The First City Insect Challenge Launched to Help the Public Scientifically Unlock the Mysteries of Urban Insects in Shanghai

On June 14, 2025, the First City Insect Challenge, part of the “My Nature Treasure Box” initiative, was officially launched at the Shanghai Natural History Museum (SNHM, a branch of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, SSTM). The event was jointly initiated by the Environmental Entomology Laboratory of Shanghai Normal University, the Big Bug City Studio, and the College of Fashion and Design, Donghua University. It received strong support from the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Landscaping and City Appearance, the Shanghai Jing’an District Landscaping Management Center, and the Shanghai Environmental Protection Publicity and Education Center.

Focusing on insects as important ecological indicator species, the event invited citizens to step into nature, search for, discover, and record city insects, and to engage in innovative and imaginative scientific explorations centered on insect-related themes.

Globally, the City Nature Challenge had become an emerging form of public science engagement, inspiring widespread participation in biodiversity surveys across major cities such as Los Angeles, London, and Melbourne. This event marked the first time that a natural history museum in China had initiated the City Insect Challenge.

The challenge featured two main sections, namely, “Great City Insect Discovery” and “My Insect Treasure Box,” which focused respectively on the discovery of insect species in the city environment of Shanghai and the presentation of scientific explorations and creative practices inspired by insects. A number of awards, including the Best Discovery Award and Best Imagination Award, were established to recognize active participants and outstanding entries. The winners not only received certificates and souvenirs from the organizers, but also had the opportunity to showcase their findings and creative works in subsequent exhibitions.