We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Conservation

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Lost Ladybug Project?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: Jun 04, 2024
Views: 7,419
Share

The Lost Ladybug Project is a citizen science project administered by the entomology department at Cornell University. The Project is designed to track ladybugs all over the United States in an attempt to learn more about the shifts occurring in ladybug populations. Entomologists around the United States have noted a marked decline of some once very well-known ladybug species, while exotic species seem to be filling in the niche left behind, and entomologists are curious about how and why this is happening.

Citizen science initiatives harness the power of the public to accomplish scientific research. While Cornell entomologists could potentially travel across the United States slowly surveying ladybug populations, it's much easier to ask people to send in submissions from all over the country, generating a steady stream of data which can be used to analyze ladybug populations.

The administrators of the Lost Ladybug Project have asked people of all ages to send in photographs of ladybugs they encounter, along with information about where and when the ladybugs were spotted. Ladybug photographs can be emailed to the scientists through their website, or prints can be sent to the entomology department at Cornell, addressed to the attention of the Lost Ladybug Project.

Photographing a ladybug for the Lost Ladybug Project can be tricky, as the insects are prone to moving around. The best pictures are shot from straight overhead, allowing researchers to clearly see the top of the ladybug, and on white paper, to provide sufficient contrast for the subject to stand out. In the case of especially active ladybugs, a few minutes in the fridge can help calm the subject long enough for it to be photographed and then released.

Because the Lost Ladybug Project requires a relatively simple task, it is accessible to people of all ages. Researchers hope that in addition to getting heaps of submissions, they will also be able to interest young people in science, by engaging them in a project which encourages them to think about science and conservation issues. Many media features on the Lost Ladybug Project have stressed the idea that children can and should participate, pointing out that one of the most momentous discoveries made thus far was achieved by a pair of children, ages 10 and 11; the pair discovered a nine spotted ladybug in a region of the United States where such ladybugs hadn't been seen in 14 years.

Share
All Things Nature is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a All Things Nature researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.allthingsnature.org/what-is-the-lost-ladybug-project.htm
Copy this link
All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.