Happy October 1st everyone! The Massachusetts Spot Invasive Insects BioBlitz starts today. If you cannot get outside on this beautiful fall day, you have between now and October 15 to get outside, finds some trees, and take a bunch of photos of anything in, on, or around those trees!

To get you started, below is a link to our pest blog's guide to tree-of-heaven id. If the area you adopt to make your observations has tree-of-heaven nearby, please be sure to check it for signs of spotted lanternfly! Also, if you have friends who you think would like to participate, there is a link to our BioBlitz blog post below as well:

• Tree-of-heaven id guide
• Share a link to our BioBlitz

Happy hunting!

-- Jenn

Hello to everyone who has already joined the project. We have a blog post up that makes it easy for you to let people who you think might be interested know about the October BioBlitz.

Please feel free to share, copy, adapt, etc. the info at this link: https://massnrc.org/pests/blog/?p=3464

You can also grab the text below. We need as many people as possible to join the project so they will get a reminder to submit observations this October.

Massachusetts residents! Join us this October 1 through 15 for our Spot Invasive Insects BioBlitz!

This year’s event will focus on spotted lanternfly and Asian longhorned beetle. All you need to do is

1. Pick a spot where trees are growing
2. From October 1 through 15, record all the living things you see on or near those trees using the iNaturalist website.

More info, including how to register for a free iNaturalist account and what to look for, can be found over at our pest blog: https://massnrc.org/pests/blog/?p=3464

Or, point iNat users directly to the project page: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/spot-invasive-insects-a-massachusetts-bioblitz

• Jenn (questions or ideas? email me at jennifer.forman-orth@mass.gov or message me on iNat)