The European Wool carder bee (Anthidium manicatum). Credit:Courtesy The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), Crown Copyright
People all over the globe are discovering that their observations and local knowledge can be valuable to researchers investigating various ecological phenomena. Natural history groups in particular are reaching out to “citizen scientists” to help them collect data and the internet has opened up a world of communication between these groups.
Because insects are common and easily observable, many contributions can be made without specialized knowledge or equipment. Below are a few links to articles describing groups who are reaching out for support from those who can donate their time, energy, and experience towards increasing scientific understanding.