The iNaturalist observations you contribute during the City Nature Challenge become open source data and are helping researchers by leaps and bounds!
Now that we are entering our 7th year observing nature for this global event, people in Southeast Louisiana want to learn more!
We will be introducing different learning opportunities about species specific to our area throughout the year with the goal of learning about nature, taking photos with the key features for a great identification, and helping make identifications.
Nature Lab #1: Jack & Lily
End of June, TBA
Hang with us for Nature Lab where we will learn all about two species from our area, how to identify them, and which features are important to photograph during the City Nature Challenge. Nature Lab topics will be a surprise. These gatherings are intended to be small, casual, and hands-on. The first Nature Lab mystery theme is “Jack & Lily.”
Taxa Team: SPIDERS
Spiders are nature's master engineers and play an essential part of a healthy ecosystem. The Master Naturalists have started a new Taxa Team for beginners to explore spiders in the wild together. If you want to join us, please email us at citynaturechallenge@lmngbr.org and we will add you to the team. Here are some spider resources:
Did you know that a good photo of a spider’s eyes can help identify the family?
> BugGuide Spider Eye Arrangements
> The Biologist Apprentice’s Spider Identification by Eye ArrangementGreat article about citizen science helping with harvestmen research. “Devoted dads and citizen science: The evolution of parental care in harvestmen spiders is uncovered,” Phys.org. (The headline calls them spiders so we will add it here. They are arachnids, but technically not spiders. We’re all learning, right?)
If you are new to spiders, we recommend this small, inexpensive quick guide which organizes spiders by type of spider web which we find handy: “Spiders of the United States & Canada: Easily Identify 158 Common Species (Adventure Quick Guides).”