The Graphic Flutterer Dragonfly (Rhyothemis graphiptera) has been crowned Australia’s Insect of the Year for 2025. This award follows ABC’s wildly popular online popularity contest. The winning dragonfly caught more than a quarter of the overall vote, taking 25.7%. That’s a healthy tally of 6,137 votes, ensuring it once again retains its title as Australia’s all-time favourite. The recent announcement illuminates not only the need for native insects but their importance in our ecosystems.
Ken Walker, senior curator of entomology at Museums Victoria Research Institute, nominated the Graphic Flutterer Dragonfly. This dragonfly is unique, sporting very colorful, tiger-striped wings. The award aims to foster awareness and appreciation for Australia’s diverse insect population, which is often overlooked in favor of more charismatic fauna.
In all, almost a quarter of Australians voted on the issue. Second place went to the Greengrocer Cicada (Cyclochilla australiasiae) with 18.7% of the votes. Coming in a close second, the Duck-billed Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus montanus) won 16% of votes. Runner up was the Bird Dropping Beetle (Exastra albopilosa) with 14.8% of the vote. The Giant Rainforest Mantis (Heirodula majuscula) was a close second at 12.7%, and the Cryptic Mountain Katydid (Acripeza reticulata) came in third with 12.1%.
The Importance of Insect Conservation
Last year, we kicked off the ABC Insect of the Year to get people excited about Australia’s native insects. This campaign will help spur important conservation work to save these extraordinary animals. Right now, nearly 1,000 native Australian invertebrates are listed as threatened. With extinction pressures mounting, protecting our public lands is crucial to raise awareness about the rarest of these species.
Ken Walker emphasized the need for further research on Australia’s insect population, stating, “There’s so much more we can learn. About 70 per cent of Australia’s estimated 200,000 insects haven’t even been formally described.” This general lack of understanding is why initiatives like the Bug Hunt project are so important. Its goal is to connect more Australians with quality citizen science projects.
Walker noted that “a lot of the scientific funding for research and conservation projects does go more towards birds and mammals.” Such a disparity, although disheartening, signals time is past due for a new priority direction toward invertebrates needed to move the needle on their conservation status.
Engaging the Public Through Citizen Science
Citizen science has become indispensable to insect research and conservation. Alison Mellor, working to promote these types of initiatives, advocated for the power of engagement tools like iNaturalist to help advance scientific knowledge. “When we can drive that interest towards using citizen science tools like iNaturalist, and people are submitting their records of invertebrates they’re seeing around them, that really can create a valuable resource for scientists to help inform their research,” she stated.
The public is highly invested in these platforms, and they offer exceptional assistance to researchers. Through this interaction, participants develop a deeper awareness of insects and their important functions in ecosystems. The focus on charismatic creatures such as dragonflies and native bees can enhance general interest in all types of invertebrates.
