My iNat buddies know how, as part of my own continuing education program, I attempt to get entries in as many of the thirteen iNaturalist categories as I can, every day I go out. This morning I decided to take a more rigorous approach to the problem, and so I offer my insights as a public service.

The thirteen categories, divided into three levels of difficulty (though the division is dependent on habitat)

Plants - you have to be in the most sterile atmosphere imaginable to not get a plant
Fungi - once you know where lichen hide, you've got no excuses
Insects - Something's gonna bug you if you're in the field all day
Birds - photos AND tapes AND found feathers...c'mon people, you can do this, even if you are not birders

Arachnids - the animal architecture project can always use another interesting web or spider hole
Mollusks - snails, banana slugs, and shells
Reptiles - fairly easy where I live (because, Western Fence Lizard) or Florida, but can be tricky back east
Mammals - I suppose this could be easy, if you don't mind having shitty pictures

Amphibians - when we know where the salamanders are, this gets easier
Other Animals - when at the shore this is easy, because crabs. Isopods usually happen to you in a day
Ray-Finned Fish - To once again quote @vermfly , "Get the fish" is not an easy task!
Protozoans - What can one do in a dry climate without slime molds being in season?
Chromista - Seems you've got to be by the shore...except that Sudden Oak Death is a Chromista

I once got 12 of 13, and missed the 13th simply because I didn't realize how close I was to completing the set (Mollusk was the missing one, and i'd been ON a BEACH!)

Posted on July 30, 2019 07:13 PM by gyrrlfalcon