Cicada Spotting Safari Stravaganza!
Contest Description:
IU Libraries is hosting a virtual cicada tracking contest from Wednesday, June 23rd through Thursday, July 1st! The contest will be hosted through the free app, Cicada Safari (which was created by IU Alumnus, Dr. Gene Kritsky). The person who tracks the most cicadas will win a commissioned cicada-themed coffee mug made by INDY potter Gravesco Pottery.
Instructions:
To take part in this contest, please download the Cicada Safari app. You can download this app by searching for it in your mobile app store. Once you have the app downloaded, spend some time exploring the functionality and start tracking cicadas!
How will contest participants be tracked?
On the last day of the contest (Thursday, July 1st) we ask that you take a screenshot of your cicada tracking dashboard showing the number of cicadas you’ve tracked in the app and send it to libsci@iu.edu. In the subject line of the email please write, “Cicada Tracking Contest”. The winner of the contest will be announced and awarded with their cicada coffee mug the next week!
About this Page
The Cicadas are Here!
As we all have noticed, the Brood X Cicadas have made their appearance in central Indiana this month! This page is dedicated to information about these cicadas and how you can actively take part in tracking them.
Resources
How to Download the App:
- Go to your App store and search for Cicada Safari (it's free).
- Once you have the app downloaded, make sure to set up your account and confirm your email address.
,
How to Map Cicadas with the Cicada Safari App:
Once you have the app, you can start tracking cicadas! Start taking pictures and videos to help track Brood X cicadas in Indiana!
Cicada Safari Resources
- To Map Billions of Cicadas, It Takes thousands of Citizen Scientists By: Linda Poon and Patino
- Periodical Cicadas: The Brood X Edition: Black and White By: Dr. Gene Kritsky
- Got Cicadas? Take a Picture and Help Entomologists Map Their Arrival: By Entomology Today
- Cicadology (CICADAS) with Dr. Gene Kritsky (Interview on Ologies podcast)
- Dr. Gene Kritsy website
Screenshot of Ologies podcast episode description. Click on the link above to listen to the episode!
Articles:
- They're here: cicadas are emerging in the thousands across. central Indiana By Sarah Bowman and London Gibson at IndyStar
- What to Know about the Billions of Cicadas Emerging in Indiana this Month By: Lizzie Kabosi at IDS
Videos:
- Cicadas invade central Indiana: News report by WTHR (Indianapolis)
- Cicada season: What to expect from the coming brood that's been underground for 17 years: News report by PBS News Hour
- OpenStreetMap mapathons support critical data and visual literacy instruction
This link opens in a new window
- Assessing the validity of crowdsourced wildlife observations for conservation using public participatory mapping methods Public participatory mapping is a method of crowdsourcing where the lay public can contribute spatial information for a range of applications including conservation planning. When used to collect wildlife observation data, participatory mapping becomes a type of “geographic citizen science” that involves collaboration with members of the public. While the potential of crowdsourcing to assist in wildlife conservation appears to be large, the quality and validity of the observational data collected remain a key concern. In this study, we examined the quality and validity of spatial data collected in a public participatory mapping project implemented in northern New South Wales (Australia) in 2018 where the public was asked to identify and map the location and frequency of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) sightings using an internet mapping application. The iconic koala is a nationally-listed threatened species and has wide public recognition, making it an ideal test of our approach to examining the value of citizen science for wildlife. We assessed the validity of koala observation data from two perspectives of validity-as-accuracy (positional accuracy and data completeness) and validity-as-credibility (characteristics of spatial data contributors). To assess validity-as-accuracy, we analysed the distribution of citizen observations of koala sightings compared to an expert-derived probability distribution of koalas (likelihood model). To assess validity-as-credibility, we analysed the survey data to determine which participant characteristics increased the credibility of observational data. We found significant spatial association between crowdsourced koala observations and the likelihood model to validate koala locations, but there was under-reporting in more rural, remote areas. Significant variables contributing to accuracy in koala observations included participant knowledge of koalas, age, length of residence, and formal education. We also compared the crowdsourced results to a field-based citizen science koala observation project implemented in the same region and found crowdsourced participatory mapping provided comparable, if not superior results. Crowdsourced koala observations can augment field-based koala research by covering large geographic areas while engaging a broader public in conservation efforts. However, effective geographic citizen science projects require a significant commitment of resources, including the creation of community partnerships, to obtain high quality spatial data.
This link opens in a new window
- Participatory Geographic Information Systems in Visual Research
- This link opens in a new window
- Caveat Emptor: A new form of participatory mapping and its ethical implications for Participatory GIS
- This link opens in a new window
What Is Citizen Science?
- Citizen Science Association: An organization connecting citizen scientists
- Citizen Science and the National Parks: An Old Idea is New Again: By Catherine Schmitt and Abraham J. Miller-Rushing
- The Awesome Power of Citizen Science: Video by the SciShow
Examples of Citizen Science
- Citizen Science and Entomology: From George Washington Memorial Parkway
- Citizen Science: From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Asian shore crab discovered by a middle school citizen scientist in Acadia National Park: From Acadia National Park