The Problem
Invertebrates make up over 95% of all animal diversity on our planet and provide crucial ecosystem services such as water quality management, soil aeration, habitat engineering, nutrient cycling, and much, much more! Despite their abundance and importance, invertebrates are often overlooked or viewed as unpopular or “scary” by the general public (Schuttler et al., 2019; Salvador et al., 2021). Studies have shown that school age children’s perceptions of biodiversity are largely focused on mammals and birds, with little recognition of the presence of invertebrates (Schuttler et al., 2019; Montgomery et al., 2022; Howlett & Turner, 2023). Furthermore, it has been found that the increasing dependence on textbook based learning has led to children having little familiarity or affection for their local wildlife (Schuttler et al., 2019). This has a direct impact on invertebrate conservation efforts, as the public’s lack of awareness and concern for the ongoing invertebrate biodiversity often means there are little to no funds available for such efforts. We hope to increase the awareness of the importance of invertebrates within our local community through student-led research and outreach efforts.