The start of a new year is usually full of resolutions and projects. This 2025, we invite you to take action to conserve biodiversity. To inspire you, we have compiled several examples that demonstrate how small actions can have a big impact on insect protection.
1. Early detection of invasive species: Citizen involvement helps control the Asian hornet
Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a invasive species accidentally introduced in Europe and first detected in France in 2004. Since then it has spread and become established in neighbouring countries. The Asian hornet preys on honey bees and other insectsThis has a negative impact on native fauna and honey production.
In the Balearic Islands, the first specimen was detected by a beekeeper in 2015 and a programme was quickly set up to communicate the invasion to the general public and receive reports of sightings through various media. In 2021 the species was declared eradicated in the Islands. A total of 31 nests were removed, of which 58% were detected by citizens. Last year, a member of the public reported a new sighting on the islands, so the participation of the public is once again essential to control the damage caused by this species.
2. Insect gardening: The benefits of letting grass grow
A study in more than 600 UK gardens assessed the impact of two recommended butterfly-friendly practices: leaving grass to grow, and planting ivy (Hedera). The results showed a increased abundance and diversity of butterflies in gardens where the grass was left longer and ivy was included.
In Germany, the initiative "Flower meadows for Saxon butterflies" covers 640 gardens where the grass is mowed a maximum of three times a year, always leaving an area unmowed. A study compared the number and diversity of insects in nine such meadows and nine meadows with intensive mowing. Both the insect biomass as the diversity of them was significantly higher on grassland with limited mowingwith an average of 13.6 to 24.8 species per visit, compared to 0 to 3 species in the intensively mown gardens.
3. Species awareness: Citizen sightings improve firefly surveys
Despite their charisma with the public, the fireflies have been little studied in terms of their ecology and possible causes of decline. In the last two decades, several initiatives have made use of the citizen collaboration to collect data on the distribution and habitats of this group of beetles comprising more than 2,000 species. In Croatia, more than 1,800 sightings in just three years have contributed to the knowledge of their presence and abundance. In Mexico, more than 600 sightings have revealed their existence in urban habitatshighlighting their conservation potential. And in the eastern United States, more than 24,000 surveys for fireflies suggested habitat loss and climate change as important threat factors.
4. Environmental education: Sensitising students to protect bees
A study evaluated the impact of environmental education on pollinators in 354 secondary school students in Germany. In sessions lasting a total of 135 minutes, the pupils learned about ecology and the value of honey bees and wild pollinators. In addition, the educational session included the observation of beehives of honey bees in a face-to-face and virtual way. The students answered a test with several questions regarding their perception of pollinators before and after the sessions. After these sessions, the students perceived pollinators as less dangerous and were more willing to protect them. This effect was as true for those who had observed the bees in person as it was for those who had observed them online.
As you can see, there are very different ways of contribute to conservation. This year we will continue to give you ideas and simple suggestions for you to take care of insects in your daily life.
References
Del-Val, E., Flores-Gutiérrez, A. M., et al. (2024). Searching for fireflies: findings on Mexican fireflies from an 8-year virtual citizen science project. PeerJ, 12, e18141.
Govern de les Illes Balears (Government of the Balearic Islands) (2024, 11 November). The Conselleria de Agricultura, Pesca y Medio Natural calls for public collaboration to detect the Asian wasp in Mallorca.
Hordley, L. A., & Fox, R. (2024). Wildlife-friendly garden practices increase butterfly abundance and species richness in urban and arable landscapes. Science of The Total Environment, 929, 171503.
Leza, M., Herrera, C., et al. (2021). Six years of controlling the invasive species Vespa velutina in a Mediterranean island: The promising results of an eradication plan. Pest Management Science, 77(5), 2375-2384.
McNeil, D. J., Goslee, S. C., et al. (2024). Illuminating patterns of firefly abundance using citizen science data and machine learning models. Science of the Total Environment, 929, 172329.
Schönfelder, M. L., & Bogner, F. X. (2018). How to sustainably increase students' willingness to protect pollinators. Environmental Education Research, 24(3), 461-473.
Virić Gašparić, H., M Mikac, K., et al. (2022). Firefly Occurrences in Croatia-One Step Closer from Citizen Science to Open Data.. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems: INDECS, 20(2), 112-124.
Wintergerst, J., Kästner, T., et al. (2021). Partial mowing of urban lawns supports higher abundances and diversities of insects. Journal of Insect Conservation, 25, 797-808.
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