#Teens work to keep giant #waterbugs on the #menu

https://www.snexplores.org/article/giant-water-bugs-farm-insects-food

Macroinvertebrate monitoring citizen science program in Belllingen

"Twice a year, community members and scientists come together to test for waterbugs at six sites along the Bellinger and Kalang catchments. Macroinvertebratese include juvenile stages of many insects like dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, caddisflies, water beetles, and more."

"Our macro program was requested by the scientists supporting the recovery of the critically endangered Bellinger River Snapping Turtle."

"The ongoing recovery of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle in the Bellinger Catchment is linked directly to the aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the catchment’s rivers. Not only are aquatic macroinvertebrates an important component of the Bellinger River Snapping Turtle diet, the macroinvertebrate communities are sensitive to changes in water quality and will, therefore, be an important indicator of river health into the future.”

https://www.ozgreen.org/macromuster
#macroinvertebrate #waterbugs #water #pollution #monitoring #Bellinger #Kalang #BellingerRiverSnappingTurtle #RiverHealth