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(Some of the) Best of BioBlitz!

We just wrapped up another brilliant BioBlitz!

As of 10 p.m. Saturday, the good folks at iNaturalist list the totals at 6,274 observations, 961 species counted, and 433 (human) participants.

So what was blitzed?  Click here to see the latest updates!

  • Most observed critters?
    • birds
  • What birds?
    • mallard ducks, American robins, Canada geese
  • What insects?
    • eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies, six-spotted tiger beetles, seven-spotted ladybirds
  • What amphibians?
    • American toads, eastern red-backed salamanders, green frogs
  • What reptiles?
    • common five-lined skinks, northern water snakes, eastern rat snakes
  • What mammals?
    • Homo sapiens, white-tailed deer, eastern grey squirrels
  • What else?
    • leopard slugs, Asian clams, pumpkinseed sunfish
  • Any endangered species?
    • Yes! There were three reported spottings of the endangered American eel, and two reported sightings of the endangered tricolored bat.
  • Most observed plants?
    • trees
  • What trees?
    • elms, tulip trees, box elders
  • What flowers?
    • garlic mustard, multiflora roses, common pawpaw
  • What other plants?
    • poison ivy, Virginia creeper, English ivy
  • Any fungi, algae, or other weird unclassifyables?
    • Lichen—a beautiful combination of both, turkey tail fungi, black knot fungi

The nation’s capital wasn’t the only place BioBlitzing! Some of our favorite tweets blitzed in from:

Here are some of our favorite observations from the D.C. BioBlitz.

Ready, set, BioBlitz! Photograph by Jen Shook, National Geographic
Ready, set, BioBlitz!
Photograph by Jen Shook, National Geographic
Bryan Chasney, of the Anacostia Watershed Society, found this red swamp crawfish during a biological inventory at the Gateways, a national park property on the Anacostia River. Photograph by Krista Schlyer, National Geographic
Bryan Chasney, of the Anacostia Watershed Society, found this red swamp crawfish during a biological inventory at the Gateways, a national park property on the Anacostia River. Photograph by Krista Schlyer, National Geographic
Nat Geo’s fearless leader, President and CEO Gary Knell, can BioBlitz boogie with the best of them. (Here, at the Biodiversity Festival at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall.) Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Nat Geo’s fearless leader, President and CEO Gary Knell, can BioBlitz boogie with the best of them. (Here, at the Biodiversity Festival at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall.)
Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
News alert: Ducklings (at Constitution Gardens) are cute. Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
News alert: Ducklings (at Constitution Gardens) are cute.
Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Common chickweed, spotted here at Hains Point, is edible and associated with pulmonary relief in folk remedies. Photograph by Jeanethe Falvey, National Geographic
Common chickweed, spotted here at Hains Point, is edible and associated with pulmonary relief in folk remedies.
Photograph by Jeanethe Falvey, National Geographic
Mikaila Ulmer (left) is an 11-year-old social entrepreneur. Her company, Me and the Bees Lemonade, uses natural honey as a sweetener. As Mikaila explains: Buy a bottle, save a bee. Clay Bolt, the wildlife photographer on the right, shares Mikaila’s passion—one of his principal collections is a gallery of North American bees. Photograph by Jen Shook, National Geographic
Mikaila Ulmer (left) is an 11-year-old social entrepreneur. Her company, Me and the Bees Lemonade, uses natural honey as a sweetener. As Mikaila explains: Buy a bottle, save a bee. Clay Bolt, the wildlife photographer on the right, shares Mikaila’s passion—one of his collections is a gallery of North American bees.
Photograph by Jen Shook, National Geographic
Mycena fungi like these in Rock Creek Park are usually characterized by a conical cap and thin stem. Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Mycena fungi like these in Rock Creek Park are usually characterized by a conical cap and thin stem.
Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
These juvenile spiders in Rock Creek Park are just about ready to take off. Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
These juvenile spiders in Rock Creek Park are just about ready to take off.
Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Despite the intimidating stare, this northern water snake (spotted at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens) is not venomous and not at all harmful to humans. Sometimes, they’re confused with the very venomous and harmful-to-humans water moccasin. Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Despite the intimidating stare, this northern water snake (spotted at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens) is not venomous or at all harmful to humans. Sometimes, these reptiles are confused with the very venomous and harmful-to-humans water moccasin.
Photograph by Gabby Salazar, National Geographic
Green frogs are some of the most common amphibians around. This gorgeous specimen was spotted on national park land near the Anacostia River. Photograph by Krista Schlyer, National Geographic
Green frogs are some of the most common amphibians around. This gorgeous specimen was spotted on national park land near the Anacostia River.
Photograph by Krista Schlyer, National Geographic

Thanks to our intrepid explorers, savvy citizen scientists, and astonishing National Park personnel for making BioBlitz 2016 such a successful event!

2 thoughts on “(Some of the) Best of BioBlitz!”

  1. Thanks to all that contributed to the 4 locations across Nebraska for Bioblitz 2016! :You were the best!
    “We Can See You! Can You See Us?”

    Reply
  2. Pingback: (Some of the) Best of BioBlitz! — Nat Geo Education Blog – Welcome to the World of Ekasringa Avatar!

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