Pioneering conservation through collaboration
The Bugs Matter methodology, practiced by thousands of citizen scientists in their cars on the ground, is now taking off in more ways than one. The data collected by the Bugs Matter survey, Essex and Suffolk Gliding Club, and that of other gliding clubs should they be inspired by these efforts, has the potential to provide unique insights into our understanding of insect populations and their distribution. Insects play a crucial role in our ecosystems – pollinating plants, decomposing organic matter, forming the basis of many food chains; without them, life on Earth would collapse. The data from Bugs Matter and collaborations like these could have far-reaching implications for effective insect conservation policy and practice.