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#bioPGH Blog: BioBlitz 2018 Results
Jun 14
2018

#bioPGH Blog: BioBlitz 2018 Results

By Dr. Maria Wheeler-Dubas, Research and Science Education Outreach Manager

Biophilia NetworkA resource of Biophilia: Pittsburgh, #bioPGH is a weekly blog and social media series that aims to encourage both children and adults to reconnect with nature and enjoy what each of our distinctive seasons has to offer. 

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The early morning skies were gray, and rumbles of thunder echoed over the hills. Nevertheless, almost as though even weather itself knew it was an important day, the clouds cleared just in time and the sun shone on the full day of BioBlitz!

 This past Sunday, June 10, was an adventure-packed day of science, guided nature tours into Schenley Park, exhibits and demonstrations from local naturalists, engaging activities from community organizations, and even nature-themed art projects and story time—it was truly a day for the whole family. The goal of the event, though, was to complete an inventory of the living things within Schenley Park, and local researchers identified 229 species of insects, birds, mammals, fish, plants, fungi, amphibians, and reptiles in areas surrounding Panther Hollow Lake and along Phipps Run and Panther Hollow Run!

If you missed out the fun, check some of the highlights below, and keep reading to explore the full species list from the BioBlitz. Thank you to everyone who was involved - your presence and dedication to nature was truly appreciated. And to all of us who love the outdoors, let’s keep exploring!


In the morning and afternoon, young naturalists could enjoy a nature-themed story time under the shade of a large tree on the front lawn. Here some budding scientists enjoy a story time led by Phipps docents Verna and Bernie McGinley. Photo credit Samantha Lee.

 


Children learn about spiders from University of Pittsburgh graduate student Sebastian Echeverri. Photo credit Samantha Lee.
 


Little naturalists decorate gourd birdhouses at one of Phipps’ activity stations. Photo credit Samantha Lee.

 


A future little malacologist (mollusk expert) learns about terrestrial snails from Dr. Tim Pearce, the curator of Mollusks at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 

 


Becca Halter and Rebecca Kiernan of Resilient Pittsburgh showcase their sustainability activity.

 

Most importantly, the BioBlitz was an excellent day for science. This year, at least 229 unique species were identified. Below you can compare results of this year to our previous two BioBlitzes. One of the important facets of conducting this even every is to monitor any significant changes in biodiversity over time—which could indicate a problem in the ecosystem. (On that note, you may have noticed a distinct increase in the number of invertebrate species identified from 2016 and the other two years, but this is more likely the result of an increase in the number of experts participating in the event.) Also, be sure to check out our BioBlitz project on iNaturalist to see images of some of the identifications below.

 

Total Identified Species at the 2018 BioBlitz

Birds, Common name

Birds, Scientific name

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Yellow Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Redwing Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Wood Thrush

Hylocichla mustelina

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Northern cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Oriole

Icterus galbula

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Red-tailed hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Chimney Swift

Chaetura pelagica

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Northen Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Contopus virens

Acadian Flycatcher

Empidonax virescens

Eastern Phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireo olivaceus

Northern Rough-winged swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

Gray Catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Brown-headed Cowbird

Molothrus ater

House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

American Goldfinch

Spinus tristis

 

Fish, Common name

 

Fish, Scientific name

Pumpkin seed

Lepomis gibbosus

Bluegill

Lepomis machrochirus

White crappie

Pomoxis annularis

 

Plants, Common Name

 

Plants, Scientific name or taxonomic grouping

Amaranth

Amaranthus sp.

American Beech

Fagus grandifolia

American elm

Ulmus americana

American sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua

Asiatic dayflower

Commelina communis

Basswood

Tilia Americana

Bigtooth aspen

Populus grandidentata

Black Locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

Black locust

Robinea pseudoacacia

Bladdernut

Staphylea trifolia

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Aesculus parviflora

Boxelder Maple

Acer negundo

Broadleaf cattail

Typha latifolia

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa

Bush honeysuckle

Lonicera spp.

Canada thistle

Cirsium arvense

Celandine

Chelidonium majus

Chestnut Oak

Quercus montana

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Clearweed

Pilea pumila

Clover

Trifolium sp.

Cock's-foot

Dactylis sp.

Common blue violet

Viola sororia

Common dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Common duckweed

Lemna minor

Common motherwort

Leonurus cardiaca

Creeping Buttercup

Ranunculus repens

Creeping Cinquefoil

Potentilla reptans

Crown vetch

Securigera varia

Curly dock

Rumex crispus

Deptford pink

Dianthus armeria

Duckweed sp.

Araceae family

Eastern red bud

Cercis canadensis

Elm sp.

Ulmus spp.

English Plantain

Plantago lanceolata

fleabane

 Erigeron sp.

Fragrant sumac

Rhus aromatica

Garlic mustard

Alliaria petiolata

Golden alexanders

Zizia aurea

Ground Elderberry

Aegopodium podagraria

Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

Hickory

Carya spp.

Honey locust

Gleditsia tricanthos

Hop hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Japanese knotweed

Fallopia japonica

Jewelweed

Impatiens sp.

Kentucky coffee tree

Gymnocladus dioicus

Linden tree

Tilia sp.

London Plane Tree

Platanus × acerifolia

Mayapple

Podophyllum peltatum

Milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

Moss

Bryophyta

Moth Mullein

Verbascum blattaria

Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaris

Northern Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

Northern Red Oak

Quercus rubra

Norway maple

Acer platanoides

Ox eye daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare

Pennsylvania pellitory

Parietaria pensylvanica

Pennsylvania smartweed

Polygonum pensylvanicum

Philadelphia Fleabane

Erigeron philadelphicus

Poison Ivy

Toxicodendron radicans

Pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Ragweed

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

Red clover

Trifolium pratense

Red dead nettle

Lamium purpureum

Red maple

Acer rubrum

Red mulberry

Morus rubra

Red oak

Quercus rubra

Red Osier Dogwood

Cornus sericea

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum

sulphur cinquefoil

Potentilla recta

Sycamore

Platanus americana

thistle species

Asteraceae

Tree of Heaven

Ailanthus altissimia

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tulipifera

Vine

Parthenocissus sp.

Virginia Creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

White clover

Trifolium repens

White Oak

Quercus alba

White snakeroot

Ageratina altissima

Willow sp.

Salix spp.

Witch Hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

Wood nettle

Laportea canadensis

Woodsorrel

Oxalis sp.

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Yellow hop clover

Trifolium campestre

Yellow wingstem

Verbesina alternifolia

 

Mollusks, common name

 

Mollusks, Scientific name

Herald snail

Carychium minimum

Small spot snail

Punctum minutissimum

Black striate snail

Striatura ferrea

Iroquois Vallonia

Vallonia excentrica

Drapernaud's glass snail

Oxychilus draparnaudi

Ice thorn snail

Carychium exile

Pinhead spot snail

Paralaoma servilis

Globose dome

Ventridens ligera

 

Arthropods, Common name

 

Arthropods, Scientific Name

American house spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Ant mimic sac spider

Castianeira longipalpa

Asiatic Wall jumping spider

Sitticus fasciger

Bumblebee

Bombus sp.

Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Cabbage white butterfly

Pieris rapae

Carpenter ant

Camponotus sp.

Centipede

Scolopendromorpha

Chloropidae fly

Chloropidae

Clubonid spider

Clubionidae sp.

Common water strider

Aquarius remigis

Common white tail dragonfly

Libellulidae

Cross orb weaver

Araneus diadematus

Dragonfly

Aeschnidae

dragonfly

Gomphidae

Eastern bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Ebony jewel wing damselfly

Calopteryx maculata

Elm sack gall aphid

Tetraneura ulmi

Flea jumping spider

Naphryes pulex

Fungus gnat

Cecidomyiidae

Gnat

Chironomidae

Golden jumping spider

Paraphidippus aurantius

Grass fly

Dolichopodidae

Green bottle fly

Calliphoridae

Hackberry emperor

Asterocampa celtis

Harvestman / "Daddy long legs"

Leiobunum ventricosum

Harvestman / "Daddy long legs"

Leiobunum verrucosum

Leafcutting bee

Megachilidae  sp.

Long jawed orb weaver

Tetragnatha sp.

Margined calligrapher

Toxomerus marginatus

Margined leatherwing

Chauliognathus marginatus

Milkweed bug

Oncopeltus fasciatus

Millipede

Diplpoda

Millipede

Pseudopolydesmus sp

Orb weaver

Araenus sp.

Orb weaver

Agriope sp.

Orchard spider

Leucauge venusta

Pearl crescent butterfly

Phyciodes tharos

Poplar petiole gall aphid

Pemphigus populitransversus

Pure green augochlora

Auguchlora pura

Red velvet mite

Trombidiidae

Sac spider

Chira conthium sp.

Sarcophagidae fly

Oestroidea

Sowbug

Isopoda

Spirea aphid

Aphis spiraecola

Spittle bug/froghopper

Cercopoidea

Summer azure

Celastrina neglecta

Sweat bee

Halictidae

Sylanvana jumping spider

Colonus sylvanus

Syrphid Flies

Syrphidae sp.

Unknown green orb spider

Thomisidae sp.

Unknown juvenile crab spider

Thomisidae sp.

Wasp

Vespa sp.

Wedge-shaped beetle

Ripiphoridae

Western honey bee

Apis mellifera

White faced jumping spider

Hentzia mitrata

Zebra jumping spider

Salticus scenicus

 

Fungi and Lichens

 

Amanita amerirubescens 

 

Amanita cokeri (Coker’s Amanita)

 

Amanita flavoconia (Yellow Patches)

 

Amanita minutula 

 

Bjerkandera adusta (Smoky Polypore)

 

Boletus subvelutipes (Red-Mouth Bolete)

 

Candelaria concolor (Candleflame lichen)

 

Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Coral Slime)

 

Crucibulum laeve (White-egg Bird’s-nest Fungus)

 

Cyathus striatus (Splash Cups)

 

Datronia mollis 

 

Exidia recisa (Brown jelly roll)

 

Ganoderma applanatum (Artist’s Conk)

 

Gloeoporus dichrous 

 

Hypomyces hyalinus (Amanita Mold)

 

Inocybe rimosa (Straw-colored Fiber-head)

 

Inocybe unicolor

 

Lactarius quietus var. incanus 

 

Laetiporus sulphureus (Chicken Mushroom; Sulphur Shelf)

 

Leucogloea compressa 

 

Lycogala epidendrum (Wolf’s Milk Slime)

 

Marasmius pulcherripes 

 

Marasmius rotula (Pinwheel Marasmius)

 

Panaeolus foenisecii (The Lawn Mowers Mushroom)

 

Panus conchatus 

 

Parmelia sp (Shield lichens)

 

Phellinus robiniae 

 

Pleurocybella porrigens (Angel-wing Mushroom)

 

Polyporus elegans (Elegant Polypore)

 

Psathyrella candolleana 

 

Resupinatus applicatus (Black Jelly Oyster)

 

Russula mariae (Purple-bloom Russula)

 

Russula tenuiceps

 

Russula vinacea 

 

Ruzenia spermoides 

 

Schizophyllum commune (Split Gill)

 

Scutellinia scutellata (Reddish Eyelash Cup)

 

Stereum complicatum (Crowded Parchment)

 

Stereum ostrea (False Turkey-tail)

 

Trametes versicolor (Turkey-tail)

 

Tylopilus ferrugineus 

 

Xylaria vasconica (prev. known as Xylaria polymorpha)

 

 

Amphibians, Common name

 

Amphibans, Scientific name

Green frog

Lithobates clamitans

 

Reptiles, Common name

 

Reptiles, Scientific name

DeKay's brown snake

Storeria dekayi

 

Mammals, Common name

 

Mammal, Scientific name

Eastern chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

 

Phipps Research and Science Education department would like to thank all of the scientists and researchers who made the BioBlitz possible. Thank you to Dr. Brady Porter, Dr. Sarah Woodley, Dr. Kyle Selcer, Jennifer Broderick and Sara McClelland of Duquesne University; Dr. Tim Pearce of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History; Sebastian Echeverri of the University of Pittsburgh; the Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club; Dr. Ryan Gott of Phipps Conservatory; Christian Neumann of Apoidea; Resilient Pittsburgh; the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy; the Allegheny Land Trust; the Citizen Science Club; PennFuture; the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania; Commonwealth Charter Academy; Hope Grows; GASP; BikePGH; and all of the volunteers and docents who lent their time.