Call for bug-hunting citizen scientists to help with new research project

From worms wriggling in the mud, to spiders lurking in the shadows, if you see a bug, scientists want to know about it. The Invasive Species Council is launching a national bug hunt as a new citizen-science project supported by Invertebrates Australia and Australian Geographic. Citizen scientists across Australia are invited to grab their phones and download the iNaturalist app to help build knowledge of native invertebrates as well as raise awareness about the invasive bugs posing a threat to local ecosystems. ISC citizen science co-ordinator Jess Ward-Jones said by joining the bug hunt, Australians would give scientists an extra set of eyes. Every photo taken would help scientists understand and protect Australia’s wildlife and could help stop the next fire ant or shot-hole borer outbreak, she said. “Many people in Perth will be aware of the devastating impact of polyphagous shot-hole borer on mature native trees in the iconic Kings Park and other public places,” she said. “It’s tragic to have lost hundreds of habitat trees. “It’s a prime example of why we need the community’s help to spot any new invasive species, and to help scientists map and track new invasions like shot-hole borer. “These invaders move fast and travel silently — through pot plants, mulch or stormwater drains — and by the time authorities detect them, it’s often too late — that’s why citizen science is such a powerful tool in our biosecurity arsenal.” Ms Ward-Jones said all it took was a clear photo uploaded through the free iNaturalist app. Bugs in My Backyard Week will run from November 17-23, bringing bug hunting into classrooms across Australia. Invertebrates Australia’s bug hunt co-ordinator Alison Mellor said the bugs’ lives should be studied. “A lovely Christmas beetle or bogong moth on our windowsill is just as fascinating, and important, as a koala or a kookaburra,” she said. “What most people may not know is that around 70 per cent of our native invertebrates remain undescribed by Western science — that’s probably about 200,000 species that people have an opportunity to better understand. “Invertebrates make up more than 95 per cent of all animal species on Earth, yet most of Australia’s remain ignored in conservation — that’s an enormous gap in our knowledge about the natural world and how it’s faring.” More information can be found at bughunt.org.au.