The ubiquitous Christmas beetle is about to come into its own season.
Photo by
unknown, Supplied
Bugger me, there are thousands, tens of thousands, maybe even hundred of thousands of the little buggers.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
In your backyard.
Bugs.
That’s what we’re talking about and now our boffins want you, the average Australian, to get out in your backyard, find some of those little buggers, snap a shot of them on your phone and send it to Bugs in My Backyard.
A week-long probe into the amazing, little known and even less understood world of invertebrates starts on November 16 and it’s Australia’s national citizen science project, run by the Invasive Species Council and Invertebrates Australia with support from Canberra and Australian Geographic.
In 2026 more than 5000 people submitted 40,000-plus observations in just seven days.
Making the campaign so successful it’s back this year, but those boffins want even more data in 2026.
You’ll be amazed by what you can find in your backyard.
Photo by
Supplied
They say every photo uploaded through the free iNaturalist app helps scientists better understand Australia’s hidden biodiversity while strengthening the country’s ability to detect invasive species early.
“Last year, thousands of Australians got outside and discovered just how much incredible life is hiding in their own backyards,’ Invasive Species Council citizen science coordinator Jess Ward-Jones said.
“Bug Hunt turns everyday Aussies – kids, parents, teachers and gardeners – into citizen scientists and potentially, biosecurity heroes,” she said.
“All you need is your phone and a bit of curiosity. Every photo you take helps scientists better understand and protect Australia’s incredible wildlife – and could even help detect the next invasive pest before it has the chance to spread.
The good old cicada. Everyone hears them but how often do you see them?
Photo by
Supplied
“Invasive species such as fire ants are threatening to spread further across Australia, putting wildlife, agriculture and our way of life at risk.
“Whether you’re a nature lover, gardener or just want to get the kids outdoors, you can sign up now at bughunt.org.au and start snapping.”
All you have to do is take a clear photo and upload it through the iNaturalist app. There’s no need to touch or disturb what you find – a simple photo is all that is needed to help experts in the iNaturalist community.
When you look close enough, it’s incredible how much life is right under our noses (and feet if you’re not careful). A Christmas beetle or bogong moth on our windowsill is just as fascinating – and important – as a koala or a kookaburra.
“Australia’s native invertebrates are wonderful, sometimes bizarre and often brilliantly adapted to their environment – we have peacock spiders which dance, beetles which glow and snails found nowhere else on Earth. Unfortunately, almost 1000 invertebrate species in Australia are listed as threatened,” she said.
This isn’t just any old bee, this is a Tasmanian bumble bee.
“And what most people may not know is 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.”
29°C