We have made a donation in the name of the Michigan Odonata Survey to Ecdysis, the online database portal for arthropod collections. Ecdysis is one of the 60+ biodiversity data portals using Symbiota, an open-source software platform. There are over 170 arthropod collections on Ecdysis, including the collection we are associated with at Michigan State University. This collection currently has 350,000 specimen records representing nearly 8100 genera in over 700 families in Ecdysis.
Researchers and members of the public can freely access over 6 million specimen records. Users can search and sort on multiple data fields from any or all collections, create maps from georeferenced records, view available specimen media, and more. Further, Ecdysis provides curators and collection personnel a full suite of collection data management tools, including sending data to aggregators such as GBIF.
All the Symbiota-based portals, including Ecdysis, are maintained by the Symbiota Support Hub (SSH). The SSH creates training documentation and help-desk support, provides software code and security updates, performs data backups and server administration, and other related functions.
Unfortunately, previous funding through the National Science Foundation ended in August 2026. Much of the other grant funding for biodiversity initiatives has also dried up due to the slashing of science programs at the federal level.
The SSH works on infrastructure shared by all the Symbiota portals, but specific portals can be designated; here is the donation form for Ecdysis: https://tinyurl.com/supportecdysis
Donations are tax deductable and go through the University of Kansas endowment, which takes no overhead. 100% of all donations go directly to the SSH via and account with the KU Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum.
Symbiota has a sustainability plan in place and is working on further initiatives. Donations are part of this, and will help bridge the gap until common sense science funding is (hopefully!) restored, particularly on the federal level.
We work nearly daily with Ecdysis, and can testify it is a truly valuable resource with excellent features, and well worth our support -- and yours.
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