Citizen science takes place when scientists and public citizens form partnerships to explore a question of mutual interest. The most successful example of citizen science is Project Feederwatch (sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology), wherein citizens from around the nation record and report bird abundance at their backyard bird feeders. The katydids are a group of insects (related to the grasshoppers and crickets) that hold great promise for citizen science because they are abundant and loud and easy to find in backyards, parks, and natural areas. Moreover, they are docile and easily handled by children and adults. Insects are often regarded as pests in Western societies, but most insects – including katydids – provide important ecosystem services on which humans depend.

In this oral presentation to third-graders at Ray Miller Elementary School, I will cover basic information about the katydids: what characters distinguish them from crickets and grasshoppers, what they look like, and what sound they make. I will also provide the children and their families with keys (developed by my students and I) to identify katydid sounds. Finally, I will provide live katydids that can be handled by the children. The main purpose of the presentation is to foster a sense of ‘biophilia’ by exposing children to this abundant, widespread, and charismatic family of insects that are model organisms for citizen science.

This presentation will be held at Ray Miller Elementary School and families with elementary-aged children are particularly invited to attend.

Click here for a story on Dr. Gering's presentation.