Species that we've still to find (things to look out for)
@leonperrie in Wellington does a clever thing each CNC by providing links to the species previously seen in Wellington but not yet seen in this year's Challenge. It's a great way to focus in on the potentially easy-to-find species that have so far been overlooked. Are they still in the city?
Below are equivalent links for the wider Ōtautahi-Christchurch area. All are species we've previously found in the months of March, April, or May, but that we've not yet found in the 2024 CNC. They're sorted from most to least commonly found, so the top species should be the easiest to add to this year's CNC, and, if you really can't find them, they'll be the most interesting omissions from this year's challenge.
Refresh the links to get an up-to-date look at what's left to find. (And thanks again @leonperrie for this clever way to focus our searching on the final day.)
tagging in the top CNC observers so far: @maximus-prime, @boytouchgrass, @ruralroamer, @jupal04, @meurkc, @zane_lazare, @katemccombs, @liamcassidy, @smankelow, @jennysaito, @horoekaheimdall, @climber73, @katrina_muir, @walkerwanderer, @kolmar, @davidanderson, @eleanor_bissell, @diane-nz, @frankashwood, @bjradford, @thomas_ferguson, @hayley22473, @william-harland, @agoranomos, @morganemerien, @katmiller, @dwgryphon, @bt98408, @alimathias, @karen61753, @aliciahp, @daisyzebra, @gillian2024aranui, @mac_durning, @lhumpage, @edmonds5, @anistasya, @canterburymuseum, @sarah_uc, @fuligogirl, @fungifans, @seamusmoran, @bexdoll, @nickystein164, @resuelze, @shayla43, @fruitsalad04, @robcruickshank, @clover247, @fmaiorano
Comments
Some of these absences might be telling us some real, interesting, differences between now in 2024 and past years. For example, has nobody really found a basket fungus yet? I've not, but in past year's we've found lots. Please keep an eye out.
Similarly, has nobody seen a tui yet?
Others must definitely be out there but we've just overlooked them so far (eg cherry laurel and German wasps).
I've looked for basket fungus in all the places I usually find it and I have seen any at all. In fact, it feels like there are fewer fungi in general. The Spectacular Rustgills that appear every year in my garden, which I usually record during the city nature challenge, have already been and gone and in lower numbers than usual.
Galium seems to have completely disappeared from my garden (and I haven't seen any anywhere else), so I haven't been able to record Galium gall mite. I can usually pretty reliably find Dysdera crocata, but not this year. Finding invertebrates in general has seemed harder this year, and the usual log and rock rolling has yielded disappointing results. Places I often visit seem drier this year so perhaps that's a factor, but it feels like the invertebrate apocalypse is really taking hold. I hope I'm wrong!
Now you mention it, I haven't seen any Gallium this year either. It's usually abundant (especially in my garden).
I have found quite a bit of success finding invertebrates this year through beating, but also didn't find much looking in and under logs and stones.
Could be because it was so dry...
Interesting. Yes, I don't remember seeing Gallium either. Odd.
I also agree that finding lots of inverts has been harder this year. I too blame the dry summer.
One of the dicots links was failing because we've got too many observations, so I've just edited the post to split dicots into three parts.
(Nobody's added a swan plant yet, of either Gomphocarpus species.)
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