What Is the Value of Your Insect Collection?

101 The word “biodiversity” is used often in science, policy discussions, and writings, and the subject is incorporated into the curricula of many science classes. In many cases, biodiversity is considered to be something that happens “somewhere else,” such as in neotropical rain forests. On the contrary, biodiversity is everywhere, or nearly so: clearly, some areas have greater biodiversity; some less. The extent of diversity often goes unnoticed by the casual observer. Even our own backyards in the populated, temperate world hold more species than many of us would anticipate. The desire to convey the importance of biodiversity close to home gave rise to the concept of a “BioBlitz.” A BioBlitz is an assessment of the biodiversity of a specified place at a specified time. BioBlitz organizers form teams of specialists and non-specialists to count all the species (or morphospecies, for poorly known taxa) within a defined time period, usually 24 hours. BioBlitzes have several purposes. They increase public awareness, help to inform decision makers, habitat managers, and planners about the biodiversity of a specific area, and generate data that can be useful in planning and land management. BioBlitzes can also excite the next generation of scientists as they partner scientists with the public. The first recorded BioBlitz occurred at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington, DC, in 1996. That initial effort yielded approximately 1,000 species within a 24-hour period. Since then, blitzes have been organized in at least 20 states in the U.S., as well as countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., BioBlitzes are conducted at various national, state, and local levels. The National Park Service is What Is the Value of Your Insect Collection?