Yellow Ladyslipper Cypripedium calceolus

"dry to moist open ground, thickets and woods in the southern two thirds of the province" ¹
"moist woods, boreal forest" ²
"edges or open spaces in aspen poplar woods or upper margins of sloughs and ditches on roads and railway grades" ³
https://inaturalist.ca/observations?month=6&place_id=7590&subview=map&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=50713
pollinated by smaller species of bees;
https://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/species/cypripedium/parviflorum/

Canada Anemone (Meadow Anemone) Anemoneastrum canadense

previously known as Anemone canadense
"woods, thickets, meadows, shores and clearings throughout the southern three quarters of the province" ¹
"One of the commonest anemones; found in large patches at the edges of woodlands, low moist places and hollows." ²
"Common. Habitat includes moist grassy areas, scrubby areas, edges of aspen poplar groves, particularly in parkland-prairie, but the plant is distrbuted throughout the area in suitable locations" ³
https://inaturalist.ca/observations?month=6&place_id=7590&subview=map&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=881527

Northern Bedstraw Galium boreale

previously known as Galium septentrionale
"thickets, rock outcrops, prairie, shores and clearings throughout the province except for the extreme north" ¹
"Common; in openings in woodlands, along roadsides and moister places on prairies...In some years, almost the dominant roadside flower." ²
"Habitat includes the aspen poplar groves and associated scrub of the parkland region to where parkland and forest meet" ³
https://inaturalist.ca/observations?month=6&place_id=7590&subview=map&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=77188

Sources

1. Scoggan, H.J., Flora of Manitoba, 1957 Ottawa
2. Budd, A.C., Budd's Flora of the Canadian Prairie Provinces
3. Vance, F.R., Jowsey, J.R. and McLean, J.S, Wildflowers Across the Prairies

I discovered this area last year and since then have been making regular visits. A nice thing about it is it doesn't get crowded. I also like it because I feel like I am helping to fill in gaps in data that hasn't been recorded in inaturalist, as this area really hasn't been explored much by our colleagues.

This year, like everywhere else in Southern California and indeed in the whole southwest, things have been very dry and really depressing to witness. In anticipation of the ever present and growing threat of wildfires, it appears that various entities have been engaging in weed whacking dry brush. MRCA manages this area and in some ways they've done a great job. They have planted several native trees and come and water them regularly to ensure their success.

However in mid May they began to week whack all the dry brush. I understand the need to keep this area under control since it is near human habitation, but I was really upset to see this begin still in breeding season. I know fire season is year round now, but to take away habitat, even if it is dry habitat and potentially impact birds, rodents and rabbits just doesn't seem right. I think they easily could have waited a month or so.

In addition, they mowed down at least one milkweed plant as well as several other native plants or areas where native plants might have begun to sprout. Yesterday when I got there, it still looked as barren as the previous visit; however, it seems to have recovered just slightly as it seemed like I saw and heard more wildlife than my prior visit when it was totally dead. I am positive the weed whacking has had a deleterious effect on the wildlife in the area. And on a side note, in another area I visit occasionally, whoever was in charge of brush remediation had used a bulldozer (it was parked there) and there was a huge branch of a native walnut tree that was broken and hanging by a few strands of wood.

As to the positive things I saw....it's always great to see a coyote and I did see the resident coyote who has probably benefited from the dry grass removal. In addition a few wasps and dragonflies are beginning to appear....though I saw these beyond the area that was mowed. And in keeping with my goal of finding tiny things, I found what I think are thrips, but not sure, on a laurel sumac leaf. These were so small, they were difficult to see with the naked eye and I'm surprised I got any photos at all. You must look closely at the heavily cropped photos to see them. And it was nice to see that some kingbirds that apparently bred in the area as I saw a family group of three (a really poor distant photo).

Happy Pollinator Week!
Thank you to everyone who has been contributing their bee observations this season. During National Pollinator Week we are sharing many bee-focused posts on our social media pages to get others as excited about bees as we all are here. You can check out our posts on Instagram and Facebook @ctfishandwildlife.
If you have pollinator questions or concerns specific to CT, you can reach out to us here or email deep.ctwildlife@ct.gov

Just reached 3,000 species!



Here is a quick look at the number of my iNaturalist observations and species over time:

TOP 10

Many thanks to the more than 1150 identifiers who helped to get valuable data!

The Observation of the Week is posted as the NYMS collection group’s banner (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/nyms), on the society’s twitter page (https://twitter.com/newyorkmyc), and on our instagram feed (https://www.instagram.com/newyorkmyc/). Every observation is carefully attributed to the photographer who took the photo used (with their permission).

The following are parameters used for selection of the OOTW:
Observation must have at least one photo associated with it

• PHOTOGRAPH MUST BE IN FOCUS (especially when blown up)
• Observation must fall under the myxomycetes/slime molds or Fungi Kingdom.
• The observer must be a member, in good standing, of the New York Mycological Society
• Observation must be added to one of the two official NYMS iNaturalist projects
• Fungi of NYC - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/fungi-of-nyc-new-york-mycological-society
• Fungi Beyond NYC - https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/fungi-beyond-nyc-new-york-mycological-society (Please note the parameters on the about page of this project)
• Observation should be identified to, at least, the genus level, by a reliable source
• Observations that are of particular interest, vis-a-vis specimens that are of interest from a scientific or conservation perspective, will be given preference
• Prefer photos that can be cropped to 760x320, squared, etc. – so some surroundings in the frame is best

The following parameters are used post-selection:

• The observer must give their express permission to use said observation, with proper attribution, before the OOTW is posted.
• The observer will be credited with the photo observation with text indicating all social media accounts we have on file for them and/or a “Photo by …” text.
• The selected image may be cropped to fit the various formats (with permission of the photographer)

Kids can be scientists too. So I'm going to explain why and then you can check out the amazing gallery of resources I've put together below.
First of all, what defines a scientist? Someone who observes nature and asks questions about what they see. That's what scientists do! Even chemists! Various chemical reactions occur in our Earth, and chemists observe these. They also dig a little deeper and figure out with scientific tools why these happen. And all this wouldn't happen if they didn't wonder why. You can try to best this theory with various other scientists but you'll see this is correct. But sometimes we forget this and think that scientists are only these chemists who have beakers of experiments. It might not seem like a lot, but it can really change the world, what scientists really do. But that's not for right now, you can check out more here: inaturalist.org/journal/iamsharkgirl
But does that mean that kids can be scientists? Yes, it does! You don't need a degree to be a scientist, so no colleges needed. And kids, as parents might know, are excellent at asking questions. They also are great observers–they have more time. Kids CAN be scientists! So, let's get straight to it and check out some resources they may enjoy.

Books: a great fictional book series for younger kids just beginning to read (or hear) chapter books is Zoey and Sassafras. Zoey and her cat care for injured magical animals, and there's plenty of science mixed in! They conduct experiments and go out in nature, maybe they'll even inspire your kids. The author, Asia Citro, also has some other great books for adults about getting kids off the screen and in nature.
Remember to introduce the scientific definitions/principles to them. Another great activity is to ask them to share everything they know about an animal, for example, sharks. Then ask them how they know that. Likely from articles, books, movies, and websites. But remind them that all information comes straight from the source. Eventually, you'll get way back there, and you'll see that people had to go out into nature and they saw the shark eat a smaller fish. They noted this. Then to prove that the shark species does indeed eat fish they went out many times to verify other sharks eating fish. They collaborated and shared their shark knowledge with the media. But kids can do this, too!
Activity: have them go outside for 5 minutes and write the temperature, date, time, and location. And they should observe the animals that are out there. They should write (and maybe draw) everything about the animal. After, have them tell you what they learned. From every experience, from even seeing an animal, they can learn something.
Activity: have them write everything they know about nature. Then all their questions.
Activity: every time your kids ask you a question, consider it for a moment. Ask them what they think. Can they test their knowledge? Does it make sense? If you do provide an answer key, make it insightful and don't make it just one word. Explain it.
Activity: let them log something on iNaturalist or model it on them.
Trip: Go to visit protected areas and aquariums. If they grow up with nature, they may love it and grow to protect it. Make sure to also go on cleanups in nature and in the neighborhood!
There are some amazing activities, trips, and books you may enjoy to do with kids. Make sure to never limit the possibilities of their becoming a scientist!....right now!

Moth-ers! Some 'mothing' events (I guess I really should call these "black-lighting" because we tend to be just as interested in all of the other bugs that come to the lights...) coming up in July:

July 16 - Trinity River Audubon Center in South Dallas (somewhat private event -- contact me if you want to come)
July 17 - Spring Creek Forest Preserve in Garland
July 22 - John Bunker Sands in Seagoville
July 24 - Acton Nature Center east of Granbury

Then, on August 21-22, we'll do some black-lighting at Maddin Prairie in Colorado City (south of Sweetwater!): https://texasprairie.org/maddin-prairie/ (camping on site)

Should be fun! :)

It's true, that scientists deal with beakers and goggles. Just not every scientist...
what defines a scientist? A common misconception is knowledge. Kids and adults mercilessly gain knowledge from books, magazines, movies, and websites if they interest in becoming a scientist. This is what you'll need if you become an educator, but what really should be required is some sort of experience. When you achieve your job as aquarist, you will know everything about octopuses, but maybe not how to prepare their enrichment and handle them. But you'll have this kind of experience, too. Don't worry!
But the most important experience is how to observe and think in multiple perspectives. The real definition of being a scientist is being one that observes nature and asks questions about their observations. A good exercise to do is to first write down everything they know about nature on one page and on another what they wonder about it. As you journal, you'll find yourself asking more questions. Another exercise to do after is to go outside for 5-10 minutes and write down what you observe. Make sure to write every detail of the animals and plants you see, their movements, appearances, and sounds. And before you do that, write your date, location, time, and temperature.
That's all you need to do to be a scientist! Observe and question. But wait! There is one more thing. You can actually make an impact with everything you have done so far. First, your observations. Using a source like iNaturalist to upload these will eventually impact the environment–in a great way! All this goes to other scientists who are gathered together to look at all this data. And the data collected will be collaborated and the scientists who have the privilege to contact those in your area will know what is needed to be done to help the wildlife. And your questions? Your questions might already have an answer hidden all over that web–discovered by scientists. But you can try to answer them yourself. Collaborate if you're wondering what one animal eats, and keep on the lookout. Make sure not to scare the animals. Watch and you might catch them snagging a meal. Maybe set up cameras. Some questions you can perform an investigation on.
So get out there and be a scientist! Good luck!

Kellogg Weaver Dunes Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) | 2 disconnected units
Kellogg, Wabasha county, MN
697 total acres; dry barrens prairie, oak savanna, sitting on a sand terrace above the Mississippi River; floodplain forest
Kellogg parcel, northern unit: about 100 acres; owned by the MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Weaver Dunes parcel: 592 acres; owned by The Nature Conservancy

Park Notes
from WildlifeViewingAreas.com:

Kellogg-Weaver Dunes SNA contains waving sand dune topography well above the current floodplain of the Mississippi River, on a terrace where the Mississippi, Chippewa and Zumbro Rivers once came together. Some dunes are 30 feet high. The site encompasses a diversity of successional stages ranging from blowouts with bare sand to mature dunes with dry, mesic, or wet prairie species. An oak savanna, with pin oak, bur oak and jack pine, occurs along the edges.

Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA is known for hosting a variety of mammals, spiders, butterflies, moths, snakes and wildflower many of which are endangered or of special concern. But the area is especially known for being a primary nesting site for the state-threatened Blanding's Turtle. Visitors are asked to keep an eye out for turtles on the nearby roadway and to give any turtle one encounters a wide berth so as not to disturb any nesting behavior.

Some notable wildlife mentioned in various literature are: Apache Jumping Spider, Ottoe skipper, Regal Fritillary, Plains Pocket Mouse, Gopher/Bull Snake, Loggerhead Shrike, Rough-seeded Flameflower (Phemeranthus rugospermus)

As is standard for SNAs, there are no facilities on site.

Parking for north unit:
There is a small (2 car) pull-over lot on the west side of County Road 84 that is marked with a wood sign for the SNA. The SNA sits on the east side of the road. There is a little wedge of land directly across from the parking area that is not SNA property but the directions on the DNR site say to 'walk east' so it's likely not an issue to walk across this non-SNA section. More details, map, and directions on the DNR webpage.

Parking for the south unit:
There is a parking area at the east (terminal) end of Township Road 141 which is accessed from Country Road 84. The road is adequately maintained for the first 1,000 feet. At that point, the service road to the SNA veers to the left and becomes noticeably rougher. There had been some rain storms a few days prior to our visit and the road was on the verge of having been washed out in spots. We made it okay, but it is wise to keep an eye on the road condition as one travels along it. After taking the left veer, one will encounter a sign for the SNA. Keep driving till you encounter the second sign and a windmill where there is parking for a good handful of cars. From that spot, the SNA lies north, east, and south. More details, map, and directions on the DNR webpage.

also nearby:
The McCarthy Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
Kellogg, Wabasha county, MN
3,129.36 acres; mixed upland and lowland hardwood, upland grasss fields, wetlands
Lies west of County Road 84 and both units of the Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA

Weaver Bottoms:
Less than 5 miles south of the Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA's southern unit, Weaver Bottoms is an important stopover in the fall for migrating waterfowl including Tundra Swans.

Visits
June 21, 2021; sunny to partly sunny; temperature 63/4; winds 12-18 mph
I found some indication on various (non-official) websites that there might be a path on the southern unit, but when we visited in late June the there was no sign of any path. Not even a slightly trod animal path. The vegetation to the east of the parking spot (toward the Mississippi River) was mostly knee to thigh-high grass with a few other green plants interspersed. The grass was quite 'hillocky' growing and the footing was very uneven. We would have worked moderately hard to get any distance at all and it didn't seem that there was going to be anything different about the landscape in any distance we could manage. So we made the decision to just walk west of the parking spot along the sandy road we had traveled in on.

The south side of the road was SNA property with a diverse mix of green plants and small shrubs. The north side of the road was private property with a line of trees. CAUTION: There was quite a lot of poison ivy along the north side of the road, some of it directly adjacent to the road where it would be very easy to brush against.

There were a lot of dragonflies along the wooded area to the north - mostly Widow Skimmers, Twelve-spotted, and Eastern Pondhawks. I observed only a few damselflies. We also encountered quite a few insects we hadn't seen before: Dung Roller beetles, Milkweed Stem Weevil, Robber/Assassin Fly, Blue-black Spider Wasp, and Scoliid Wasp. Only 3 butterflies, a few moths, and a handful of bees were found, but there weren't a lot of plants blooming. I found two spiders and a trail of larger ants were crossing the sandy road. (keep in mind, we are moderately casual naturalists - more inquisitive than many, less probing than those more avid)

There were a handful of birds. We observed/heard Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Dickcissel, Lark Sparrow, American Goldfinch, House Wren, Indigo Bunting, Wild Turkey (off in the distance), Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, and Turkey Vulture. Someone had observed/heard a Bell's Vireo at this site just two days prior but, although I'm not great with bird songs, I don't think we heard one.

We saw evidence of mounding - likely Plains Pocket Gopher - and some canine prints on the sandy road. No vertebrates other than birds were seen.

We were kitted for ticks and didn't find any on us afterwards. There were zero biting flies, gnats, mosquitoes, etc. But it was a fairly windy day (10-20 mph) so that likely helped in that regard.

All in all, it was a lovely day to be outside and I appreciated seeing some insects different than those I commonly see closer to home.

Useful links
MN DNR: Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA
Wildlife Viewing Areas: McCarthy Lake WMA; Kellogg-Weaver Dunes SNA and Preserve
MinnesotaSeasons.com: Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA, Weaver Dunes Unit
The Nature Conservancy: Weaver Dunes Preserve
iNaturalist: Kellogg-Weaver Dunes SNA Open Space page
iNaturalist: Kellogg Weaver Dunes SNA Project page
MN DNR: Mc Carthy Lake WMA

Note regarding Weaver Dunes Preserve
The southern unit of the Kellogg Weaver SNA is owned by The Nature Conservancy as is other nearby land which, together, is called 'The Weaver Dunes Preserve' I have not found any specific information on where that non-SNA land might be. Their website (see link below) mentions a state-endangered flower that is found on the 'preserve' as well as many other plants of special concern. But I'm not entirely sure if those can be found within the SNA property or if they are growing on some of this other property that is part of the Weaver Dunes Preserve.

Gazelles vary in the conspicuousness of their colouration in normal surroundings, some species being adapted to hiding from predators and others being so showy even when stationary that they rely on advertisement of fitness to avoid being selected for the chase (e.g. see https://www.dreamstime.com/lion-springbok-antelope-african-dry-habitat-etocha-np-namibia-mammal-africa-evening-back-light-sunset-safari-image144836274).

A contributing feature is the extension of the ventral whitish of the torso to a level above the stifle-fold. The stifle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stifle_joint), at the junction of the hindleg and the flank in ungulates, is marked by a fold of skin. Any whitish above the stifle-fold tends to catch the light conspicuously, because it reaches relatively high on the side of the figure, on a surface made convex by the contours of the belly.

The range of variation can be seen by comparing the springbok with the gerenuk. In the springbok (see https://parody.fandom.com/wiki/Springbok?file=Antidorcas_marsupialis.jpg), pure white extends several centimetres above the stifle-fold, to a position halfway up the lateral profile. By contrast, in the gerenuk (see https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/389677/view/male-gerenuk-gazelle and https://www.123rf.com/photo_11078027_gerenuk-litocranius-walleri-male.html), there is virtually no clearance.

The following series exemplifies the intermediate positions.

Western dama gazelle (see https://www.dreamstime.com/dama-gazelle-gazella-dama-mhorr-mhorr-gazelle-species-gazelle-dama-gazelle-gazella-dama-mhorr-mhorr-gazelle-image218403317 and https://www.shutterstock.com/ja/image-photo/lovely-mhorr-gazelle-1021810420)

Females of northwestern subspecies of blackbuck (see https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-wild-antelope-doe-south-texas-blackbuck-female-image60390821)

Arabian sand gazelle (see https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/arabian-sand-gazelle-gm946542974-258481661 and https://www.canstockphoto.com/arabian-sand-gazelle-59326840.html)

Dorcas gazelle (see https://www.dreamstime.com/dorcas-gazelle-gazella-dorcas-dorcas-gazelle-gazella-dorcas-also-known-as-ariel-gazelle-small-common-gazelle-image137827563)

Arabian gazelle (see https://www.biolib.cz/en/image/id171992/ and https://www.biolib.cz/en/image/id171991/)

Thomson's gazelle (see https://alchetron.com/Thomson%27s-gazelle)

Bennett's gazelle (see https://www.facebook.com/AlWabraWildlifePreservation/photos/a.551778788259201.1073741855.240937542676662/551778918259188 and https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/wildlife-biodiversity/18-chinkaras-die-within-a-fortnight-in-jaislamer-60977)

Red-fronted gazelle (see http://awwp.alwabra.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Adult_Male_Redfronted_Gazelle_01.jpg and https://www.flickr.com/photos/24544467@N02/14113291712)

Females of southeastern subspecies of blackbuck (see https://www.enidhi.net/2014/07/maidenahalli-jayamangali-blackbuck.html)

This generally corresponds to a decreasing series in the overall conspicuousness of the figures. The springbok is showy in all perspectives, displaying a posteriolateral bleeze, a lateral bleeze (centred on the dark flank-band) and a facial flag. The dama gazelle is so extensively pale elsewhere on the figure as to subsume the pale above the stifle-fold. By contrast, the only conspicuous dark/pale contrast in the red-fronted gazelle is that between the blackish tail and the white buttocks. And in the gerenuk even the pattern on the hindquarters is hardly noticeable at the distances relevant to scanning predators.

Anomalous in this series is Thomson's gazelle. Its ventral white does not reach high on either the flanks or the rump, i.e. the clearance above the stifle-fold is narrow and the white of the buttocks ends at the root of the tail. Yet this is one of the most conspicuous species of gazelles, rivalling the springbok by means of a shift in emphasis: a particularly dark flank-band juxtaposed with a particularly well-defined pale flank-band above it.

Be aware that all the species of spider in the genus Hypoblemum have now been transferred to Maratus following a commit at https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxon_swaps/90777

Tuesday 9:30-11:30 am: no newts.
Weather - cloudy, a bit cold. It rained overnight a little bit up the mountain.
Other roadkills: bees, ants, beetle, centipede.
Coverage: from the parking lot to the second stop sign. I saw 3 deer on the Midpen property.
Traffic: 11 trucks, 30 cars, 3 bikes, 16 pedestrians, and 26 cars parked by the road and in the parking lots (no cars at the far lot). County Roads were trimming trees by array 5, with 5 trucks and pickups and such. I thought there'd be more traffic, as there was an accident on HW 17, towards Santa Cruz, and it was very slow.
A link to all my observations of the day - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2021-06-22&place_id=any&user_id=merav&verifiable=any

Our Observation of the Week is this African Map Butterfly (Cyrestis camillus), seen in Nigeria by @dotun55!

Adedotun Ajibade tells me that, as a child growing up in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, he was interested in gardening and nature, but his interest “peaked” when he was convalescing from an ailment. “I spent most of my time in a flower garden where I noticed plants and wildlife differently for the first time,” he says,

Diverse flowers and resident or visiting insects were observed. Birds with their calls were also closely observed, something I never really paid enough attention to. This refreshed perspective of nature provided me with a better appreciation of it. And seeing was not enough. I needed to preserve the memories of observations for myself and others, which inspired my photography, and I have not stopped ever since. My desire to explore landscapes and see new organisms sometimes sets me on dedicated eco-trips.

Earlier this month, Adedotun visited the Ise Forest Conservation Area (ranger station), which is part of the SW/Niger Delta Forest Project, to support filming by WildAid. During his downtime he rescued butterflies trapped in the netted camp areas and visited the camp pond where he noticed butterflies mud-puddling along the bank. Unfortunately the swallowtails flew off before he could get closer but 

I looked on the ground beyond where they were for other arthropod treats. And there sat a different set of butterflies - a few familiar blues, and 2 exotic-looking leps. The latter felt like beholding angels. I was star-struck.

I [at first] guessed they were day-flying moths. The fake eyes and small streaks at their wing posterior were notable. They lay flat, white wings parallel to the damp forest floor. I could not immediately make out any clubbed antenna, the most important ID means for a butterfly.

One of them flew, before I could reach for a mobile photo. After an unsatisfactory shot, the second specimen took off also. It fluttered about the vicinity, briefly resting on a peripheral forest foliage. I stood still while it eventually sat on the floor again, for a happy close up.

I shared the observation on iNaturalist as soon as I got out of the forest and got a quick ID for African map butterfly, an absolute new one for me.

A forest dweller, the African map butterfly ranges across a large swath of Sub-Saharan Africa, from Sierra Leone down to Mozambique and Madagascar. It’s known to spread its wings when at rest and its larvae feed on plants such as Ficus, Ziziphus, and Morus. Members of this genus are called "map" butterflies beause their wing markings resemble latitude and longitude lines.

Adedotun (above, in the Mbe Mountain Community Forest) is an aspiring professional biologist (his degree is in Computer Science) and started using iNaturalist almost exactly eight years ago. He currently has observed more species in Nigeira than anyone else on iNat and says that while lepidoptera, odonata and birds are his primary interests, “my focus shifts with new environments and their unique offerings which I often keenly look out for.”

He uses iNaturalist for ID help, to store his observations, connect to other naturalists, and to explore the world’s biodiversity. 

When I'm not on the field, I'm on iNaturalist sharing recent and old observations...Using Inaturalist makes me acknowledge that the world is connected by nature. Biodiversity is common to us all, regardless of region, race or religion. And every organism, no matter how mammoth, minute, or rife, is relevant in the web of life.

(Photo of Adedotun by Emmanuel Bassey of WCS Nigeria)

Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and flow.

---

- Checkout Adedotun’s photos on Instagram!

- Travel back in time to 2016 when a Common Glider butterfly in Africa was Observation of the Week!

Check out this gorgeous Ceanothus Silk Moth caterpillar that @sgcacc found at the Elfin Forest Reserve!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84087615

What's your favorite moth cat? Browse the project Moths of San Diego County and let us know in the comments :)

Check out this gorgeous Ceanothus Silk Moth caterpillar that @sgcacc found at the Elfin Forest Reserve!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84087615

What's your favorite moth cat? Browse the project Moths of San Diego County and let us know in the comments :)

Wir sind die Regionalgruppe Berlin-Brandenburg des DJN (Deutscher Jugendbund für Naturbeobachtung).
Eine bunt gemischte Gruppe naturkundlich und politisch interessierter junger Leute aus Eberswalde, Potsdam, Berlin und Umgebung. Mitten in einer der naturkundlich interessantesten Gegenden Deutschlands (Biosphärenreservat Schorfheide-Chorin, Nationalpark Unteres Odertal, ehem. Truppenübungsplätze, jede Menge wilder Wälder, Seen und Moore …) wollen wir gemeinsam die artenreiche Flora und Fauna entdecken, beobachten und kennenlernen.

Der DJN ist ein Umweltverein von Jugendlichen für Jugendliche von 12 bis 27 Jahren. Unsere Mitglieder veranstalten Seminare und Exkursionen bei denen alle Personen von 12-27 teilnehmen können, egal ob Sie Mitglied sind oder nicht. Neben den bundesweiten Veranstaltungen gibt es Treffen der Ortsgruppen unter anderem in Oldenburg, Freiburg, Marburg, Berlin/Brandenburg und Hamburg.
Schau gerne auf unserer Internetseite: www.naturbeobachtung.de rein.

Уважаемые участники проекта!

На проекте 180 наблюдателей. Много это или мало? Думаю для нашей области всё же мало. Курская область небольшая, но ещё много белых пятен на карте. Есть неплохо изученные группы живых организмов, а есть незаслуженно забытые. Обратите, пожалуйста, своё внимание на них, даже если они не очень красивые ). Приглашайте своих друзей и знакомых, рассказывайте им о полезных возможностях, удобстве размещения наблюдений, возможностях обучения, личного развития в познании окружающего мира на проекте iNaturalist. Всем интересных находок! Не забывайте о технике безопасности, берегите себя, у нас очень жарко.

@dni_catipo @rovzap @yuriysokolov73 @ikskyrskobl @ev_sklyar @lex_deineko @tatyaya @zibzap @pvk
@michail_anurev03 @alakey @alex_pol_64 @nomen_dubium @naturalist26685 @andrewbazdyrev @ivanovdg19 @elenalitoshenko @arepieva @olga020302 @eleno4ka @shure-61 @art_mal @margory @okasana @jagermeister @anna_grus @vinakurova @andrey_bobkov @naturalist13056 @kohab @naturalist37402 @vavsek @allatroshina @alien_mb @lesya3 @sklar @stepan_zko @anastasia_frizen @epopov @lesaluga @sergei999 @sleepysugar @vikula_bludov @lornel
@mooie_glans @baipidi @aiserg @ankhen @entomokot @alina_klu @alexandrakupkina @arinagolovenko @elfikichka @elizaveta_ch @lerka @lyudaan02 @marina0117 @naturalist16818 @selivanova_e_m @naturalist13869 @naturalist42262 @marya2001 @igor_voinov @naturalist28432 @t-kuznecova @shorokhovak @allegator @naturalist6383 @kiril_zko08 @naturalist40942 @naturvladislav @ninjago @blashyrkh @naturalist34121 @innagal @nekomata9 @vladapo @ironnie @naturalist43202 @lillian0712 @axeb @naturalist38484 @naturalist35656 @ylia_hobotkina @yavorskayas @naturalist21399 @valeria_v_a @naturalist15374 @yakuninazhenya @merlu @tanyapavlova @svetlanapetrova @andreyshepickixin @virus574 @naturalist43676 @ilyas07 @naturalist41420 @naturalist39793 @elizabethfox2 @anthonyu @sawyerksojaleniy @mariia-9024 @naturalist36297 @naturalist_varvara @nat_sklyar @naturalist27669 @sladik @naturalist25387 @naturalist23494 @konstantinperezhogin @aimorozova @nzherdev @naturalist20799 @doggod @naturalist19052 @anatoliy @ancelle @yaroslav9 @npn @naturalist16122 @sevadn @naturalist14909 @naturalist13824 @revolution @andrey_zuev @mlinnaeus @alexander227 @adalisk @polins @zzeneck @angelinakonice @anyabuyol @lilia34

https://inaturalist.ca/observations/83684367

​The goal of the L.A. BioBlitz Challenge is to expand our commitment to helping Angelenos learn more about our interconnectedness and reliance on the environment in a fun and engaging way. The objectives are to enumerate the city’s existing native biodiversity with particular attention to indicator species (https://www.lapl.org/steam/bioblitz#indicator), reduce cold spots on the observation heat map (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/66929b0ed5304d499049f49eb1022f54), and increase the awareness residents have of local wildlife and habitats.

Your participation in the L.A. BioBlitz Challenge can help us reach this goal! For more information, visit lapl.org/bioblitz.

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/anyone-know-good-nature-podcasts/459/2

1 fav right now is Ologies. A lot of different topics, but many of them are nature-related. https://www.alieward.com/ologies

1 fav right now is Ologies. A lot of different topics, but many of them are nature-related. https://www.alieward.com/ologies

Bird Specific

American Birding Podcast 49

BirdNote 21 - there is also one called BirdNotes by whro public radio which I cant find on player.fm

Talkin’ Birds 36

This Birding Life 23

Tweet of the Day 18

Insect specific

Entocast 50

National Insect Week 10 - 1 time series

On Six Legs 17

Arthro-Pod 23

Marine life

Science and the Sea 82

Ocean.org 26

Botany specific

In Defense of Plants 106

Nature Boy 82

General nature

BBC Earth podcast 110

Best of BBC Natural History Radio 32

Dinosaur George 9 - fun but a little kid oriented

The Field Guides 150

I Know Dino 13

Natural Selections 50

Palaeo after dark 19

Past Time 14

Sauropodcast 16

Species 30

ZSL Wild Science 14

General Science that can have good nature content

BBC Inside Science 7

BBC CrowdScience 2

The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry 17

Diffusion Science 3

In Situ Science 6

The Life Scientific 10

DW Living Planet 8

Nature Podcast 24 - it is the podcast of the journal

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Talks 13

Ologies 46

People Behind the Science 6

CBC Quirks and Quarks 4

Science at American Museum of Natural History 8

BBC The Science Hour 8

Science in Action 2

The Science Show (Radio Australia) 1

This Week in Evolution 11

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/anyone-know-good-nature-podcasts/459/2
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/anyone-know-good-nature-podcasts/459

Before I tell you about our sixth OOTW, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all of you for helping us record over 500 observations of 39 butterfly species! This puts us well on track for having our best Butterfly Blitz yet. I can’t wait to see how many observations and species we have achieved by the end of the season!

And now onto our OOTW, which is a butterfly that I am thrilled to be able to tell you about – the Harvester. This Harvester was seen by participants Michelle (@michlocke) and Andrew (@uofgtwitcher) at the end of a long day of butterflying at Jack Darling Memorial Park and Rattray Marsh.

I am excited about this OOTW because it is our first record for this species for the Butterfly Blitz, it is a beautiful photo, and because the Harvester has a very interesting life cycle – it is North America’s only carnivorous butterfly.

Adult Harvester butterflies lay their eggs in woolly aphid colonies, and the caterpillars grow up snacking on the aphids all around them. Adults are also odd eaters; they feed on aphid honeydew (a sweet liquid produced by aphids as they feed), dead animals, animal dung, and mud. Their proboscis (i.e., tongue) is specialized for these foods and is too short to reach the nectar of most flowers.

Aphids do not move around much and hang out in large groups, so you’d think they would be an easy feast for predators. But aphid colonies are usually protected by ants, which herd and defend them in exchange for honeydew. Harvester caterpillars avoid being found out by these bodyguards by covering themselves in aphid wax and body parts, making themselves look and even smell like aphids to the ants. There is also evidence that they make sounds and vibrations that mimic those made by aphids. In the end, the ants end up protecting the Harvester caterpillars too – even though they are eating their aphid herd!

One thing I like about the OOTW photo is that you can see strands of what looks like aphid wax (the ‘wool’ from the woolly aphids’ name) stuck to the butterfly’s wings. You can imagine that it was recently in among a colony of aphids, laying eggs.

Harvester populations are closely to tied to woolly aphid populations, and they may come and go at a particular location with the aphid populations there. One of their most common food sources are Woolly Alder Aphids , and so Harvesters are often found in shrubby wet areas where alders grow.

This is exactly where Andrew and Michelle spotted their Harvester at Rattray Marsh. Andrew says: “I had paused to look at my phone when I noticed a small shadow flitting above me. After a frantic few seconds of trying to find the culprit, I was quite certain I had a Harvester butterfly by the size, shape and flight style of this little gem. I also realized I was standing next to a patch of alder […]. Eventually the butterfly landed perfectly in view on top of a leaf.”

Rattray Marsh may be home to a long-standing population of Harvesters, as it is the only spot in the Credit River Watershed where they have been observed in the past 18 years. Although this is a busy park, Andrew says: “Amazingly this sighting took place immediately beside the waterfront trail (a paved path) and within meters of an extremely busy park with bikers, walkers, picnickers and beach-goers.”

Its also likely that there are other Harvester populations in the watershed that have not been noticed before. Their high protein diet means that Harvester caterpillars develop very quickly compared to other butterfly species, going from egg to pupa in just over a week. And adult Harvesters are fast and unpredictable fliers. To see a Harvester, you need to be in the right place at the right time – which takes knowing something about their biology and also a bit of luck.

Have you had any lucky butterfly finds this year? Let us know in the comments – we’d love to hear about it!

In mid June the CKISS field crew confirmed the presence of invasive Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in Warfield. This is the first time this invasive plant has been found in the Central Kootnenays. The non-native plant was brought to North America by early European to use as a herb but it has now found it's way into the Central Kootenays.  Garlic mustard displaces native forest species and decrease biodiversity.

How can you help? 

• Play, Clean, Go, brush any seeds off your shoes, clothing, and any recreational equipment prior to leaving recreation sites.
• Be PlantWise, don't plant garlic mustard, grow basil for your pesto instead.
• Learn how to ID garlic mustard (read below) 
• Report sightings of Garlic mustard to CKISS 1-844-352-1160 ext. 210 or email info@ckiss.ca.  To help CKISS staff verify sightings please take some photos of the plant. 

Description
Leaves triangular to heart-shaped with scalloped edges.
Leaves emit distinct garlic odour when crushed
Clusters of white, 4-petal flowers usually occur at top of plants
The basal rosettes of garlic mustard looks similar to native wild ginger (Asarum caudatum) during the first year. Once it is in the second year of growth, the plant grows taller, produces flowers and seeds. It is then more noticeable and more distinguishable.

I have not used this project for over a year. If anyone finds it useful and would like to take ownership over it, let me know. Otherwise I am deleting it at the start of July.

Gracias por tu interés en visitar la Reserva Biológica Uyuca.

El manejo de la reserva está sujeta a la ley de áreas protegidas, que define las "reservas biológicas" como áreas estrictamente destinadas para la protección de recursos naturales, para la educación y para la investigación (similar a la Categoría I de UICN). Por ende, la Reserva Biológica Uyuca no está disponible para el turismo o recreación. Es importante que cada visitante a la Reserva Biológica Uyuca tenga un propósito dentro de los aceptables en el marco de la ley.

Puedes colaborar con la misión de investigación si (1) solicitas permiso para ingresar a la reserva, y (2) nos colaboras con el monitoreo de flora y fauna en la reserva, tomando fotos digitales de las especies observadas y subiendo estas fotos en la base de datos de iNaturalist.org, donde tenemos un proyecto para visualizar todos los reportes hechos dentro de la reserva.

No necesitas conocer las identificaciones de las especies, pero si necesitas saber cómo utilizar el app de iNaturalist, y tienes que conocer cuáles tipos de fotografías serán de utilidad para nuestro proyecto. El app no tiene costo. Si no quieres bajar el app a tu teléfono, puedes tomar fotos en tu celular y subir las fotos a iNaturalist.org en tu computadora en la noche o el siguiente día.

Recomiendo ver un video instruccional corto, y también revisar una presentación en powerpoint que explica como contribuir al proyecto. Me los pueden solicitar escribiendome por correo electrónico. Por favor tomas unos 30-45 minutos para estudiar estos materiales ANTES de tu visita a la reserva.

No olvides firmar el libro de visitas, y acatar a las instrucciones que puedes recibir por parte del vigilante de turno en la estación biológica Thomas Cabot donde dejarás tu vehículo.

Estaré revisando tus reportes en iNaturalist, que resultarán de tu visita a Uyuca. Si tienes dudas o consultas sobre como utilizar esta herramienta, estaré pendiente de escucharlas y ayudarte. POR FAVOR compartes estos materiales con tus amigos o familiares que te acompañarán en la visit a Uyuca.

Atentamente,

Oliver Komar, Ph.D.
Director, Reserva Biológica Uyuca
Centro Zamorano de Biodiversidad
Departamento de Ambiente y Desarrollo
Universidad Zamorano
San Antonio de Oriente, Francisco Morazán, Honduras
(504) 9477-8839
okomar@zamorano.edu

Время проведения наблюдений: 16:30 - 17:00
Погода: +32 градуса
Биотоп: луг у поймы
Виды птиц, встреченные в данном биотопе:
Серая славка
Встречено 3 особи, одна из них молодая. Две взрослые птицы были замечены в разное время в разных местах, обе пели одинаковую песню, одна сидела на проводе, другая на небольшом кусте. Песня обоих состояла из скрипящих звуков.
Луговой чекан
Встречено больше 5-ти птиц, все самцы. Они сидели на возвышенностях (вроде высохшего соцветия борщевика или высокой ветки куста) и пели, подпускали максимум на 2 метра.
Пеночка-весничка
Встречено 2 особи, обе поют, сидя в густом кустарнике на краю луга.
Серая ворона
Видела 5 птиц этого вида, две из них замечены в полёте, остальные три сидели на холме с грачами.
Грач.
4 особи, все сидят на холме вместе с серыми воронами.

Биотоп: пойма реки
Виды птиц, встреченные в данном биотопе:
Обыкновенный скворец
Три особи, одна из них молодая. Все сидят на дереве на берегу Кузьминки с открытым ртом.
Дрозд-рябинник
Два рябинника в разных местах, один на гравийной дорожке, другой на дереве.
Мухоловка-пеструшка
Один самец, прыгал с ветки на ветку на кусте у берега реки.
Чечевица
Две, обе поют в кроне разных деревьев, оба самцы.
Озёрная чайка
Одна, под мостом над Кузьминкой.
Кряква
Самка и 5 утят плавают в тени камышей в реке.

Although the Observation of the Week, changes each week, it doesn't seem fast enough. I post the OOTW each Monday, but as I log into iNaturalist each successive day to see what is being observed and to try to glean the best image/observation for the following week, I find that there are a plethora of new observations that could have been the OOTW for the previous week, but will be eclipsed by even newer observations by Friday or Saturday (when the final decision is made).

So, although some observations (many of my own, because they are out of focus) have pictures that will not rate OOTW, many more just occur at the wrong time. Unless they stand out significantly, the newer observations tend to take the prize, so to speak.

The other problem I have encountered is scale. Sometimes the photos, which are mostly taken on a smartphone, do not scale well for the size of the image we would like. For instance, The image size for the project page banner is 760x320 pixels, the social media pages generally take a square image, while most of the original images are neither.

May finds 2021 from Richmond, IN, Chapel Hill, NC, and Gatesville, NC

National Moth Week is July 17-25! If you plan on observing moths on iNaturalist, please register a private or public event for free so that your region is reflected on the official map!

Registration Link

Starting at 5pm we were able to deliver 75 gallons of water using the water wagon pump. At 6:15pm we were able to add the hose from the neighborhood home. This enabled us to water about 75 more gallons.

Here's Sotirios, also known by @greek_cicada_project from Athens, Greece.

This year I am expecting a lot of cicads to hatch. This boom season repeats itself every two years, so we should take advantage of that.

Greece is a still undiscovered country as far as cicada research is concerned. There is a high rate of endemism because of the so different landscapes and climatic conditions.

My aim is to find as many species as possible and upload them on iNat in order to inform the others, too, to give them some knowledge. Because this knowledge is often missing.

So every observation is a contribution. Sometimes rare cicadas are observed by chance and some cicada researchers need years of research to find and catch this species...

Most important thing is: SOUND. Please record the sound of a cicada. Identification will be easier. Then the pictures. They just underline the sound.

Following Greek cicadas still haven't been recorded on iNat:

Cicadinae:

Lyristes gemellus (southeast Aegean islands)
Cicadatra alhageos (Greek mainland)
Cicadatra hyalina (Greek mainland)
Cicadatra atra hyalinata (Greek mainland)
Cicadatra persica (only known from FYROM, Kastelorizo and Cyprus)

Cicadettinae:

Cicadetta montana macedonica (Macedonia, Greece)
Cicadetta olympica (Southeast Macedonia, Northern Thessaly, Mt. Olympus)
Euboeana castaneivaga (Evia, Andros, Tinos and Mykonos Island)
Oligoglena flaveola (northern Greek Macedonia)
Oligoglena sakisi (Crete)
Oligoglena goumenissa (Aegean islands)
Oligoglena filoti (most of the Dodecanese, especially on Naxos island)

Tibicininae:

Tibicina steveni (Greek mainland and Evia, especially on Mt. Dirfis)

Don't hesitate to contact me at anytime if you need some help with an observation or just have some questions about cicadas.

I wish a good (cicada) summer 2021 to all of you!

Sotirios