Citizen science
We need your help!
Calling all schools and families! We are organizing two citizen science projects for young and old alike. Detailed explanations will guide you through the various steps, and then you can send your observations to scientists who will add them to their own.
How to participate?
It’s super easy
Studying the impact of urban biodiversity to explain the presence of the yellowtail or ashen moth
Lepidopterism or papillonite is an itchy rash or dermatitis of the skin that is the result of coming into contact with the tiny hairs from the ashen moth. In French Guiana, where occurrence is periodical, certain municipalities are affected more frequently than others. In an effort to explain these differences, we are studying the ecology of this moth (habitat, host plants, predators). But we need your help to study the biodiversity present within cities!
Why study biodiversity in cities?
Cities are not without plants and animals. There are trees growing in the city’s parks, streets, private land, and natural areas. However, when one species is very abundant compared to others, it is more likely to become the target of disease or pests. Conversely, a diverse and heterogeneous environment can make it more difficult for these organisms. In addition, an ecosystem with multiple species is more likely to maintain or regain its balance after a disturbance (we call this resilience).
We invite all residents to participate in our two projects so as to help us learn more about our urban biodiversity. You don’t need to do both projects to participate, and can do just the first one if you prefer! The first project consists of creating an inventory of the trees growing in the city. We want to know what trees are growing in your yard, on your street and in your neighborhood, and what sizes they are. And if you’ve ever seen ashen moths or their caterpillars on this tree, let us know! The second project consists of making and placing false caterpillars made of green plasticine or modelling-clay in those same trees to check whether predators (for example birds) will attack them. This will help us know whether predators such as birds are able to keep populations of caterpillars in check (or not!).
Project 1: Measure your tree
Step 1: Locate one or more trees of more than 1m in height (but no palm trees or lianas/vines!).
Step 2: Take 4 pictures: one of the entire tree, a close-up of the bark, the leaf, and the flowers and/or fruits if there are any. Pictures can be uploaded directly into the online form, and you can enter the species name if you know it. It is also important to know the location of the tree as precisely as possible. By typing the address in Google Maps and choosing “satellite” mode, you can make a marker appear on the selected tree. The coordinates (in decimal format) should appear at the bottom of the page. You can also indicate a locality or landmark close-by.
Step 3: Measure the circumference of the tree and estimate the height. To do this, wrap a rope or string around the tree at about 1.5m from the ground (chest height) and cut where the two ends meet. Then measure your rope with a ruler or measuring tape.
To estimate the height of the tree, fold one corner of a sheet of paper in half so as to form a triangle, then cut off the excess material above it. Hold the triangle before you so that the longer side is closest to you, one of the short sides is horizontal (flat), and the other short side is vertical (away from you) and pointing straight up. You should be able to look along the longer side as you look up. Step back from the tree until you can see the top of it at the top end of the triangle and the base of the tree at the lowest end. Mark this spot on the ground and measure the distance to the base of the tree; if you don’t have a measuring tape, one step is approximately 1m in length. Add this to your own height, since you were looking at the tree from eye level and not the ground, and you have the height of the tree! Then send us the data via the online form.
Identification guide of predator attacks
Project 2 : Make your caterpillar
This project is a follow-up to the first one, but is not mandatory. To make the caterpillar, you can either contact us and we will send you a small ball of plasticine and some wire, or you can use your own.
Step 1: With the green plasticine, prepare a small ball of 1cm in diameter. Gently crush the ball in the middle of the wire and gently roll it out between your fingers so as to obtain a green caterpillar 3cm in length. Check that the surface is perfectly smooth without any marks!
Step 2: On the tree that you measured, choose a branch approximately 1-1.5m from the ground, and attach a plasticine caterpillar (only one per tree!) to a thin twig near the leaves.
Step 3: The fake caterpillars need to be left on the tree for 3 days, then collected and thoroughly inspected for signs of attack. Remember to take pictures, regardless of whether they were attacked or not (so that we know how many people participated), and send them to us!
