Thank you so much to all those who joined us for the 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day! Nearly 100 people participated this year, including 18 scientists, 73 attendees, and 5 staff members. Thank you to all who joined us and helped make this event successful! It would not be possible without the experts and specialists who take time out of their busy lives to travel, conduct surveys, and educate the public on the importance of biodiversity. So, thank you again; we’re very grateful.
Additionally, thank you to Greylock Federal Credit Union, which supplied the funding for this year’s event, and thank you to Berkshire Community College for hosting the event!
The final tally of species observed on the Berkshire Community College (BCC) campus during the 2024 Berkshire Biodiversity Day is 503! Below is a taxonomic breakdown; the species lists will be posted soon.
- 188 arthropods (156 were insect species)
- 104 plants
- 84 birds
- 57 fungi (including lichen)
- 52 algae
- 11 herps (reptiles & amphibians)
- 6 mammals
- 1 fish
Celebrating local biodiversity during a time of unprecedented global biodiversity loss, the 15th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Day (aka Berkshire BioBlitz) welcomes community members of all ages to join biologists, naturalists, and environmentalists to identify as many plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as possible during a 24-hour period.
This year’s program is packed with guided walks, presentations, and demonstrations led by experts. Presentation topics include: native plants as insect habitat from Charley Eiseman, moths and how to observe them from Carla Rhodes, lichen from Kay Hurley, and arthropods from Bryan “Professor Bugman” Man.
Professor Tom Tyning will lead an amphibian, reptile, and small mammal walk that will involve checking under cover boards—a common surveying method used by herpetologists. Rene Wendell from Hoffmann Bird Club will lead an owl prowl, and Matthew Rymkiewicz will lead a demo on how to lightsheet for moths. Early Saturday morning, Ben Nickley of Berkshire Bird Observatory will also conduct a mist netting and bird banding demo, and Jonathan Pierce and Rene Wendell, two formers presidents of Hoffmann Bird Club, will lead an early morning bird walk.
Click here for a detailed schedule of the program.
DATE: Friday, September 13 to Saturday, September 14
TIME: Noon to Noon (12pm–12pm)
LOCATION: Berkshire Community College, 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA 01201 » Meet in the lobby of the Koussevitzky Arts Center. (Campus Map)
This year’s program is organized and sponsored by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) and Nature Academy of the Berkshires. It’s co-sponsored by Berkshire Community College, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Panera.
The four slideshow presentations, which cover topics ranging from native plants to lichen to insects, will each last approximately 45 minutes and include a Q&A. They will take place in the K-111 Auditorium in the Koussevitzky Arts Center on the BCC campus.
Carla Rhodes presents: “Moth Mystique: Illuminating the Dark Side of Winged Wonders” on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 PM
Carla Rhodes, a renowned conservation photographer with published works in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and more, will present on Friday, September 13, at 7 PM.
While showcasing her backyard moth photography, Carla will share why this group of insects is essential to our ecosystem and how to steward your outdoor surroundings to attract moths. She will cover the basics of “mothing” with simple setups for attracting and observing these nocturnal winged wonders.
Following Carla’s talk, there will be a demonstration of how to light-sheet for moths.
Charley Eiseman presents: “Native Plants as Insect Habitat” on Friday, Sept. 13 at 4:30 PM
Charley Eiseman, a freelance naturalist and author based in western Massachusetts who has been conducting plant and wildlife surveys and natural resource inventories throughout New England for 25 years, will speak about native plant species and their host-specific insects on Friday, September 13, at 4:30 PM.
Each native plant species has a suite of host-specific insects that depend on it for food. Even allowing a single “weed” to grow in your garden can significantly increase its habitat value, and choosing to plant native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers will cause your yard to teem with life.
Using several common New England plants as examples, Charley will introduce us to some of these insects, their natural history, and signs of their presence to look for on their host plants. His close-up photos will provide an unusual perspective on the tiny animals that are going about their lives right under our noses.
Bryan “Professor Bugman” Man presents: “From Stigma to Significance: Arthropods and Us” on Friday, Sept. 13 at 2:30 PM
Bryan “Professor Bugman” Man, founder of Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures, will present on Friday, September 13, at 2:30 PM and speak about why it’s more important than ever to learn about, understand, and embrace the largest and most diverse group of animals our world has ever seen.
Arthropods often carry a stigma in our culture. Despite half a billion years of evolutionary success, arthropods are facing a dark and looming threat from human destruction. Likewise, humans are in danger of what might happen if we don’t recognize the importance and wonder of these beings before they’re gone. From radar blackouts to genetic illnesses, fueling food chains, and saving agriculture, learn about the immense impact arthropods have on our world and find out just how fascinating and vital they truly are and why everyone should care.
Kay Hurley presents: “Linchen: Their Roles in Nature and Their Secrete” on Friday, Sept. 13 at 1:30 PM
Kay Hurley, an avid naturalist who has studied lichen for 20 years and a published author, will present on the fascinating world of lichens, the underdogs of the fungal world, on Friday, September 13, at 1:30 PM.
Kay will reveal the surprising roles lichens play in the lives of various creatures, from majestic reindeer to tiny tardigrades to human use. Learn how lichens have made their mark on every corner of the globe, from Ecuador’s lush tropical forests to the Galápagos Islands to the Berkshires.
She will delve into lichen’s unique reproductive strategies, including those that don’t involve sexual reproduction, and uncover how these resilient, slow-growing organisms have influenced artists and writers, from Henry David Thoreau to contemporary creators. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast or a curious mind, this presentation will illuminate the hidden wonders of lichens and their impact on both the environment and human culture.
Whoa! The 14th Annual Berkshire Biodiversity Days that took place on Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24, from noon to noon and was a wet adventure. We think it stopped raining for a whole 10 minutes. But it was an educational experience for all involved!!
Thank you to Chelsey Simmons for all the amazing organization for this years event and to the Greenagers who generously hosted this year’s event at their two properties in South Egremont, MA: April Hill and Bow Wow Woods. (Link to map) What a cool place!!
And thank you to our presenters and volunteers.
The first tally 308 species (updates to come):
Spiders: 13
Opillions: 3
Insects: 5
Fungi: 133
Millipedes: 2
Lichen: 10
Plants: 30
Trees: 16
Birds: 36
Mammals: 3
Algae: 23
Ameboea: 27
Amphibians: 7
This year’s program was packed with guided walks, presentations, and demonstrations led by experts. Presentation topics included: leaf-mining insects from Charley Eiseman, fungi and mushrooms from John Wheeler, and arachnids from Joseph Warfel. Aliza Fassler spoke about native bees and lead a wild bee walk. Professor Tom Tyning lead an amphibian and reptile walk. Rene Wendell from Hoffmann Bird Club will lead a crazy owl prowl and an early morning bird walk, and Ben Nickley of Berkshire Bird Observatory also conducted a bird banding demo.
Lists (more to come)
SPEAKERS
Charley Eiseman will speak about leafminers: insect larvae that spend at least part of their lives feeding between the thin, outer (epidermal) layers of leaves. In North America, they include over 2000 species of moths, flies, beetles, and sawflies, belonging to over 50 different families.
These insects are typically quite host-specific, and the form of the mine varies considerably depending on what insect produces it. As a result, it is often possible to identify the responsible insect using only the host plant and mine characteristics.
After a decade of reviewing the relevant literature, traveling throughout the continent, and collecting and rearing thousands of leafminers, Charley has completed a guide to the North American species that includes keys to the mines found on each plant genus. This slideshow presentation will introduce the major groups of leafminers, drawing all of the examples from among the 200+ species he found in his yard in 2020.
Charley Eiseman is a freelance naturalist based in western Massachusetts. He has been conducting plant and wildlife surveys and natural resource inventories throughout New England for over 20 years, as well as teaching courses and workshops on interpreting animal tracks and sign (both vertebrate and invertebrate). He holds an MS in Botany (Field Naturalist) from the University of Vermont and a BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation and Management from the University of Massachusetts. Charley is the author of Tracks & Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates (Stackpole Books, 2010), Leafminers of North America (self-published e-book, 2019; second edition, 2022), and an insect-themed blog called “BugTracks.” He has also published over 60 scientific papers on insect natural history, including the description of over 75 new species. http://charleyeiseman.com/
John Wheeler presents: “Local Mushrooms and Their Roles in the Ecosystem” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3:30 PM
John Wheeler will speak about local mushrooms and their roles in the ecosystem. He’ll go over the symbiotic relationship between plant roots and fungi (mycorrhizal fungi) and mushrooms that get their nutrients by digesting dead or decaying organic matter such as leaves, pine needles, and wood (saprobic fungi). After doing so, he will talk about what fungi he found while surveying Bow Wow Woods that day and also touch on some of the trees that live symbiotically with the fungi.
John Wheeler found a passion for mushrooms in 1988 and has remained passionate about them since. He is one of the founding members of the Berkshire Mycological Society, established in 2000, and has been leading walks most Sundays since its inception.
Joseph Warfel presents: “What is a Spider and What is Not” on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 1:30 PM
Joseph Warfel will give an overview of spiders and their relatives, including brief life histories of arachnids and their place in nature and the global ecosystem.
Joseph Warfel is originally from the Pacific Northwest in Oregon and moved to Massachusetts for employment as an R&D machinist/cleanroom technician at MIT/Lincoln Laboratory—now retired. He had long had a growing curiosity about spiders that developed into a more serious study and learning after meeting Professor Herbert Levi of Harvard University. Joe soon joined the American Arachnological Society and British Arachnological Society and has remained a member for the last three-plus decades.
Over the last three decades, his photography of spiders has been featured in Natural History Magazine, Outside, AMC Journal, National Audubon Field Guides, scientific papers, calendars, and children’s books. They have also been displayed at gallery exhibitions and venues, such as the Harvard MCZ and Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
As a self-proclaimed “amateur” and “non-academic,” Joe is always learning and enjoys sharing what “small amount” of knowledge he has gained. During the last twenty-five years, he has participated in BioBlitz across Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Aliza Fassler presents: “Meet the Native Bees of New England” on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 10 AM
In North America, there are approximately 4,000 species of wild bees that are critical for pollinating plants in our forests, gardens, and fields. Aliza Fassler will talk about the diversity of bee species in New England and how to help them in yards and gardens. She’ll go into where bees go during winter, how to tell a bee from a wasp, how to tell a native bee from a honey bee, and what native bee species one might see in their yard. Additionally, Aliza will discuss how we can better manage our forests to support wild bee communities, something she’s been studying through her ongoing PhD research.
Aliza Fassler is a Graduate Researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, studying wild bees. She grew up in Greenfield, Massachusetts, with a love for forests, and she is passionate about sharing her love for wild bees and other insects! Aliza’s PhD research focuses on improving habitats for wild bees as part of sustainable logging practices in the Lower Midwest. This research could help improve open flower-rich habitats for wild bees in forests all over the Midwest.
Berkshire Biodiversity Day 2022
What a blast! Our 24-hour biodiversity survey at Brattlebrook Conservation Area in Pittsfield, MA went much better than we expected with the dry weather we had this year.
We had 21 specialists on hand and 9 volunteers. Thank you all!!
The latest tally is:
66 Birds
18 Spiders
2 Harvestmen
8 Mammals
4 Crustacea
32 Trees
9 Ferns
4 Herps/Amphibians
66 Bryophytes
56 Mosses
10 Liverworts
115 Insects
60 Plants
8 Mollusks
8 Hexopods
72 Fungi
18 Lichens
Total identified and sent in: 556
2022 Lists:
There were two owls out during the day, not at the “Owl Prowl”, but we did hear a deer, and Zach Adams (the leader of the walk) called in a helicopter — a new one for him!
Thank you to everyone who participated!
Sponsored by BEAT and Nature Academy of the Berkshires, The Pittsfield Conservation Commission, the Hoffmann Bird Club, and Greylock Federal Credit Union.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Earth Week (the week surrounding Earth Day), do-it-yourself BioBlitz around Berkshire County. You can find the link to the iNaturalist project here.
We had 361 observations, 194 species, 154 identifiers and 78 observers.
Questions? Email team@thebeatnews.org, and we’ll help you out!
See previous year’s Berkshire BioBlitz results here.
iNaturalist and eBird are particularly easy-to-use resources for the beginner naturalist, and both have a webpage and free mobile app forms.
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A huge thank you to everyone who participated in Berkshire Bioblitz 2020! We had observations from every part of Berkshire County.
DATES: September 1 to September 30, 2020 (Yes the entire month!)
The initial tally (more fungi and birds lists are being compiled):
Observations: 1,472
Species: 714
Identifiers: 229
Observers: 257
Fungi: 125
Plants: 364
Insects: 139
Arachnids: 15
Amphibians: 9
Reptiles: 6
Birds: 24
Mammals: 13
Others: 7
Berkshire Bioblitz usually is a 24 hour survey in a specific location, however this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bioblitz was revamped to keep social distancing by having observers go out on their own upload their information and then we are bringing together into one country-wide biodiversity project using iNaturalist.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/berkshire-bioblitz-2020
And for you homeschoolers, there is the City Nature Challenge Toolkit <https://citynaturechallenge.org/education-toolkit/> we found on the LA City Nature Challenge website and we are linking it because it’s really good. (Bioblitzer extraordinaire, Lila Higgins, at the LA Natural History Museum did all the leg work for us.)
Guidelines:
- Choose your spot. It can be your yard, your house, a park, a parking lot-the grill of your vehicle. Be creative (light fixtures have the rarest of little insects I’ve discovered.)
- Keep a record of what you find. Include your name, the date, the location and the identification to species (although if you can’t figure out the species, genus, family, common names are all acceptable), how many you find, and any notes you would like. You can do this directly with iNaturalist. If you don’t have access to this you can email <natureacademy@protonmail.com> me and I’ll send you the excel spreadsheet, or write it on a piece of paper, napkin, back of an envelope, we will take anything. You can email it to us or send it snail mail via the USPS to us at:
BEAT
20 Chapel St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201 - Share your Berkshire Bioblitz finds and photos on social media and use #Berkshirebioblitz2020
Helpful hints to think about while you are doing your survey based on the National Geographic Bioblitz learning and science outcomes.
WHAT’S HERE?
How many different species can you find in your survey area?
Which species and taxa are most common, the most abundant? Why do you think this is?
Which species are most surprising or intriguing?
What signs of wildlife do we see (e.g., scat, tracks, bones, feathers, marks)?
Are there invasive or exotic species?
Which species are captive/cultivated?
What stages of life are represented (i.e., egg, pupa, larva, juvenile, adult)?
WHY HERE?
What plants are hosts for pollinators?
What food sources draw certain species to this place?
What shelter options does this space provide for living things?
What conditions make it possible for seeds to be dispersed here? Do seeds to grow here?
What migratory species pass through this area, and when? How does the migration change from season to season and year to year?
How does the level of biodiversity here compare to other places in the region?
Are there corridors or pathways where migratory species travel?
How are the species present interdependent? As part of food chains and food webs? In symbiotic relationships?
WHY CARE?
How do we as humans affect this natural environment?
Is the biodiversity here changing?
Are invasive species harming the natural environment? In what ways?
How do the species present contribute to environmental health and community resilience?
How would this place and its biodiversity change if this natural environment were no longer here?
Berkshire BioBlitz 2019 had a small, yet mighty, group of experts and local citizens for the 10th Annual Bioblitz at Springside Park in Pittsfield. The monarch butterflies where out in full force. We set up home base at the Springside House off upper North St. (Rt. 7) and had some great collecting, stimulating conversation and a bit of entertainment.
The 2019 Berkshire Bioblitz Tally:
Amphibians: 4
Trees: 43
Vascular Plants: 237
Slime Molds: 2
Insects: 55
Ferns: 8
Mollusks: 2
Annelid: 1
Arachnids: 1
Birds: 72
Mammals: 5
Fungi: 29
TOTAL: 459
Springside Park Bioblitz Lets Participants Get in Touch with Nature Literally –Berkshire Eagle
2019 Berkshire BioBlitz Report
Some of the interesting finds:
2019 Berkshire Bioblitz: a gall made by the little wasp Cecidomyiidae. Funky eh?
My rare find at the Berkshire Bioblitz: Grizzle Spur-throated Grasshopper
This was a FREE event!
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Thanks to everyone who turned out for the the 9th annual Berkshire Bioblitz at Hopkins Forest September 15th-16th, 2018. Approximately 150 Biologists, students and volunteers from throughout the region took to the woods, wetlands and fields in search of as many forms of life as could be found. Taxonomic groups covered included algae, vascular plants, trees, fungi, aquatic insects, moths, spiders, fish, birds, amphibians and mammals. We even had a team out surveying slime molds this year! We are still compiling the results which will be posted soon. Thank you to all the scientists, volunteers, visitors, and sponsors who helped make this year’s Bioblitz a success.
The initial tally for the day (with more to come!)
Tally to date:
77 Bryophytes
13 Liverworts
64 Mosses
74 Woody Plants
19 Plants & Herbs
41 Arachnids
5 Fish
57 Butterflies and Moths
1 Nematode
10 Mammals
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361 initial count
This year’s event was hosted by Williams College and co-sponsored by Dr. Augie’s Science Education Programs and Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).
Berkshire Bioblitz poster 2018
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2017 BERKSHIRE BIOBLITZ
SEPTEMBER 16-17 | GREAT BARRINGTON
This year’s Berkshire Bioblitz was held in Great Barrington MA at Thomas & Palmer Brook as part of the 50 year celebration of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council.
Finally tally for the day was: 503 species.
We found one of the biggest red oak trees in Berkshire County measuring 16 feet across! Some rare algae, a rare dwarf horsetail rush and the beaver entertained us during the owl prowl by slapping his tail and getting water all over Berkshire Naturalist: Jason Crockwell.
This year’s Berkshire Bioblitz was hosted by Berkshire Natural Resources Council, and sponsored by Dr. Augie’s and the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). Special thanks to Mariah from BNRC and Elizabeth from BEAT for all their help and organization.
Updated list of organisms in the works. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Follow the signs for parking.
Berkshire BioBlitz Press Release 2017
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Berkshire BioBlitz 2016 took place in the area around Mt. Greylock Reservation Visitor’s Center Saturday June 18 to Sunday June 19, 2016.
The tally at the end of the 24 hours was 563 species. Several of the experts are still identifying to species. These numbers will be added to the counts as they come in over the next few months.
Breakdown:
Vascular plants: 120
Fungi: 42
Lichens: 46
Bryophytes (mosses etc.): 34
Arthropods including spiders and centipedes: 174
Mollusks: 3
Amphibians: 4
Reptiles: 1
Birds: 36
Mammals: 5
With regards to “big finds”, MA State Botanist
(Bob Wernerehl), who attended and led our plant survey, found at least one plant new to Massachusetts: a variety of a grass (genus: Poa). It is known from the northern New England states, but this was the first record for Massachusetts.
With regards to lichens: One “big find” is that there were far less “reindeer lichens” (Cladonia species) in the Rounds Rock area than there were 20 years ago.
The tallies are being added regularly to iNaturalist project: Berkshire BioBlitz 2016.
Here is the link to the observations posted to date:
http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/berkshire-bioblitz
2016 Berkshire Bioblitz Report
Thank you to all the experts and organizers that volunteered their time to collect and count and educate!
More photos and lists to come!
This year’s event is sponsored by the Massachusetts Geographic Alliance under a grant from National Geographic Education Foundation and Elms College and co-sponsored by Dr. Augie’s Science Education Programs and Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT).
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What is a Bioblitz? The BioBlitz is an opportunity for biologists, naturalists and environmentalists to work in collaboration with the general public to gather in a given area and in a 24-hour period to complete a formal survey of all living species and see first-hand the importance of a healthy, active ecosystem in their own community.
Although the biological survey is the “core” of the Berkshire BioBlitz, adds an extra event “Berkshire Biological Identification Days”. This is where the general public is invited to bring their unidentified, curious, baffling biological specimens or items like feathers, fossils, eggs, seeds, insects and weird curly things from personal collections and our experts will take a look and see if they can identify the specimen. If we can’t identify the specimen we will find someone who can!
Berkshire Bioblitz offers a variety of family-friendly, interactive, nature-oriented nature walks and conversations taking place throughout the day. Examples of some programs are mammal tracking workshops, invasive species identification exhibit, a“Firefly Count” and a “Moth-Light” demonstration.
We encourage everyone to take advantage of this unique FREE annual event. It will expand your mind.
