylogeny of 400,000 beetle species worldwide with The Biological Recording Company.

With over 400,000 described species, Coleoptera represent one of the most diverse groups of organisms on Earth, necessitating a global, integrative approach to understanding their evolutionary history. This effort begins with standardized field collection, specimen imaging, and identification, followed by high-quality DNA extraction. By combining genomic, mitochondrial, and barcode data, we are building the most comprehensive Coleoptera phylogeny to date – spanning over 100,000 species, including many that remain undescribed. This large-scale phylogenetic framework enables us to move beyond species counts, revealing global patterns of biodiversity through time and space and providing essential insights into species loss and the broader consequences of global change.

Dr Beulah Garner is a Senior Curator of Entomology at the Natural History Museum, London, where she oversees the collections of Orthopteroid insects and their allies. A specialist in beetles, her research focuses particularly on the evolutionary origins of ground beetles (Carabidae). In addition to her curatorial and research work, she serves as Chair of the Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland, supporting the advancement of beetle studies across the region.

For more information and to book your place, visit The Biological Recording Company Eventbrite page.