Following a relaxed morning, I took off with the entomologists at 9am on route to Stokes National Park. This was a 1.5 hour trip due west of Esperance. We parked up at the Stokes Inlet camp ground on the edge of the water and set to work. We were tasked with beating bushes with sticks and catching the various insects shaken loose in a carefully placed net below.

Whilst we did not find any new species today, throughout the trip I learnt more and more about the critical relationship between plants and insects. 90% of insects live on plant matter as they use them for shelter from predators and an easy food source. Most of the insects we were searching for blended into the stem and/or leaves of their host plants. As I struggled to find the camouflaged insects, I was informed it is estimated that 60-70% of insect species remain undiscovered. South-west Western Australia is a biodiversity hotspot. It is home to a rich array of insects, plants and other living organisms and it is for this reason that scientists LOVE working in this region.

The beauty of south-west Western Australia continues to amaze me. Whilst it is easy to stare at the stunning views in the region, it is even easier to be caught up watching the lives of small insect species clinging to the underside of leaves throughout the region. Fighting to conserve precious spots such as south-west Western Australia is critical to scientists studying the origins of life on our planet and to us as people. Our best shot at adapting to our constantly changing climate and environment is through observation of the resilient species that pre-date us.