To read about the predecessor projects, please see National Museums of Kenya (2016)

In 2016, the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) received a three-year JRS implementation grant to close the data gap for wild pollinators in East Africa. Wild flora, as well as important food and cash crops, rely on insect pollination in East Africa, yet knowledge on the diversity, abundance, distribution, and trends of wild pollinators is lacking. This project focuses on three families of Lepidoptera: the hawkmoths (Sphingidae), the skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae), and the swallowtail butterflies (Papilionidae) in the Eastern Arc Mountains in Kenya and Tanzania, and the Mabira Forest in Uganda. In three years, the initial project upgraded Lepidoptera reference collections at NMK, National Museum of Tanzania, and the Zoology Museum at Makerere University. These three institutions also digitized and published over 13,000 Lepidoptera species occurrence data in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Three MSc students were trained and nine training and outreach workshops reached over 250 participants in all three countries, advancing biodiversity informatics capacity in all three countries. An independent grant was also made to one of Dr. Kioko’s collaborators, Prof. Anne Akol of Makerere University (Uganda), based upon the success of the NMK project.

This follow-on funding for one year will support NMK to narrow the remaining knowledge gaps in taxonomy and insect-plant interactions, raise the general public’s awareness of the importance of Lepidoptera as key pollinators, connect with data end-users, and continue capacity development to ensure long-term success.

The key objective of this project is to strengthen biodiversity informatics capacity for enhanced Lepidoptera pollinators’ data mobilization and access in Kenya and Tanzania. The training and support of two MSc students, one in Kenya and one in Tanzania, will focus on insect-plant interaction gaps in Lepidoptera pollinators. Stakeholder sessions in both countries will share project outputs with biodiversity stakeholders and data users. Additional field surveys/sampling, digitization, and publication of occurrence data will also support this objective, as will the application of DNA-based molecular methods to assist with taxonomy.

The second key objective is to raise awareness and secure continued support for the conservation of insect pollinator species and their habitats. Activities will include exhibitions, publications, and institutional website and media articles. Partnerships, plans, and proposals will be developed to facilitate continuation of biodiversity informatics advancement.

With COVID-19 restricting travel and meeting with our grantees, JRS invited our projects to submit a short update for the JRS Board of Trustees. Though intended for an internal JRS audience, we loved these videos and share them here with permission. Enjoy!

1. At least 8,650 occurrence data records catalogued, digitized, georeferenced, and published on GBIF for four Lepidoptera families: Sphingidae, Hesperiidae, Papilionidae, and Lycaenidae.
2. Two MSc students trained in biodiversity informatics.
3. A butterfly display/exhibition at National Museum of Tanzania.
4. A permanent butterfly garden established in Taita Hills, Kenya.
5. At least five fact sheets for schools, government officials, and local communities.
6. At least two scientific papers and two popular articles published.
7. At least two media articles published by each institution.
8. Quarterly project updates on institutional websites.
9. At least two proposals for ongoing funding.
10. At least two project reports.

Stakeholders and data users will easily access digitized Lepidoptera reference collections throughout the region, with scholars trained in biodiversity informatics advancing research and knowledge of insect pollinators. The general public will also understand the importance of Lepidoptera as key pollinators for both crops and wild plants. Collectively, these efforts will enhance awareness and actions for conservation of Lepidoptera pollinators and their habitats in East Africa.

1. A field guide to Taita Hill Butterflies was published in June 2021. Access the guide here.
2. A stakeholders’ workshop took place in Ngangao forest, Taita Hills on 17^thJanuary 2020. It was attended by 19 members from nine institutions, seven of which are community conservation groups in various forest blocks of the Taita Hills.  Attendance from Government institutions included Kenya Forest Service and the NMK.
3. Two Master’s students have been recruited, one in Kenya and one in Tanzania. They have developed their research proposals on butterfly studies in their respective countries.
4. Digitization of the historical butterfly voucher specimens has continued and to date 8,848 occurrence data for skipper butterflies and 7,345 occurrence data for swallowtail butterflies are published to GBIF through the NMK.
5. Digitization of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) has been initiated and to date 1,400 voucher specimens from the NMK collection have been catalogued, digitized, and are being geo-referenced, cleaned, and validated for publication on GBIF.
6. A field survey undertaken in Taita Hills in January 2020 covered two blocks of the Taita Hills, Chawia, and Modangache forests. New records have been captured for the target Lepidoptera families Papilionidae, Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, and Sphingidae.
7. A data paper has been published on swallowtail butterflies of Africa.

• Kioko E, Musyoki AM, Luanga A, Kioko MD, Mwangi EW, Monda L (2020) Swallowtail butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) species diversity and distribution in Africa: The Papilionidae collection at the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya. Biodiversity Data Journal 8: e50664. (link)

Dr. Esther N. Kioko is a senior research scientist and heads the Zoology Department at NMK. She holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Entomology, from the Kenyatta University, with research undertaken at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and field research in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. She also holds a postgraduate Diploma in Applied Insect Taxonomy from the University of Wales, UK. In addition to directing the first three years of this project, she has coordinated a number of multi-institutional projects including: Assessment of the Insects as food sources for improving food security, rural livelihoods and adaptation to climate change (2011- 2015, funded by Kenya’s National Council for Science and Technology); and Developing incentives for community participation in forest conservation through the use of commercial insects in Kenya (2004-2009, funded by Global Environment Facility). She leads the NMK Zoology Department’s collection digitization process for the over 3 million specimens housed in the department’s six sections. She is also coordinating the NMK’s Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC) funded project on the Zoological Survey of Kenya.

It is always a pleasure to reinvest in a highly successful project.  Dr. Kioko’s project has been exemplary for its scientific achievements and also the closeness of the partner institutions, the mentorship of young people at NMK, and the genuine transfer of know-how among the principals. The capacity development workshops have produced clear proceedings and outputs and succeeded to span from research scientists to farmers and citizens.  The lead collaborators, Dr. Akol and Dr. Sallema have become ambassadors for open access to digital biodiversity information. We look forward to continued success.