Over the past few decades, native ladybug species in North America have been disappearing. Cornell University scientists wanted more information to understand what was causing this decline. Their challenge – to build an army of citizen scientists who would find and document ladybug species in all corners of the continent.
The Cornell team hatched a scheme to enlist the help of children in their search for ladybugs, native and exotic. After all, kids love ladybugs, right? They hoped to make science personal for children, while gathering data that would inform conservation efforts for native ladybugs.
A native 9-spotted lady beetle, photographed near Colorado Springs in July 2009 and submitted to the Lost Ladybug Project by Gail Starr.
Photo courtesy the Lost Ladybug Project.
In 2006, two children in Virginia found a rare nine-spotted ladybug (Coccinella novemnotata) near their home. Jilene (age 11) and Jonathon (age 10) Penhale had discovered the first nine-spotted ladybug seen in the eastern U.S. in 14 years. Scientists had wondered if this once abundant ladybug was extinct.
This year, another child scientist made an important discovery. Alyson Yates, a 6-year-old from Oregon, heard about the Lost Ladybug Project through an ad in Ranger Rick magazine. She and her mom started photographing the ladybugs in their yard, and sending the pictures to Cornell. Among her submissions were a surprising number of nine-spotted ladybugs, so many that the scientists decided they had to see for themselves.
Entomologist John Losey flew to Oregon to visit Alyson's backyard, where he collected 13 nine-spotted ladybugs and 30 transverse ladybugs. He's raising the beetles in his lab, hoping to uncover some clues to what has caused their decline.
Oh, and the Lost Ladybug Project isn't just for kids. If you're a grownup who would like to help scientists learn more about ladybug populations in North America, you can volunteer, too!
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Comments
Kids can see little things better than we can. When you were little we sent you looking for four leaf clovers to keep you busy. You found them in about 5 minutes every time!
Interesting story. There’s something for the kids to do!
good i guess!
Yeah, my best friend is actually Jilene Penhale. She was actually the first one to send in pictures to Cornell, and because of her discovery, the Lost Ladybug Project was started. I am in her Girl Scout troop, and we are working on Jilene’s Gold Award Project. Her project will be helping to educate younger children (and adults!) about ladybugs and what to do when you find one. Wish us luck!!
Good luck!