A citizen scientist in Victoria has contributed the first known wild photograph of an antlion species, as public participation in insect documentation projects increases across Australia.
Discovery of Myrmeleon houstoni
In February, Judy Allen photographed an insect later identified as Myrmeleon houstoni while bushwalking near Red Cliffs, Victoria. She uploaded the image to the online platform iNaturalist, where experts identified it as the first known wild photograph of the species. The insect was perched on a bush at eye level.
"Previous official photos of Myrmeleon houstoni were of museum specimens."
Cameron Slatyer, project manager of biodiversity initiatives at the CSIRO, stated that citizen scientists contribute approximately 70% of records to the Atlas of Living Australia. Slatyer also reported that Australia has roughly 233,000 known species, with an estimated 500,000 total.
The larvae of Myrmeleon houstoni live in sandy areas and create conical burrows to trap ants. The species has approximately 130 records in the Atlas of Living Australia, compared to three million records for the Australian magpie.
Ms. Allen's daughter Fiona also photographed a Myrmeleon houstoni in another part of the Mallee region. The mother and daughter are the only people to have photographed the species in the wild on iNaturalist.
National Bug Hunt Initiative
A national citizen science initiative called "Bug Hunt" is operating across Australia to assist researchers in studying insect populations. The project, developed by the Invasive Species Council and Invertebrates Australia, aims to compile a nation-wide inventory of invertebrates using the iNaturalist platform. The project collects images and observations to establish a dataset for monitoring native species and identifying non-native pests.
Elle Irvine, a Brisbane resident, began photographing insects in 2020 and subsequently joined Bug Hunt. Irvine stated her interest developed from photography, leading her to document various insects encountered in her surroundings. She noted the project's role in public engagement with insect life.
Alison Mellor, co-lead for the Invertebrates Australia Bug Hunt project, stated that citizen involvement provides researchers with observations from a broad geographical range, facilitating a comprehensive overview of Australian invertebrates.
Research Contributions
Dr. Chris Burwell, senior insect curator at the Queensland Museum, identified citizen science platforms including Bug Hunt and iNaturalist as valuable resources for research. Dr. Burwell stated these platforms are useful for tracking species distribution throughout the year and observing potential climate-related shifts in species migration, such as the increasing presence of species in south-east Queensland.
"Participation of individuals recording observations in their local environments generates a substantial volume of data."
Dr. Burwell has logged over 14,000 observations on iNaturalist.
Invasive Species Detection
Reece Pianta, advocacy director for the Invasive Species Council, described Bug Hunt as a tool for monitoring the dispersal of invasive species. If an invasive species is identified in a photo uploaded to the Bug Hunt platform, relevant researchers and authorities would be notified.
Pianta cited Queensland as a region prone to invasive species including fire ants, yellow crazy ants, and electric ants. Bug Hunt organizers are also seeking photographic submissions of native Queensland species, including nesting bees, birdwing butterflies, and Christmas beetles.
Participation Guidance
Ms. Irvine advised new participants to begin their observations locally, such as within their own gardens. She suggested that familiarity with one's immediate environment assists in noticing more insect species.