A special issue of the Nederlandse Faunistische Mededelingen just published the results of the most comprehensive study of Bonaire’s terrestrial invertebrates. This edition, featuring 21 scientific papers, marks a significant leap forward in understanding the island’s rich but often overlooked insect and mollusk diversity. Among the key findings, researchers identified more than 600 species previously unrecorded on Bonaire, including many that are new to the Caribbean Netherlands. This study provides crucial insights into the ecological composition of the Dutch Caribbean, offering a valuable resource for conservation efforts.

European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera). Photo credit: Hans Smulders

The Bonaire Estafette Expedition: A Collaborative Effort

The findings stem from the Bonaire Estafette Expedition, an intensive research project conducted in 2022–2023 by STINAPA and Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Unlike traditional short-term biodiversity surveys, this expedition took a relay-based approach, where multiple teams of experts conducted research over several months, ensuring a thorough investigation of Bonaire’s terrestrial invertebrates. Researchers employed diverse collection methods, including the use of many types of traps and night light sampling, enabling them to capture a wide array of species across different habitats.

Key Discoveries: Exotic Invaders and Hidden Native Species

Among the expedition’s most remarkable discoveries were 40 non-native species recorded on Bonaire for the first time, mostly found around developed areas.  It is believed that imported potted plants are likely the main way these non-native species are getting to the island. In addition, several studies within the special issue provide new insights into major invertebrate groups:

• Bees and Pollinators: An extensive inventory of the island’s bees revealed a far richer diversity than previously known, including new species that play a crucial role in local ecosystems.

• Moths and Grasshoppers: Detailed documentation of these groups has resulted in the first field guide-quality reference for Bonaire’s insect fauna. The study noted a high-than-expected diversity, with over 147 species of moths recorded, significantly higher than the 4 species previously identified.  Additionally, the study found 23 species of grasshopper, where previously only 6 species had been known. Many of these species were found in dry shrubland habitats and are considered key bioindicators of environmental health.

• Freshwater and Terrestrial Mollusks: This study offers an essential baseline for understanding the island’s mollusk diversity and how these species interact with the fragile environment of Bonaire. Notably, the study documented the presence of Golden Tudora Snail (Tudora aurantia) and Uva Cane Shell (Cerion uva), species adapted to Bonaire’s arid conditions, offering insights into their ecological roles and potential vulnerability to habitat disturbances​.

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Photo credit: Henkjan Kevit

A Turning Point for Conservation in the Dutch Caribbean

The publication of this special issue represents a significant milestone for biodiversity conservation in the Dutch Caribbean. By providing an accessible and richly illustrated reference, it enhances the ability of researchers, conservationists, and policymakers to monitor species trends, detect environmental changes, and implement evidence-based conservation strategies. Furthermore, the results underscore the importance of continued scientific exploration and ecological monitoring on Bonaire and the other Dutch Caribbean islands. With all articles freely available at Natuurtijdschriften.nl, this work serves as both a scientific milestone and a practical field guide for the region’s unique and often fragile ecosystems.

You can help too! 

By submitting photos of animals—big and small—to the ObsIdentify app, you can contribute to scientific research and biodiversity monitoring. Developed in collaboration with Naturalis and Observation, this app allows users to identify species using image recognition. The promotional campaign for ObsIdentify was also conducted with an expert from this expedition on Bonaire, further supporting citizen science efforts and helping to document the island’s incredible biodiversity.

DCNA     

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports (science) communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature related scientific information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s news platform BioNews and through the press. This article contains the results from several (scientific) projects but the projects themselves are not DCNA projects. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article.