2024 is my first year of using iNaturalist to note new and familiar species in the field. I focus on identifying plants and fungi using iNaturalist. I try to identify the genus in the field, then the species after some reflection and research. This year, I made a total of 68 observations spread over 59 species.

44.12% of my observations were of plants. I have a ton of favorite observations, but there are a handful of very memorable ones…

27.94% of my observations were of fungi. My favorite observation was of Trametes versicolor, the Turkey-Tail Mushroom, which grew on a stump in my yard.

A small number were of insects, which were hard to photograph clearly. My favorite observation of the year was of Atteva aurea, the Alianthus Webworm Moth. This picture turned out so beautifully… it’s a shame it’s only on iNaturalist!

Most of by observations are for August through October. I was outside much more this fall than I was in the spring or summer. With my Master Naturalist class, I was able to be outside one evening every week and almost every weekend. We had a dedicated class for iNaturalist, which is where I identified most of the insects from the year.

The most important part of iNaturalist is the online naturalist community. I relied on the help of others to identify and affirm my identifications. 3 users helped me the most: mabrybiggs, tz_nh, and chia. I am indebted to them for helping me learn about new-to-me species. I’ve been able to help with a few identifications for others, but not as many as they helped me with!

I can’t let any year-in-review go without a goal for the next year… in 2025, my goal is to make at least 150 observations… and to write about them on TKN. I let my iNaturalist activities lie at the wayside this year, and I would like to highlight them more.

Food for thought… do you use iNaturalist? If so, how many species did you identify this year?