Here's the first Canterbury record, and southernmost NZ record, on #iNaturalist and #GBIF, of the Scar Bank Gem moth, Ctenoplusia limbirena.
I had two visit my moth light at my house in Ōtautahi-Christchurch during the recent City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023).
This is a northern hemisphere moth that was first detected in NZ in 2011 in Auckland.
I found black aphids on a groundsel in Ōtautahi-Christchurch during the recent City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023). It's the 1st record from the South Island of a newly arrived aphid species, found in Auckland on 3 April.
It's the only all-black aphid in NZ that feeds only on senecios (groundsels) and close relatives.
I collected these and gave them to Biosecurity NZ today. Worth looking out for.
https://inaturalist.nz/observations/160280158
Here's a little caterpillar of the NZ endemic moth species, Zapyrastra calliphana, mining it's way through a leaf of the NZ native plant, Muehlenbeckia australis.
This native caterpillar only eats this kind of native plant. Each caterpillar completes its larval life inside just one leaf, before dropping to the ground to pupate.
I found this in my garden on Friday as part of the City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023).
For those of your not in Aotearoa-NZ, here's the link to the global City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) page on iNaturalist.org.
Hundreds of cities around the world are taking part.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023
The City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) is GO! The 4-day global event started at midnight. The sun isn’t up and Wellington is already ahead, Auckland close behind, and Christchurch trailing. New Plymouth and Hawkes Bay are still asleep.
To join in, just use iNaturalist to make a species observation. Any species. (Preferably lots.) Can you find something you’ve never noticed before?
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-aotearoa-new-zealand
It's the 2023 global City Nature Challenge! New Zealand cities are showing the world all our incredible species. Between the 28 April and 1 May, tens of thousands of people from across the globe will all look for nature in their backyards and cities. If you live in one of the participating cities, be sure to join their project so you can get all their news and announcements. When you're in a web browser and signed in to iNaturalist NZ, you'll see a friendly "join" button near the top right of each city's project page: City Nature Challenge 2023: Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland City Nature Challenge 2023: Ngāmotu/New Plymouth City Nature Challenge 2023: Te Matau a Maui/Hawke’s Bay City Nature Challenge 2023: Pōneke/Wellington City City Nature Challenge 2023: Ōtautahi/Christchurch Observations for the 2023 global City Nature Challenge competition need to be made between the start of Friday 28 April and the end of Mon 1 May. After that, everyone with some nature expertise will get stuck in id...
I'll be back at Prospect Park this Saturday for City Nature Challenge! I've got other events in May, as well. You can check out my itinerary on my blog.
https://www.flatbushgardener.com/2023/04/25/upcoming-public-events/
#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC
#CNCNYC #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #MadisonSquarePark #Manhattan #NativePlants #HabitatGardening
TODAY, Earth Day, 11am, join me at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Audubon Center (Lullwater Boathouse) for an iNaturalist workshop! With City Nature Challenge starting in less than a week, this is a chance to learn about iNaturalist, and how you can document the urban biodiversity around us.
https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/earth-day-at-the-audubon-center/
#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #EarthDay #HappyEarthDay
TOMORROW, Earth Day, 11am, join me at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Audubon Center (Lullwater Boathouse) for an iNaturalist workshop! With City Nature Challenge starting in less than a week, this is a chance to learn about iNaturalist, and how you can document the urban biodiversity around us.
https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/earth-day-at-the-audubon-center/
#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #EarthDay
Here are the links to projects each of NZ's official entries into the City Nature Challenge 2023:
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-auckland-tamaki-makaurau
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-ngamotu-new-plymouth
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-matau-a-maui-hawke-s-bay
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-upoko-o-te-ika-wellington
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-otautahi-christchurch
Different things will be happening in each city.
For example, in Ōtautahi-Christchurch on Friday 28 April, the #ChristchurchCityCouncil Rangers will lead a public nature ramble through the earthquake eastern Red Zone. https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-otautahi-christchurch/journal/78054
Kia ora and welcome to Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland bioblitz 2023! Tāmaki Makaurau is taking part in the City Nature Challenge 2023. From Apr 28, 2023 - May 1, 2023 we will make observations of as many species as we can from the Auckland District and upload them to iNaturalist.NZ.
I chatted with Mark Leishman on #RNZ Nights last night, about the upcoming City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) and #iNaturalistNZ
You can have a listen here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018886953/calling-all-citizen-scientists
The City Nature Challenge is happening 28 April–1 May. You'll be able to follow all the action on iNaturalist NZ at https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-aotearoa-new-zealand
If you live in one of the NZ city areas entering, be sure to join their city's project to see the events happening.
Jon Sullivan
Flatbush Gardener 🌈
