A BioBlitz is an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists, and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period.

PRI has participated in several BioBlitzes, and we run seasonal BioBlitzes in the East Finger Lakes region. Our events are typically 4 days long, encompassing weekdays so that teachers can potentially involve their students in these activities during the school week. These data collection events provide snapshots of the biodiversity of life in our region, important records as human activity is changing the climate, ecosystems, and wildlife habitats. See below for information about our BioBlitzes and data from past events.

Our next BioBlitz: Spring!

April 26-29, 2024

Please join us from wherever you are in the Cayuga Lake basin! We are calling all nature observers to document the life around us using the iNaturalist app. This event is part of our series of seasonal bioblitzes, to help document the diversity of life in our region over time as the climate and other factors change.

You don’t need to be an expert to participate. Create an account on iNaturalist and add the app to your smart phone. Then photograph wild things, or record their sounds, and upload them. Or use a regular camera and upload photos later on your computer. If you don’t know what you’re seeing, no worries – the app will help identify the organisms you observe. And a community of other observers can help you refine the identification later as well.

Project page: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/spring-2024-east-finger-lakes-bioblitz

Do you have questions about participating in bioblitzes or about using iNaturalist? Please contact Ingrid Zabel at zabel@priweb.org.

Past BioBlitzes

Winter 2024 BioBlitz

Held January 26-29, 2024 through iNaturalist

Autumn 2023 BioBlitz

Held October 6-9, 2023 through iNaturalist

Summer 2023 BioBlitz

Held July 28-31, 2023 through iNaturalist

Spring 2023 BioBlitz: City Nature Challenge

Held April 28-May 1, 2023 through iNaturalist

Winter 2023 BioBlitz

Held midnight January 27, 2023 - midnight January 30, 2023 through iNaturalist

Autumn 2022 BioBlitz

Held midnight September 30, 2022 - midnight October 3, 2022 through iNaturalist

Summer 2022 BioBlitz

Held midnight July 29, 2022 - midnight August 1, 2022 through iNaturalist

Spring 2022 BioBlitz: City Nature Challenge

Held April 29 - May 2, 2022 through iNaturalist

Winter 2022 BioBlitz

Held January 28-31, 2022 through iNaturalist

Autumn 2021 BioBlitz - Eastern Finger Lakes

Held October 1-3, 2021 through iNaturalist

Summer 2021 BioBlitz

Held midnight July 23, 2021 - midnight July 25, 2021 through iNaturalist

City Nature Challenge (Spring 2021 BioBlitz)

Held April 30 - May 3, 2021 through iNaturalist

Winter Social Distance BioBlitz 2021

Held January 30 - January 31, 2021 through iNaturalist

Autumn Social Distance BioBlitz 2020

Held October 10 - October 11, 2020 through iNaturalist

Summer Social Distance BioBlitz 2020

Held July 25 - July 26, 2020 through iNaturalist

Spring Social Distance BioBlitz 2020

Held April 25 - April 26, 2020 through iNaturalist

Watch this video to learn about bioblitzes, and how you can join with others to get to know the life in your neighborhood!

SIPS BioBlitz at Cayuga Nature Center & Smith Woods

In September 2017, fourteen taxonomic teams of scientists and volunteers joined forces to count as many species as they could over a 24-hour period at the Cayuga Nature Center and the old-growth forest remnant Smith Woods. This fantastic SIPS BioBlitz event ended up cataloging over 500 macroscopic species and 25,000 species of microbes while also engaging the public in a multitude of exciting activities.

Discoveries