We are using iNaturalist as a tool to identify the presence of bird, insect, fungi and plant species on the Integral Health Dairy Farm. iNaturalist shows a GPS location for each observation so we can see if the species are found in the paddock or in the tunas.
We are hoping to observe greater biodiversity due to the habitat the tunas provide. The results of our formal insect monitoring which began in summer 2024 and will continue in summer 2025 have also been uploaded to iNaturalist, so we can see what our pitfall and pan traps at each site collected. iNaturalist requires several users to assign the same ID to the observation based on the recording or photos that are uploaded with the observation.
This allows us to be confident in what we are identifying and has helped us identify some less common insect species, such as the wooly bear caterpillar or the emperor gum moth caterpillar.
