Join the Superior Rivers Watershed Association for volunteer lab work! We are sorting and identifying macroinvertebrates* collected in the field in spring and fall.

We have thirteen jars full of macroinvertebrates to sort into similar types of creatures. No prior experience is necessary. For those who have a love of dichotomous keys, we’ll have access to microscopes to begin identifying these inverts down to the family level. Help us sort and identify these aquatic bugs!

This event is free and open to the public.

If you can’t make it to this event, more identification sessions are coming later this winter. Stay tuned.

*So what the heck is a macroinvertebrate?
Macroinvertebrates (macros) are small creatures without backbones. These are critters such as snails, crayfish, and larvae of bugs we commonly see like mayflies, black flies, and dragonflies.

After macros are counted and identified, we calculate a number which correlates water quality (poor, good, excellent, etc.) for the stream we collected them from. That number can be used to inform decision making and identify sites in need of protection or restoration.