June 8, 2023

Australian Alps expedition

The first Bush Blitz expedition for 2023 took place in the Australian Alps during early February. The expedition focused on the southern part of Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) and the northeast part of Alpine National Park (Victoria). We are extremely grateful for the support we had from both land managers – NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Parks Victoria.

The scientific team included 10 zoologists (from the Australian Museum, Museums Victoria, and the University of New South Wales), 11 botanists (from the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria) and a seed collector (from the National Seed Bank, Canberra).

The Alps region is of great interest to scientists, but challenges such as access and weather conditions mean that remote areas haven't been well surveyed. This expedition aimed to get the team into some of these remote areas to collect specimens, fill knowledge gaps and potentially discover new species. From the base camp near Jindabyne, the team accessed sites via helicopter and 4WD. The Alps region is well known for rapidly changing weather conditions and the team adjusted their plans several times due to a total fire ban, fog and even snow! The unseasonably cold weather also made it harder for herpetologist Jodi Rowley to find frogs.

Photo: Jodi Rowley

Scientists were excited to be part of the first team to capture data on the biodiversity of The Pilot – the highest peak in the Pilot Wilderness Area of Kosciuszko National Park, approximately 1,800 m above sea level. On the other side of the border, botanists from the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, assisted by Parks Victoria staff, documented plants in the north-eastern section of Victoria's Alpine National Park.

Almost all of the records made on an expedition involve a collection, so they will make their way to ALA after being entered into an institution's database. However, we are increasingly seeing scientists using iNaturalist on expeditions. They may do this if they only have photographic evidence of a species, or if they record something outside their field of expertise. For example, land snail expert Frank Koehler used iNaturalist to record this Spoon Daisy (Brachyscome spathulata), spotted while he searched for snails in the Pilot Wilderness Area.

The team discovered a few species new to western science. Arachnologist Joseph Schubert is confident of several new species, including a shield huntsman with 'war paint on his legs and a shield on his chest to frighten off predators'.

Photo: Joseph Schubert

The scientists are now busy working through the collections they made. The process of describing and naming new species can take years but more information about what was discovered will be available in our expedition report, which will be published on our website.

Posted on June 8, 2023 01:57 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 2 comments | Leave a comment

August 3, 2022

Wilinggin–West Kimberley expedition

The Bush Blitz team has just returned from another successful expedition. From 18 to 28 July 2022, we investigated what lives in a remote part of Western Australia, approximately 500 km east of Broome.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Wilinggin Country, the Ngarinyin People, who gave the team a Welcome to Country, and thank the managers of the 3 properties we visited for their cooperation:

Charnley River–Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary, managed by Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) – also the location of base camp;
Parts of the Wilinggin Indigenous Protected Area that wrap around the western, northern and eastern boundaries of the Sanctuary, managed by Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation;
Wunaamin Conservation Park, managed by WA Parks and Wildlife Service

Staff from these 3 organisations, plus Wilinggin Traditional Owners and rangers, worked alongside our scientists to discover an amazing array of plants and animals. Scientists on this expedition came from the Western Australian Museum, Western Australian Herbarium, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, the South Australian Museum, the University of Adelaide, Queensland Museum and the University of New South Wales.

WA Museum scientist Rod Eastwood was impressed with Wunggurr Ranger Logan Umbagai's skill catching a tiny Pale Pea-blue butterfly (Catochrysops panormus), that had previously eluded Rod.

Among the interesting findings are 7 pseudoscorpion species that are believed to be new to science. Congratulations to Dr Mark Harvey, Head of Department and Curator (Arachnids and Myriapods) from WA Museum. The discovery of important indicator species such as pseudoscorpions can help us understand more about Australia’s changing environment and the impact of climate change.

To see other images and videos from the expedition visit our social media channels - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A report summarising findings of the expedition will be available on the Bush Blitz website in 2023.

Posted on August 3, 2022 03:46 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 0 comments | Leave a comment

May 11, 2022

Remote, rugged Rungulla

You've been busy. Thank you to everyone who continues to add observations to the Backyard Species Discovery project. Last month we were excited to pass an amazing 200,000 observations!

The Bush Blitz team has been busy too, preparing for another species discovery expedition. This time we've taken a team to spectacular and remote Rungulla National Park, 500 km southwest of Cairns. Below is an image of the expedition base camp. The ranger shed has provided welcome shelter from recent heavy rain.

Rungulla (pronounced Roong-ala) National Park is on Ewamian (pronounced Oor-a-min) Country and is managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. We are working with Ewamian cultural representatives, park rangers and scientists to record the plants and animals that call Rungulla home, and hopefully discover a few new species.

The team was welcomed on Country by Ewamian representatives, who are working alongside our scientists, sharing their knowledge of Country with us. This is Hilton (JR) Richards, one of the Traditional Custodians sharing their knowledge with the team.

The scientists are specialist taxonomists from the Queensland Museum, Queensland Herbarium, Australian Tropical Herbarium, University of NSW and Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN). The rugged nature of the park means a helicopter is needed to transport taxonomists to sampling sites. After being out in the field all day, they work hard each evening in the expedition field lab to analyse what they’ve collected.

Due to the park's remote location, few biological surveys have been undertaken before. In the first week, Chris Burwell from Queensland Museum recorded 14 dragonfly and damselfly species that are new records for the park. All of the expedition records will be entered into institutional databases. From there they feed into the Atlas of Living Australia, where they will join your 'Research Grade' iNaturalist observations.


Painted Grasshawk dragonfly (Neurothemis stigmatizans) © Chris Burwell

Posted on May 11, 2022 02:26 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 1 comment | Leave a comment

December 23, 2021

Merry Christmas from Bush Blitz


© Steve Milner

2021 has been a busy year for the Bush Blitz team. Despite unpredictable lockdowns and regular changes to border restrictions, we worked with teams of experts on species discovery expeditions in remote and/or inaccessible parts of Tasmania, the Northern Territory, the Indian Ocean Territories and South Australia. Check out our social media channels to find out what they found or visit the the Bush Blitz website to read more about the wonderful creatures discovered in this cave last month.

While expeditions with some of Australia's leading taxonomists kept us pretty busy, we continued to encourage citizen science by running live outreach events on each expedition, as well as projects like Flight 2 Light and the Bush Blitz badge.

Thank you to everyone who continued to add observations to the Backyard Species Discovery project this year. We wish you all a safe and very happy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to seeing what you find over the Christmas and New Year break, and will respond to your messages as soon as we're back on deck in 2022.

Posted on December 23, 2021 05:04 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 0 comments | Leave a comment

October 12, 2021

What's the difference between Bush Blitz and a bioblitz?

Bush Blitz is a specific program that takes expert taxonomists, from national institutions, to remote parts of Australia where they record species that are poorly known (or even unknown) to science. While remote expeditions are the main focus of Bush Blitz's work, following many requests from members of the public who wanted to join our expeditions, last year we set up this virtual Bush Blitz expedition for citizen scientists.

A bioblitz is a general term for a community-led survey that invites citizen scientists to record as many species as possible, usually in their local area and within a short time frame. The 2021 Great Southern BioBlitz (GSB) will be held across the Southern Hemisphere from 22 to 25 October. It aims to increase biodiversity awareness and encourage people to contribute to the understanding of their local biodiversity. These aims are close to our hearts at Bush Blitz and we encourage you to get involved. Check out the GSB umbrella project on iNaturalist to see if there's a project in your area. If there's not, just continue to add your observations to the Backyard Species Discovery project, as all observations made during the GSB event will automatically be included in their umbrella project. Alternatively, if you'd like to organise a GSB event in your area, check out how to register as an organiser on the GSB website.

We know that many of you will be involved in GSB events across Australia and we can't wait to see what you find!

Posted on October 12, 2021 01:39 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 0 comments | Leave a comment

September 10, 2021

Bush Blitz badge


📸 H McHugh

Bush Blitz is launching a nature challenge that encourages young people involved with the Scout and Girl Guide movements to record the plants and animals in their local area. Scouts and Guides who complete at least one of the three Bush Blitz challenges, will earn the badge for addition to their camp blanket. The challenges involve uploading observations to our Backyard Species Discovery project on iNaturalist.

A 'Challenges and Worksheets' booklet is available for youth members to help them achieve their Bush Blitz badge and a 'Leaders' Guide' is available to assist the facilitation of the challenges. Both these booklets can be found on the Bush Blitz website: https://bushblitz.org.au/bush-blitz-badge/

The challenges can be used in face-to-face group meetings but can also be completed by members earning their badge from home.

Youth members can earn the badge at any time over the next 2 years.

Posted on September 10, 2021 05:21 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 2 comments | Leave a comment

August 30, 2021

Scavenger hunt competition extended

After receiving lots of interest in our scavenger hunt, we have decided to extend the competition until Friday 10 September.

You can find details on how to enter on the Bush Blitz website.

Posted on August 30, 2021 06:27 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 1 comment | Leave a comment

August 27, 2021

Amazing opportunity for South Australian teachers!

So far this year, teachers have taken part in Bush Blitz expeditions to Stony Head in Tasmania and Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory. We are now looking for 9 South Australian teachers to join scientists on a species discovery expedition to Fowlers Bay at the end of November.

If you know anyone who might be suitable, please tell them about this once in a lifetime opportunity. Applications close Monday 13 September.

Further information, including application details, can be found here.

Posted on August 27, 2021 05:32 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 0 comments | Leave a comment

August 10, 2021

National Science Week Scavenger Hunt


Our Bush Blitz team have been very busy on an expedition to Groote Eylandt and exploring Australia's Indian Ocean Territories on CSIRO's research vessel, The Investigator.

But we're back in time to celebrate National Science Week 2021 with another Backyard Species Discovery Scavenger Hunt!

You can take part just for fun or enter our competition to be in the running to win prizes, including Bush Blitz caps and t-shirts worn by the scientists who take part in our expeditions (not ones that have actually been worn, of course!). A group prize pack is also up for grabs, including a live chat for your class or community group with a Bush Blitz scientist.

Upload your findings to our Backyard Species Discovery project with the hashtag #BB21 in the notes field and email us your iNaturalist username for a chance to win. To find this year's scavenger hunt checklist visit our Bush Blitz website.

Happy hunting!

Posted on August 10, 2021 05:34 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 18, 2021

Bush Blitz back in the field

Our first Bush Blitz expedition since COVID-19 is currently taking place at the Stony Head Training Area in Tasmania. The Bush Blitz team is super excited to be out in the field, on the 40th expedition run since the program started in 2010.

To minimise the impact of any last-minute travel restrictions, the scientific team is almost completely made up of taxonomists from Tasmania - Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. You can see a little of what the team is up to on the Bush Blitz Facebook page.

While the scientists' findings will enter the Atlas of Living Australia via their institutions' databases, Helen, from Bush Blitz HQ, has been putting her citizen science findings into our Backyard Species Discovery project. Check out this gorgeous Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata).


© Helen Cross

Posted on March 18, 2021 12:09 AM by bushblitz bushblitz | 3 comments | Leave a comment