The South Australian iNaturalists Collection Project

This August saw 10,909 observations covering 1,878 species from a total of 476 observers. There were 98 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month saw 91 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 504 identifiers contributed a total of 18,223 identifications.

During August there were an average of 51 observers each day, peaking at 84 observers on Saturday August 20th, coinciding with the Ferox australis Biodiversity Treasure Hunt. The highest daily observations were also on Saturday 20th with 872 records.

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Uploads for SA at the end of August stand at 361,198 observations of 9,371 species from 5,086 observers with, as of today, 5,541 identifiers providing 662,796 identifications.

Featured Observations from August
A row of resting Great Crested Terns (Thalasseus bergii) at Goolwa by @mariannebroug.
A Pheladenia deformis × Caladenia capillata by @rwl.
A content looking Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) at Mount Gambier by @sandy_horne.
A field of Large Striped Greenhoods (Pterostylis robusta) on the Yorke Peninsula by @grassroots-ky.
A Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) entangled in weed at Port Macdonnell submitted by @rfoster on behalf of Rob Baker.
A native Millipede Genus Somethus in the Adelaide Hills by @moth_nut.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

Top observers & species observed in August:

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(Data used for this post taken on the 9th of September. It excludes any observations and identifications from August that were uploaded after this date)

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The South Australian iNaturalists Collection Project

This July saw 8,386 observations covering 1,759 species from a total of 454 observers. There were 89 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month saw 92 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 457 identifiers contributed a total of 14,274 identifications.

During July there were an average of 45 observers each day, peaking at 78 observers on Saturday July 23rd. The highest daily observations were also on Saturday 23rd with 551 records.

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Uploads for SA at the end of June stand at 348,212 observations of 9,253 species from 4,964 observers with, as of today, 5,413 identifiers providing 637,303 identifications.


Featured Observations from July
A Baker’s Teyloides on KI by @rhytiphora.
A Lightning Volute at Second Valley by @fionaoutdoors.
A Grey-fronted Honeyeater in the Gammon Ranges by @angelinbotanico.
An Ornate Cowfish at Port Victoria by @davemmdave.
A Velvet Worm (Mantonipatus persiculus) in Carey Gully by @dabugboi.
A Bolam’s Mouse by @jbilby.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).


Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns


Top observers & species observed in July:

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(Data used for this post taken on the 9th of August. It excludes any observations and identifications from July that were uploaded after this date)

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The South Australian iNaturalists Collection Project

This June saw 7,514 observations covering 1,709 species from a total of 438 observers. There were 73 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month saw 77 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 444 identifiers contributed a total of 12,826 identifications.

During June there were an average of 47 observers each day, peaking at 74 observers on the June 13th Monday public holiday. The highest daily observations were on Saturday 25th with 469 records.

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Uploads for SA at the end of June stand at 338,339 observations of 9,104 species from 4,874 observers with, as of today, 5,294 identifiers providing 618,698 identifications

Featured Observations from June
Fruiting Pixie’s Parasols (Mycena interrupta) in Belair National Park, by @melbo.
Scented Sundew (Drosera abberans) with several ensnared Camponotus ants, by @davidsando.
A Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens) from the Gawler Ranges, by @nealed.
Ervie, a satellite tracked Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in Port Lincoln, by @fransolly.
iNat ‘Observation of the Day’ for June 4th, a female Mouse Spider (Missulena sp.) in Morialta Conservation Park, by @kenhurley.
A slime mold Badhamia foliicola from Urrbrae including photos of spores, by @peter-lang.
Mating Giant Australian Cuttlefish (Sepia apama) outside Whyalla, by @possumpete.
Finally, one of my own, a Heterotermes sp. Termite soldier.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

Top observers & species observed in June:

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(Data used for this post taken on the 8th of July. It excludes any observations and identifications from June that were uploaded after this date)

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This May saw 8,137 observations covering 1,726 species from a total of 494 observers. This extended wet weather has really put a damper on observations. There were 66 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month saw a record 90 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 521 identifiers contributed a total of 14,199 identifications.

During May there were an average of 51 observers each day, peaking at 99 observers on the City Nature Challenge Sunday. The highest daily observations again aligned with the CNC, with 1,686 observations being made on Sunday 1st.

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Uploads for SA at the end of May stand at 329,567 observations of 9,013 species from 4,744 observers with, as of today, 5,214 identifiers providing 601,804 identifications.

Featured Observations from May
A Hydromys chrysogaster (Rakali) along River Torrens / Karrawirra Parri by @dgobbett.
A deep purple Cortinarius archeri (Emperor Cortinar) at Jupiter Creek by @chrisseager.
A family of Underwoodisaurus milii (Thick-tailed Barking Gecko) South-East of Roxby Downs by @jbilby.
A resting Eurostopodus argus (Spotted Nightjar) at Monarto by @danielmarkos.
A Accipiter fasciatus (Brown Goshawk) keeping the Spotted Dove population under control by @bernadette109.
A Trichosurus vulpecula (Common Brushtail Possum) family by @belindacopland.
An active Antechinus flavipes (Yellow-footed Antechinus) in Para Wirra CP by @anthonypaul.
A Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant) in Onkaparinga River NP by @connor_margetts.
A Dromaius novaehollandiae (Emu) clutch in Bakara CP by @rhytiphora.

(These are taken from observations during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

Top observers & species observed in May:

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(Data used for this post taken on the 9th of June. It excludes any observations and identifications from May that were uploaded after this date)

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This April saw 12,736 observations covering 2,154 species from a total of 687 observers. A huge increase on the previous month thanks to the first two days of the City Nature Challenge 2022. There were 92 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month saw a record 247 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Again due to the CNC, but also due to the second running of the Zoology II Backyard Arthropods project by the University of Adelaide. Upon this months observations, 631 identifiers contributed a total of 21,731 identifications.

During April there were an average of 76 observers each day, peaking at 109 observers on Good Friday. The highest daily observations obviously aligned with the CNC, with 1,701 observations being made on Saturday 30th.

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Uploads for SA at the end of April stand at 320,808 observations of 8,930 species from 4,631 observers with, as of today, 5,094 identifiers providing 587,544 identifications.

The City Nature Challenge 2022 was a great success. Results should be out later today, but it looks like this was by far the strongest year yet with more than 63,000 participants recording over 1.5 million observations in just 4 days. Contributions from the Greater Adelaide area were made by 186 participants producing more than 5,200 observations.

Featured Observations from April
The 2nd iNat record of Piophilosoma palpatum, feeding on carrion, by @dmail.
A Chirruping Wedgebill (Psophodes cristatus) by @darcywhittaker.
A Ghost Fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis) in suburbia, by @flyingkatfish.
A Horsehair Worm (Phylum Nematomorpha) emerging from a Rain Moth, by @seamus-doherty.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

Top observers & species observed in April

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(Data used for this post taken on the 9th of May. It excludes any observations and identifications from April that were uploaded after this date)

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This March saw 7,670 observations covering 1,914 species from a total of 488 observers. There were 106 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month there were 67 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 544 identifiers contributed a total of 13,326 identifications.

The number of observers in SA has exceeded 485 each month for the last 7 months, peaking during the Great Southern Bioblitz 2021 with 591 observers during the month. During this March there were an average of 52 people recording observations on any given day, peaking at 79 observers on the 13th. The highest number of observations in one day was 503 records on the 19th.

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Uploads for SA at the end of March stand at 307,505 observations of 8,822 species from 4,344 observers with, as of today, 4,957 identifiers providing 561,989 identifications.

The City Nature Challenge will be running this year from Friday 29th April through Monday 2nd May. Join the Greater Adelaide project. Observations can be made anywhere in the Greater Adelaide region. If you are looking for somewhere to visit, check out this shortlist of biodiverse locations in Greater Adelaide.

Featured Observations from March
A Southern Blue Devil (Paraplesiops meleagris) by @environ.
A Australasian Osprey (Pandion haliaetus ssp. cristatus) by @sandy_horne.
A Yellow-footed Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) by @anthonypaul.
A Wolf Spider Hoggicosa bicolor by @rhytiphora.
A Desert Banded Snake (Simoselaps bertholdi) by @jbilby.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Featured Project
The Belair National Park Project has recently surpassed 10,000 observations and sits as the park with the highest number of observations, species and observers in SA. With 1,220 species recorded in the park from 272 observers, the park has something to discover no matter your interest.

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

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(Data used for this post taken on the 11th of April. It excludes any observations and identifications from March that were uploaded after this date)

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On the 8th of March 2022, we reached 300,000 verifiable observations uploaded in South Australia!

Congratulations to all who have contributed to this milestone. The first observations in SA were uploaded around mid-2011 and had only reached 4,500 by the end of 2017. Since then however the rate has increase dramatically reaching 23,500 by end of 2018, then 66,800 by end of 2019, on to 162,400 by end of 2020, and 282,700 by end of 2021.

We surpassed 100,000 observations in May 2020. It took 9 years to reach that milestone. It took only 12 months to add the second 100,000, and only 10 months to add the third 100,000! We are currently uploading over 300 new observations per day.

Alas, the exponential increase in observations cannot continue forever, and has been dropping year by year. 2018 saw a 520% increase in observations, 2019 a 280% increase, 2020 a 240% increase, and in 2021 a 170% increase. If we estimate a 140% increase this year, we’ll reach 400,000 observations by the end of 2022. And all it would take is 336 observations per day.

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Quick Stats:

• 4,242 observers have uploaded records of 8,726 species across the state
• 68.2% of all verifiable observations are Research Grade
• 9,401 observations of 244 Threatened species
• 22,639 observations of 932 Introduced species
• 4,780 identifiers have made 543,600 identifications on observations from SA
• Observations by Taxa: 56,340 Birds, 884 Amphibians, 7,293 Reptiles, 7,016 Mammals, 11,729 Ray-finned Fishes, 10,360 Molluscs, 8,832 Arachnids, 52,725 Insects, 114,858 Plants, 11,376 Fungi, 1,588 Kelp & 155 Protozoans
• Species by Taxa: 362 Birds, 20 Amphibians, 172 Reptiles, 85 Mammals, 278 Ray-finned Fishes, 486 Molluscs, 344 Arachnids, 2,685 Insects, 3020 Plants, 499 Fungi, 71 Kelp & 15 Protozoans

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This February saw 6,569 observations covering 1,637 species from a total of 457 observers. There were 66 species receiving their first iNat record in SA. This month there were 68 new observers contributing their first observations in SA. Upon this months observations, 542 identifiers contributed a total of 11,529 identifications.

February, being one of the hottest months, tends to produce fewer observations than any other month, except perhaps June. Local participation in iNaturalist is up 10.1% on February 2021, however observations are down 4.7% and species observed in the month down 4.2%. As the purpose of iNaturalist to is to encourage citizens to engage with nature, this aim is still being successfully fulfilled. 457 people in SA took the time this month to step outside and record something of interest.

Uploads for SA at the end of January stand at 298,457 observations of 8,703 species from 4,225 observers with, as of today, 4,780 identifiers providing 543,265 identifications. (We’ll probably hit 300k observations by the time I post this!)

It’s almost time for the City Nature Challenge again. Running 29th April through 2nd May. The City Nature Challenge: Greater Adelaide project is up and running. Join the project to show your support. If you’re new to the CNC, see the extended introduction.

Featured Observations from February
Some great close ups of a Fairy Shrimp by @andamooka.
A Whitefly with a local name, Pseudozaphanera wariensis by @mariannebroug.
A ‘Corellatoo’ by @magpies_friends.
An Insect-Parasitising Nematodes by @dmail.
A suspected Cicada-Parasite Beetle Rhipicera femorata by @nomesdownunder.
The first record of Synemon theresa on iNat by @adrianuren.
A Sand-Loving Wasp taking on a Mantis by @belindacopland.
See the full list of the popular observations from February here.
(These are taken from observation during the month with at least one ‘favourite’. If you see an interesting observation from SA, remember to favourite it, and it might appear here at the end of the month).

Featured Project
The Adelaide Parklands Umbrella Project brings together 32 separate park projects encompassing the 7.6 square kilometres of parks surrounding Adelaide. 374 observers have uploaded 5,400 observations from 655 species so far, with so much more to discover. Why not check out the Chequered Copper Butterfly conservation site in Victoria Park .

Do you have a particular expertise and are keen to help out with identifications in SA? Select your favourite taxa below to head to the Identify page:
Aves / Amphibia / Reptilia / Mammalia / Ray-Finned Fishes / Mollusca / Arachnida / Insecta / Plantae / Fungi / Protozoa / Unknowns

Top observers & species observed in February:

(Data used for this post taken on the 8th of March. It excludes any observations and identifications from February that were uploaded after this date)

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