StayiNatHome: we're finding a lot of nature at home

Kiwi's have been self-isolating in our bubbles since Wednesday, and been busy supporting our families and friends online and putting teddy bears in our windows. Through it all we've kept on connecting with nature, and with each other, on iNaturalist NZ–Mātaki Taiao.

iNat NZ usages has increased this week

Those are amazing numbers, considering this strange and stressful time. In the week before we went into our bubbles, 347 observers made and uploaded 1,921 observations of 1,030 species, supported by 205 identifiers. That means in our six days in bubbles there's been a 24% increase in observers and a 29% increase in observations. Kiwis are getting out into their gardens and finding nature.

We're also 50% up in observers and 40% up in observations since this time last year, when 286 observers made and uploaded 1,784 observations of 968 species. That's less surprising as the iNat NZ community has continued to grow.

Check out some of the amazing finds from NZ homes

@faye444 found an odd spiky-leaved holly that got the plant people in Christchurch talking. @reinderw figured out that it was the holly cultivar, Ilex aquifolium 'Ferox Aurea'. Check out Faye's observation for her photo of the crazy leaves.

@skinkysam in Taranaki photographed a colossal wasp on her window. It's longer than her finger! The species is Norton's giant ichneumonid wasp (Megarhyssa nortoni), an introduced parasitoid of wood borers. This giant wasp was introduced on purpose to New Zealand in 1964 to control the pest borer Sirex noctilio in Pinus radiata plantations. It does its job well, only attacking this pest.

@karutahi photographed a gloriously purple flowered glory bush (Tibouchina urvilleana), wild on the edge of west Auckland. As pretty as it is, New Zealand doesn't need another escaped wody garden plant becoming a weed. It's one to look out for in wild Auckland.

@jovirens found an elegant, velvety purple fungus on a tree in Dunedin, called silverleaf fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum).

Up in Whangarei, @tutukiwi has "decided that to assist with sanity during the lockdown, I'll record everything that I can around my home". He's found some amazing things so far, from a kereru perched in the sun to an impressive looking adult tiger beetle.

Over in Okato, Taranaki, @emily_r photographed a crazy spiked larva on a leaf in a garden. It was identified as a larva of the steelblue ladybird (Halmus chalybeus). The larva and the adult of this species are both amazingly looking but completely different.

@aalbertrebergen photographed a partly albino grey warbler/riroriro in a garden in Waikouaiti. Riroriro are one of New Zealand's smallest birds and are hard to photograph, yet @aalbertrebergen managed to get a whole series of impressive photos of this rare colour morph.

Perhaps the most impressive find of the week so far has been a white-banded house jumping spider (Hypoblemum griseum), photographed by @christopherstephens. We've had a string of photographs of this species this week, from houses throughout New Zealand. What makes the photo by @christopherstephens so extraordinary is that this tiny little spider has taken down an adult porina moth that must be at least five times its size. Check it out!

Finally, you should admire this cute litte moth fly that @ryvesie photographed in north Auckland. We're still not sure what species it is but it sure is fluffy.

Let us know what you can find living in your home and garden.

Stay safe, stay home, & keep exploring.

#StayiNatHome

Posted on March 30, 2020 09:40 AM by jon_sullivan