THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO THE 'CITIZEN SCIENTIST'...EXPERTS ONCE FEARED THE NINE-SPOTTED LADYBUG WAS GOING EXT

INCT. THAT IS UNTIL PETER PRIOLO, A VOLENTEER LADYBUG HUNTER, SAW ONE ON A SSUNFLOWER ON LONG ISLAND, N.Y., TWO YEARS AGO. PRIOLO WAS THRILLED. SO THE LOST LADYBUG PROJECT, WHICH IS STUDING NORTH AMERICAN LADYBUGS WITH AND ASSIST FROM ORDINARY PEOPLE- A PRACTICE KNOWN AS CROWDSOURCING.

THE NINE-SPOTTED LADYBUG WAS ONCE SO COMMON THAT A FIFTH GRADDER SUCCESFULLY LOBBIED IT TO BECOME THE NEW YORK STATE INSECT. BUT INTRODUCED SPECIES, I T SEEM, HAVE MOVED IN AND ARE EATING THE NINE-SPOTTED LADYBUG'S LUNCH. IN THE FUTURE CROWDSOURCING MAY PICK UP AN INVADING SPECIES BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE TO GET RID OF IT.

ENLISTING ORDINARY CITIZENS ISN'T A NEW SCIENCE. AS EARLY AS THE 1700S EUROPEAN BIRD SERVEYS INCLUDED REPORTS FROM BACK YARD BIRDERS. AMATEUR ASTRONMERS, WETHER-WATCHERS, AND OTHER HOBBIST HAVE ALSOMADE CONTRIBUTIONS. WHAT IS DIFFERENT TODAY IS TH EINTERNET, WHICH HAS HELPED RECRUIT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS OVER THE PAST DECADED.(SMILE)