Invertebrates Australia

A new study has estimated how many invertebrate species have become extinct in Australia since 1788. It concludes around 9,000 species have died out, highlighting a failure in our conservation efforts, with further extinctions predicted to occur on a weekly basis. This tally dwarfs the most widely used extinction figure - which states only 100 Australian plant and animal species have been made extinct in this timeframe (only ten of which are invertebrates). IA co-founder, Dr Jess Marsh, is one of the authors of the study, and says the extinction of so many invertebrates is very troubling. "This is not only a concern for those people that care about bugs. Rather, invertebrates are the foundation for Australia’s ecological health and function. Our lives and livelihoods will suffer if we do not protect them, as they perform many vital ecosystem services." Despite global and national commitments to preventing extinction, these likely losses show that the Australian government’s pledge of no new extinctions is failing. #extinction #ozinverts #research Read the full paper at: https://lnkd.in/gd5XUGeq

This #WorldSoilDay we want to highlight curl grubs. They are the larva of scarab beetles (a family which includes our Australian Christmas Beetles) and can be beneficial to the environment: - They help aerate soil and disperse seeds - They are a good source of food for birds - They eat decaying matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil Avoid using chemicals such as weed killer and pesticides to help keep our curl grubs alive! If you find larvae in your garden soil, use your plant’s health as a guide. If your plants appear otherwise healthy, consider simply leaving curl grubs where they are. Scarab larvae are part of the soil ecosystem and are unlikely to cause damage in low numbers #cutiecrawlies #ChristmasBeetles #grubclub You can read more at: https://lnkd.in/gB_vJFki

Looking for Christmas present ideas? Why not consider some of these amazing publications that champion our invertebrates! Here are some suggestions for young and old. You can find more at: https://lnkd.in/gZD35CN3 #ozinverts #conservation #Christmas #shoplocal #cutiecrawlies

The Christmas Beetle Count is back for another year, and we are already seeing observations coming in from around the country. Each year we are improving our data, and that is all thanks to citizen science observations like yours! Not sure if your sighting is a Christmas Beetle? No problem! Our team of expert identifiers will check all submissions, and if you have found one, it will automatically be included in the count. All insect sightings are valuable, so we encourage you to share them, even if you aren’t sure what they are! If you haven’t used iNaturalist before, or need a refresher, we have created a handy video guide and a flyer, that we would love you to download and share to help us spread the word about this project. Access them at: https://lnkd.in/g63tG6z5 #ChristmasBeetleCount #ozinverts #cutiecrawlies #christmasbeetles Video credit: Kate Umbers. Image credit: Ken Griffiths

🦗 Water Sources 🌊 Insects need water too! Provide a shallow dish or bird bath with fresh water for them to drink and cool off, and make sure you include some sticks, pebbles or other matter so they can escape. It's a simple way to attract a wide range of insects to your garden. With spring drawing to a close around the country, we want to thank everyone who supported our #NoSpraySpring campaign - see you next year! 🐜 And don't forget there is still some time left to sign our pledge and order some merch: https://lnkd.in/gesAcesp #InsectWateringHole #GardenTips #WildlifeFriendly #ozinverts #cutiecrawlies

At only about 2.5 cm long and weighing less than a gram, Bogong Moths can migrate 1,000km to Australia’s alpine region each spring! But their numbers are declining. Help scientists track Bogong Moths and learn how to protect them via the Zoos Victoria Moth Tracker: https://lnkd.in/gSKK3zP6

This article from IA team members Dr Lizzy Lowe and Dr Jess Marsh, highlights the plight of Maratus yanchep, a species of peacock spider only known to exist in a small area of coastal dunes near Yanchep, north of Perth. This spider was only described in 2022 and has not been listed on state or federal threatened species lists. That means it currently has no protection, according to the state government. We are working to nominate it for the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species #threatened #conservation #peacockspider #cutiecrawlies https://lnkd.in/guFDbrEF

🌻Plant for Pollinators 🦋🐝Did you know that bees are not the only pollinators? Beetles, flies, wasps, thrips, butterflies, moths and even mosquitos are all successful pollinators, and it is estimated that over 65% of all flowering plants require insects for this process. Let's ensure we attract more pollinators to our gardens, by planting a variety of native plants with nectar and pollen rich flowers. Choose plants that bloom at different times to provide food year-round #PollinatorGarden #PlantForBees #ButterflyFriendly #AustralianPollinatorWeek

Congratulations to the Blue Banded Bee! And what better time to take out the title than Australian Pollinator Week! https://lnkd.in/gd4EVmkp

This Halloween, let's inject a bit of colour and celebrate the small but mighty Peacock Spiders, a unique group of tiny colourful spiders that are only found in Australia. Similar to the peacock bird they are named after, the male spiders dance for the females by showing off their colourful bodies and waving their legs in the air in order to mate! Check out some examples in this fun video: https://lnkd.in/g9536guc There are a wide variety of peacock spiders, and each type has a different beautiful pattern or body shape. And they are only the size of a grain of rice! Remember, when you're decorating this Halloween, please avoid fake webs and synthetic fibres, which can harm our wildlife. Try using natural materials, like straw or sheep wool instead! Image credit: bridgetteaussiemacro on iNaturalist #cutiecrawlies #cutecritters #ozspecies #peacockspider #halloween #invertebratesaustralia #peacockspiderman