Here's a little caterpillar of the NZ endemic moth species, Zapyrastra calliphana, mining it's way through a leaf of the NZ native plant, Muehlenbeckia australis.

This native caterpillar only eats this kind of native plant. Each caterpillar completes its larval life inside just one leaf, before dropping to the ground to pupate.

I found this in my garden on Friday as part of the City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023).

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/159316091

#caterpillar #moth #Aotearoa #NZ #herbivory

@Jsimons @dubh Yes, I don't understand what everyone else is up to in Tāmaki Makaurau. Te Upoko o te Ika-Wellington is leaving everyone in the dust at the moment. (It's not over though until the end of next weekend when all the uploading and identifying is finished.)

#CNC2023

@joncounts @dubh lol we in Tāmaki Makaurau aren’t doing that well even before you adjust for population 😂 . I’m doing my best though! https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-auckland-tamaki-makaurau
#CNC2023

For those of your not in Aotearoa-NZ, here's the link to the global City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) page on iNaturalist.org.

Hundreds of cities around the world are taking part.

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023

The City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) is GO! The 4-day global event started at midnight. The sun isn’t up and Wellington is already ahead, Auckland close behind, and Christchurch trailing. New Plymouth and Hawkes Bay are still asleep.

To join in, just use iNaturalist to make a species observation. Any species. (Preferably lots.) Can you find something you’ve never noticed before?

https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-aotearoa-new-zealand

#NZ #iNaturalistNZ #iNaturalist

I'll be back at Prospect Park this Saturday for City Nature Challenge! I've got other events in May, as well. You can check out my itinerary on my blog.

https://www.flatbushgardener.com/2023/04/25/upcoming-public-events/

#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC
#CNCNYC #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #MadisonSquarePark #Manhattan #NativePlants #HabitatGardening

TODAY, Earth Day, 11am, join me at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Audubon Center (Lullwater Boathouse) for an iNaturalist workshop! With City Nature Challenge starting in less than a week, this is a chance to learn about iNaturalist, and how you can document the urban biodiversity around us.
https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/earth-day-at-the-audubon-center/​

#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC  #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #EarthDay​ #HappyEarthDay

TOMORROW, Earth Day, 11am, join me at Brooklyn's Prospect Park Audubon Center (Lullwater Boathouse) for an iNaturalist workshop! With City Nature Challenge starting in less than a week, this is a chance to learn about iNaturalist, and how you can document the urban biodiversity around us.
https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/events/earth-day-at-the-audubon-center/

#iNaturalist #CityNatureChallenge #CNC2023 #CNC2023NYC #BattleOfTheBoroughs #Brooklyn #GreenspaceRace #ProspectPark #NYC #NewYorkCity #EarthDay

Here are the links to projects each of NZ's official entries into the City Nature Challenge 2023:

https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-auckland-tamaki-makaurau
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-ngamotu-new-plymouth
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-matau-a-maui-hawke-s-bay
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-upoko-o-te-ika-wellington
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-otautahi-christchurch

Different things will be happening in each city.

For example, in Ōtautahi-Christchurch on Friday 28 April, the #ChristchurchCityCouncil Rangers will lead a public nature ramble through the earthquake eastern Red Zone. https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-otautahi-christchurch/journal/78054

#CNC2023

I chatted with Mark Leishman on #RNZ Nights last night, about the upcoming City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023) and #iNaturalistNZ

You can have a listen here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018886953/calling-all-citizen-scientists

The City Nature Challenge is happening 28 April–1 May. You'll be able to follow all the action on iNaturalist NZ at https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-aotearoa-new-zealand

If you live in one of the NZ city areas entering, be sure to join their city's project to see the events happening.

#iNaturalist #NatureWatching

@IceNine Hah! 😂 I look forward to seeing what species you can find that are gathering and eating chicken nuggets.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108997991

#CNC2023

This year, five urban areas in Aotearoa-NZ are officially entered into the global City Nature Challenge:

Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau
Ngāmotu/New Plymouth
Te Matau-a-Māui - Hawke's Bay
Te Upoko o te Ika (Wellington)
Ōtautahi/Christchurch

If you live here, you can join the local project and follow the action.

https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-tamaki-makaurau-auckland
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-ngamotu-new-plymouth
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-matau-a-maui-hawke-s-bay
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-te-upoko-o-te-ika-wellington
https://inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-otautahi-christchurch

#CNC2023 #iNaturalist #iNaturalistNZ

I spent this afternoon helping prepare #iNaturalistNZ for the upcoming City Nature Challenge (#CNC2023), 28 April–1 May.

People in cities around the world will be celebrating their local #nature. In the 2022 challenge, >68,000 people globally made >1.5 million observations of >52,000 species!

To contribute, just add one observation (or very many) to #iNaturalist during the event in a participating city.

I made an #Aotearoa Yeah Nah project so NZers outside of participating cities can join in.

Drew a banner for our #CNC project today, gull looks more like a crow, butterfly is at a completely wrong angle, everything is messy, but I'm satisfied!
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-sankt-peterburg-vne-zachyota
#nature #iNaturlist #art #Russia #CNC2023