What if we could read the DNA of every butterfly and moth species in Europe? 🦋
That’s our goal: Sequencing ~11,000 Lepidoptera genomes to understand how they evolved, how they adapt, and how we can protect them🌎.
Interview led by our hub @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social 🧬:
www.lasexta.com/tecnologia-t...
(5/5) With 184 researchers from 34 countries, #ProjectPsyche and @10klepgenomes.bsky.social
are building a genomic foundation for conservation, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation across Europe.
More details⬇️
www.projectpsyche.org
(4/5) Butterflies and moths are also key environmental indicators. Studying their DNA 🧬 helps detect biodiversity loss earlier and predict which species are most vulnerable to climate change 🌎.
More here⬇️
www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/g...
(3/5) Genomic data 🧬 from butterflies and moths can improve precision pest control, helping farmers target harmful species while protecting pollinators and other beneficial insects! 🦋🐝🪲
#Genomics #Pestcontrol #Pollinators
(2/5) We have already sequenced the first 1,200 genomes 🧬—creating the largest genomic reference dataset for any animal group so far. This milestone helps us better understand evolution, biodiversity loss, and how species adapt to climate change 🦋🌍
#Genomics #ProjectPsyche
www.um.es/web/sala-pre...
(1/5) We are building the largest genomic map ever created for Lepidoptera together with @10klepgenomes.bsky.social — and the University of Murcia (UMU) is part of our international team working to sequence 10,000 species 🦋🧬
More information ⬇️⬇️⬇️
www.laopiniondemurcia.es/comunidad/20...
(5/5) With 184 researchers from 34 countries, #ProjectPsyche and @10klepgenomes.bsky.social are building a genomic foundation for conservation, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation across Europe.
More details⬇️
www.projectpsyche.org
(4/5) Butterflies and moths are also key environmental indicators. Studying their DNA 🧬 helps detect biodiversity loss earlier and predict which species are most vulnerable to climate change 🌎.
More here⬇️
www.ecoticias.com/naturaleza/g...
(3/5) Genomic data 🧬 from butterflies and moths can improve precision pest control, helping farmers target harmful species while protecting pollinators and other beneficial insects! 🦋🐝🪲
#Genomics #Pestcontrol #Pollinators
(2/5) Researchers have sequenced the first 1,000 genomes🧬, creating the largest genomic reference dataset for any animal group so far. This helps scientists understand evolution, biodiversity loss, and species adaptation to climate change 🦋🌎.
#Genomics #ProjectPsyche
www.um.es/web/sala-pre...
Close-up of a blue-lit moth trap at night, with numerous moths of different sizes and shapes resting on the mesh surface and roof of the trap. The insects are attracted to the ultraviolet light, illustrating nighttime Lepidoptera sampling in the field. Photo credit: Alena Suchackova.
(2/2) During this workshop, participants will take part in:
🦋 Lepidoptera collecting (Psyche & LepEU)
🧪 Hands-on training in genomic sample processing
🏔️ Fieldwork in the Pirin Mountains
Interested in taxonomy, genomics, or cross-disciplinary collab?
✅ Apply here:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
A group of researchers and participants gather at night in a mountain landscape around a glowing blue light trap used for collecting moths. The scene is illuminated by the bright light, with trees and dark mountain silhouettes in the background. The group is examining specimens and taking notes during fieldwork. Photo credit: Alena Suchackova.
(1/2) Applications are open for the second field workshop of WG 2: Specimen collection for genomic work
📍 Vlahi, Pirin Mountains (Bulgaria)
📅 15–19 June 2026
We’re bringing together Lepidoptera taxonomists, enthusiasts, bioinformaticians, and students for real hands-on learning and exchange.
⬇️ ⬇️
Participants of the workshop during Charlotte's presentation. Many screens show Hi-C maps being curated in real time.
(1/3) The 2nd Genome Curation Workshop continues!
Today, participants explored Merian elements and chromosome evolution in #Lepidoptera in a fantastic talk by @charlottewright.bsky.social
More info below 👇🦋
Participants attending a talk on day one of the 2nd Genome Curation Workshop (Cambridge, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Feb 16-17). The screen shows an image of Phalera bucephala alongside information about its genome.
Mark Blaxter giving a talk during day one of the 2nd Genome Curation Workshop (Feb 16-27, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge).
📢 Today marks the start of the 2nd Genome Curation Workshop, organised by #10kLepGenomes and @projectpsyche.bsky.social
From Feb 16–27, seventeen participants will learn how to interpret and edit Hi-C maps alongside senior curators at the @sangerinstitute.bsky.social
Stay tuned for updates! 🦋🧬
Take a look at this 👀!
⬇️⬇️⬇️
Thank you @ebpgenome.bsky.social for highlighting @projectpsyche.bsky.social
If you want to learn more about the large-scale genomics project on Lepidoptera in Europe, we introduce the project in our paper in Trends in Ecology & Evolution: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
There we go 😎🧬🦋!
🌍 Thanks to our whole EBP community for making this milestone possible. 🧬✨
@bat1kgenomes.bsky.social
@kurakulabmsm.bsky.social
@atlasea.bsky.social
@biogeneurope.bsky.social
@ergabiodiv.bsky.social
@vertebrategenomes.bsky.social
@invertebrates.bsky.social
@projectpsyche.bsky.social
#ERGAReads | We start the year by highlighting our partner Project Psyche: reference genomes for all Lepidoptera in Europe! 🦋 🌍 🧬 @projectpsyche.bsky.social
🔗 www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...
#butterflies #moths #genomes
Merry Christmas to all insect and moth lovers 🎄 @projectpsyche.bsky.social @10klepgenomes.bsky.social
Se me está quedando pequeña la pared 😱
Meet one of our wonderful coordinators, @charlottewright.bsky.social, and discover why generating reference genomes for moths and butterflies is so important!
L’equip d’investigació de l’IBE i col·laboradors recol·lectant papallones per al Projecte Psyche. Crèdit a Gerard Talavera.
El projecte Psyche situa les papallones a l’avantguarda de la genòmica de la biodiversitat 🦋
📕L’ #IBE_Barcelona participa en el projecte Psyche, la primera iniciativa transnacional destinada a generar i estudiar genomes de referència d’un ordre animal complet.🧵
👉https://shorturl.at/9ofIE
The study was launched by University of Florence and it is supported by @projectpsyche.bsky.social and @10klepgenomes.bsky.social as their common goal is to sequence genomes of all butterflies and moths, regardless of their presumed beauty!
Some butterflies may seem more beautiful than others. And believe it or not, this is influencing their conservation and researchers' interest! - Take this 10-min test to contribute to a research into our perception of butterfly beauty:
www.unveiling.eu/en_US/introd...
The DNA of butterflies & moths is supporting conservation, shedding light on evolution, and could find new ways to stop pests 🦋
1,000 genomes have been released, and @projectpsyche.bsky.social aims to continue until all 11,665 European species have been sequenced🧬
www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/10...
Many thanks for your interest, Dave! We’ve reached out to the coordinators of both projects so they can share more information with you and get in touch directly🦋
The hand of a researcher holding one of the grids containing samples for barcoding. Photo credits: Alena Sucháčková.
View of the stunning landscape in Mals (Italy), where the first field campaign of CA 10kLepGenomes was conducted this summer. Photo credits: Alena Sucháčková.
Moths resting over one of the UV-light traps set during the samplings conducted in Mals for the first field campaign of CA 10kLepGenomes (July 2025). Photo credits: Alena Sucháčková.
🎉 #Barcoding results from specimens collected in the Mals field-workshop are in — thank you Marko Mutanen!
🧬We confirmed IDs of tricky specimens (mostly microleps), adding 43 new species to @projectpsyche.bsky.social and identifying 14 that need recollection.
Thanks to all who took part!
Huge congratulations to everyone who made this milestone possible! 🎉🦋 Field teams out exploring 🥾🌿 and lab teams powering the sequencing 🧬 — every single contribution mattered. 🙌✨
(5/5) What’s next: sequencing all ~11,000 European species! This will transform research in evolution, conservation, and population genomics by empowering smarter monitoring, pest management, and biodiversity policy at local and global scales 🦋📊
#Conservation #Evolution #OpenScience