115. The Life of a Museum Curator! (feat. Christy Bills)

Follow Christy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterflykissesslc?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==In this episode, Christy and I discuss the significance of insect collections in museums, the ethical considerations of collecting specimens, and the role of citizen scientists in entomology. Christy shares her experiences as an invertebrate curator, emphasizing the importance of preserving specimens for future research and the stories they tell about biodiversity. The conversation also touches on the digitization of collections and the need for community engagement through education. She also highlights the fascinating world of fireflies, detailing her collaborative efforts in the Western Firefly Project, which aims to uncover the distribution and taxonomy of bioluminescent fireflies across the western United States. Join our community on Patreon! https://patreon.com/Lildudes?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLinkLil Dudes Insect Academy is a non-profit dedicated to teaching the world about the amazing world of Insects (Entomology). We do this through workshops, classes, courses, resources, and online content! We have a free, family-friendly Podcast where Bradon talks with Entomologists, and we also have a Bug of the Week Series on YouTube!Website: lildudesinsectacademy.comDonate to the Academy: https://www.lildudesinsectacademy.com/donate.htmlFind our free Podcast here: https://www.lildudesinsectacademy.com/media/podcast.html✌️Follow us on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lildudesinsectacademyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lil.dudes.insect.academy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/lildudesacademyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDJx_th0guulNsJPE_75sDgLil Dudes Insect Academy is proud to be registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to educate anyone and everyone about the amazing world of Entomology, which is the gateway to all the sciences. Contributions to Lil Dudes Insect Academy are tax deductible, to the extent permitted by law. Our Tax ID is: 86-1976172museum collections, entomology, insect preservation, citizen science, ethical collecting, digitization, education, museum curator, entomology, fireflies, science mentoring, insect collection, biodiversity, citizen science, research, education, conservation