Grasshoppers in Australia are infamous for their periodic outbreaks, historically wreaking havoc on agricultural systems. From 1936 to 1989, the eminent entomologist Kenneth H.L. Key and his colleagues conducted extensive surveys along Australia’s vast road networks, meticulously documenting grasshopper species, their habitats, and associated plant communities. Their pioneering efforts created a foundational dataset for understanding the biogeography and ecology of these insects.
Decades later, as part of my PhD research on the diversity patterns of Australian grasshoppers, I found myself immersed in Key’s world—digitizing his field notebooks, georeferencing his sampling sites using Google Earth, and planning a resurvey to revisit his historic collection locations. In November 2019, our team embarked on a journey to retrace his steps, aiming to assess how grasshopper communities had changed over time. This field expedition was a collaborative effort involving my PhD supervisor, Professor Michael Kearney (University of Melbourne), Professor Hojun Song (Texas A&M University), and Steve Sinclair (Arthur Rylah Institute).
Over four days, we traveled across New South Wales, following a route from Canberra through Goulburn, Young, Griffith, Hillston, and Nyngan, finally reaching Bourke. At each of the 45 selected sites, we conducted systematic surveys: three of us spent 30 minutes collecting grasshoppers using sweep nets, visual searches, and shrub beating, while our botanist, Steve Sinclair, documented habitat conditions before joining in the collection effort. The work was grueling—scorching daytime temperatures reached up to 66°C, a stark reminder of the extreme environments these insects endure.
The fieldwork was more than just data collection; it was an immersion into the vast, rugged landscapes of Australia’s interior. Each day was spent under the relentless sun, while nights were either under the stars in remote desert camps or at caravan parks along the way. The stillness of the outback, interrupted only by the rustling of wind through spinifex and the occasional chirp of a grasshopper, offered moments of reflection on the sheer resilience of these creatures and the significance of Key’s legacy.
A unique aspect of this journey was its timing—we took a brief detour to present our preliminary findings at the Australian Entomological Society Conference in Brisbane, exchanging ideas with fellow researchers before continuing our survey. This experience ultimately led to a published study in Austral Entomology, comparing historical and contemporary diversity patterns of Australian grasshoppers (publication link).
Fieldwork is often unpredictable, demanding, and physically exhausting—but it also offers a rare privilege: to see the landscape through the eyes of both the past and the present, connecting with the scientific pioneers who came before us. This expedition was a testament to the enduring value of historical data in modern ecological research and an unforgettable journey into the heart of Australia’s outback.