Do amateurs and citizen science fill the gaps left by scientists?

The diversity of insects is tremendous and so is the effort needed to assess it in order to better understand insect ecology as well as their role for the functioning of ecosystems. While the interest of academics and naturalists for these species has always existed, it is only recently that such interest started to reach society more generally. From insect taxonomy and distribution to the collection of large range and long scale monitoring data, the involvement of non-academics in research outputs is growing. Is this a sign of scientists not being able to meet expectations or of science getting more and more entrenched in society? We argue for the latter, highlighting the opportunities that such involvement of amateurs in insect science represent for insect conservation.

Automated summary

The diversity of insects requires great effort to assess and understand their ecological role. While academics and naturalists have always been interested in insects, the increasing involvement of non-academics in research suggests that science is becoming more entrenched in society. This involvement of amateurs in insect science represents important opportunities for insect conservation.