inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist
@inaturalist.bsky.social
6.3K followers 25 following 370 posts
The place where your nature photos impact science & conservation around the world. Free, nonprofit, & community-powered. 🪲🐌🌿
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · Jul 28
This new paper documents a tenfold increase in research papers using community-collected iNaturalist data over just five years: tr.ee/89Ot3I

According to the study, here are four key ways that iNaturalist data directly powers science 🧵⤵️
2 21 44
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 1d
We're big fans of spiders over here. This gorgeous red one is the species Araneus alsine, commonly known as the Strawberry Spider. Any guesses why? 👀🍓

📷 ldchambers on iNaturalist
📍 United Kingdom
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A striking red spider with a round body perches on a dried leaf. The body has patterning that makes the spider similar in appearance to a strawberry!
1 9 69
Reposted by iNaturalist
citsciasia.bsky.social
CitizenScience.Asia @citsciasia.bsky.social · 3d
Exciting talk lined up to close the observation phase of #AsiaNatureChallenge with Tony Iwane, Community & Support Coordinator, @inaturalist.bsky.social

📅 October 6th, 2025 (Monday)
🕙 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST

👉 Enroll here: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
4 6
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 3d
You're looking at the first iNaturalist observation of Fives Heath (Erica sicula) in both Libya and North Africa more generally!

📷 abdulnaser on iNaturalist
📍 Libya
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
Striking pink bell-shaped flowers are growing together out of a stem that has oval-shaped green leaves.
6 72
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 3d
It's common for some birds swallow small rocks, most likely to aid digestion by grinding food already in their stomachs. Here's a Merlin (Falco columbarius) getting caught in the act.

📷 victorb23 on iNaturalist
📍 United States
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A brown raptor takes a stone in its beak. The bird begins to swallow the stone whole, its beak wide open. The bird turns and looks directly into the camera as if it knows it's been perceived.
15 64
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 4d
Martinique's Anoles (Anolis roquet) are native to (and only found on) the island of Martinique. Here's one enjoying a snack.

📷 karl_questel on iNaturalist
📍 Martinique
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A green and black lizard snacks on what looks like a grub of some kind.
1 7 61
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 6d
Happy October! Here's a Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) ... oh, and a large (decorative) skeleton. 🎃💀👻

📷 robin04 on iNaturalist
📍 Canada
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A goose swims in a body of water. There is a large plastic skeleton looming behind it.
14 75
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 7d
For some fun contrast: there are almost 580,000 observations of Western Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) worldwide.
17
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 7d
There are currently only about 700 iNaturalist observations (across the entire world) of this gorgeous mushroom, Panus strigellus!

📷 guerrante on iNaturalist
📍 Brazil
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A top-down view of disc-shaped, pinkish-purple mushrooms clustered on a log. A top-down view of disc-shaped, brownish-pink mushrooms clustered on a log. A view of the underside and gills of this disc-shaped, pinkish-purple mushrooms. A view of the underside and gills of this disc-shaped, pinkish-purple mushrooms.
2 8 69
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 8d
This species can change their colors to camouflage more easily ... though this one doesn't seem to be trying too hard.
The frog is very cute and visible against the white backdrop of the lily.
1 8 61
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 8d
Ah, to be an Arumlily Reed Frog (Hyperolius horstockii) tucked within a flower.

📷 amywilliams14 on iNaturalist
📍 South Africa
🔗 www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A small pale brown frog crouches inside a lily.
1 12 89
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 12d
Sometimes the most spectacular finds happen while beach-combing ... like this Royal Comb Venus (Hysteroconcha dione)!

📷 ocean_in on iNaturalist
📍 Trinidad and Tobago
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A striking pale pink shell with ridges and spines is nestled into the wet sand. Bubbles surround the perimeter of the shell.
5 59
Reposted by iNaturalist
museumofscience.bsky.social
Museum of Science @museumofscience.bsky.social · 14d
This fall, we are proud to partner with TEDxBoston, @inaturalist.bsky.social, @umassboston.bsky.social, and other local organizations to celebrate and document the incredible variety of wildlife that calls Boston home. Learn more: www.inaturalist.org/.../tedxbost....
2 7 34
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 15d
There's truly no shortage of stunning leaf-footed bugs. This species is Pachylis laticornis!

📷 lendebeer on iNaturalist
📍 Venezuela
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
Two bugs with yellow, blue, red, and black markings cling to branches. This bug has a colorful, visually striking pattern and two antennae. The underside of the bug is yellow, blue, black, red, and orange.
14 72
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 19d
Swipe to zoom into this Lyell's Bristle-moss (Pulvigera lyellii)! Seen any cool mosses in your area lately? 👀

📷 bagli on iNaturalist
📍 Poland
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A view of the moss on some tree bark. It's bright green and spiky-looking. Up close, the moss is bright green and has lots of long tufts. Even closer, we're able to see lots of details of the moss. It's many shades of green with small brown extrusions all over it.
1 5 50
Reposted by iNaturalist
hilaryrosed.bsky.social
Dr. Hilary Rose Dawson @hilaryrosed.bsky.social · 19d
I just passed my 50,000th identification on @inaturalist.bsky.social! Identifying is a huge but often ignored part of the #iNaturalist community and dataset so I wanted to share why and how I identify. 1/14

🧪 #ecology #taxonomy #botany #CommunityScience
9 20 120
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 20d
Globular springtails 4ever. (This one is possibly in the Genus Ptenothrix!)

📷 sparkn on iNaturalist
📍 China
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A brown and white springtail crouches on the ground. A brown and white springtail crouches on the ground. A brown and white springtail crouches on the ground.
1 16 91
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 21d
This jumping spider — Nilakantha cockerelli — is native to (and only found in) the Greater Antilles!

📷 fpaz20 on iNaturalist
📍 Dominican Republic
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A jumping spider with a red thorax and a beige abdomen clings to a branch.
7 50
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 22d
Leaf or slug? (Spoiler alert, it's a slug — possibly the species Athoracophorus bitentaculatus!)

📷 bmacro on iNaturalist
📍 New Zealand
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
17 76
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 22d
Yellowhead Jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) carry their eggs in their mouths until they hatch! 👁️👄👁️

📷 melodie_caussat on iNaturalist
📍 Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A slender yellowish-white fish with very large eyes and a mouth full of fish eggs floats vertically in the water.
6 54
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 24d
Those colorful lumps on this plant aren't fruits — they're galls, created by a species of gall midge called Austroacacidiplosis botrycephalae. Seen any galls near you lately? 👀

📷 karenretra on iNaturalist
📍 Australia
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
Red, round lumps stand out amongst the plant's pale green, narrow leaves. The underside of the galls are greenish-yellow.
2 7 58
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 25d
This striking moth — Amana angulifera — hadn't been seen in about 150 years, but in 2018, an iNaturalist community member found one. Since then, there have been another 11 sightings!

📷 aniruddha_singhamahapatra on iNaturalist
📍 India
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
A yellow and black striped moth rests on a deep green fern.
12 76
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 26d
Who else is mesmerized by the patterns on this Fluted Giant Clam (Tridacna squamosa)? Nature is so whimsical.

📷 momaz on iNaturalist
📍 New Caledonia
🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#ObservationOfTheDay
The mantle of a clam is on display. It is pale greenish-beige with black striations, and has a bright blue outer rim. The rest of the clam is covered in scruffy algae and blends in with the reef.
21 120
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 27d
📷 on iNaturalist:
1. Mushroom Gall Wasp (Heteroecus sanctaeclarae) by— cynestor
2. Pittosporum Twig-gall Fly (Phytoliriomyza pittosporocaulis) by nathanael_green
3. Cypress Flower Gall Midge (Taxodiomyia cupressi) by seangolden
9
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 27d
Just some of the insects that can induce galls include gall wasps, gall flies, aphids, scale insects, gall midges, and weevils ... but the list goes on. People estimate that there are over 210,000 gall insect species alone, many of which we likely have yet to formally describe.
Two white cup-shaped growths sprout from a leaf.
1 2 21
inaturalist.bsky.social
iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 27d
'Tis the season to search for lumps on plants, aka galls! These growths are created in response to other organisms — often insects, fungi, or bacteria — injecting their chemicals into the plant. 🧵⤵️

Join the gall celebrations: tr.ee/ziMCEH
This gall looks like something you'd imagine a mythical fairy-like creature living in. It's shaped like a mushroom and has a small hole in the front. The stem of a plant has a couple round growths with small holes in them.
2 13 56