The Invasive Species Council and Invertebrates Australia are celebrating a major milestone for Australian citizen science, with more than one million observations of insects, spiders, snails and other invertebrates uploaded across Australia since the launch of Bug Hunt Australia in October 2025.
Bug Hunt Australia encourages Australians to look, snap and report any creepy crawly they find in their backyard, local bush or park, turning everyday discoveries into valuable scientific data. Using the iNaturalist app, every observation becomes valuable scientific data, helping researchers better understand Australia’s extraordinary invertebrate diversity while strengthening the country’s ability to detect new invasive species before they spread.
Invasive Species Council Conservation Officer Jess Ward-Jones said the one million observations reflected a growing movement of Australians contributing to science through everyday encounters with nature.
‘One million observations is an incredible milestone and a testament to the thousands of Australians who have stopped to look more closely at the remarkable creatures living in their own backyards, local parks and favourite bushwalks.
‘Since Bug Hunt Australia launched with support of the Australian Geographic, bug records have increased by almost 50% over a similar timeframe, showing just how much life is hiding in plain sight in our backyards, parks and bushland.
‘Every observation adds another piece to the puzzle. It might help scientists better understand where a species lives, reveal how wildlife is responding to environmental change, or even document something never recorded in that location before.
‘Australia is home to an extraordinary diversity of invertebrates, yet around 70 per cent of native species remain undescribed by Western science.
‘You don’t need to be a scientist to make a genuine contribution to science. All you need is a phone and a bit of curiosity. Every photo helps build our understanding of Australia’s incredible biodiversity.’
Australians can join Bug Hunt Australia by downloading the free iNaturalist app and photographing any insect, spider, snail or other invertebrate they discover.
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Background:
- iNaturalist observations contribute to biodiversity research through the Atlas of Living Australia and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility once they reach research grade.
- Community observations have previously helped detect invasive species, including fire ants, yellow crazy ants and the invasive shothole borer, demonstrating the important role citizen scientists can play in Australia’s biosecurity system.