It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Weekend

Page 4

Examining a specimen

Show and Tell:
Focusing on small species is unusual for a bioblitz. Inviting public participation is not. While the official volunteers worked and rested, kids caught bugs in nets and terrariums, examined specimens under microscopes in makeshift labs and inspected rare plants and mollusks on paper plates. That’s good news for bioblitz coordinator Art Evans always on the lookout for budding biologists.
Photos © David Nicolas

Biodiversity just Beyond the Beltway
Throughout the weekend, the Conservancy and other sponsors have hosted events here to let local residents know about the wealth of species in their own back yard. “Most people don’t think of a place so close to an urban center as being a hot spot of biodiversity,” explains David Dadurka, a spokesman for the Conservancy.

Yesterday, kids of all ages visited the “butterfly lady,” who delighted them with monarchs and Baltimore checkerspots. Other children sampled water from Minnehaha Branch for pollution and inspected “Life
in the Leaf Litter.”

Now on the final afternoon of the bioblitz, the rain has stopped, and Kim Harrell, an employee of a Richmond-area nature center, sits at an exhibit table, showing off the bioblitz finds. Arranged on paper plates covering the table are more than a dozen fungi and slime molds, all collected here this weekend. A woman visiting the park stops to ask questions about the labeled specimens. Harrell points out a wood-ear fungus, which, she says, “looks like the ears of a strange little dwarf.”

Then there’s dog-vomit fungus, which looks pretty much like it sounds.

When the bug safari gets going, it’s the kids who are doing the collecting. The Conservancy’s Deborah Landau leads them to a nearby patch of woods. She lends each child a net or a miniature plastic terrarium. A boy who’s missing his front teeth spots a butterfly and starts chasing it with his terrarium. “Get that bug!” he yells to a friend. His friend runs and waves his net, alternately going after the butterfly and his buddy. Then Landau heads off to the woods, followed by a line of excited kids swinging their butterfly nets.

An Unexpected Ovation
It’s been a sweaty, intense weekend for the bioblitzers, and they look a bit ragged as they file into a big tent for closing ceremonies. The Van Gelders are there along with other herp team members. Beetle leader Evans sits in the back, Wirth and Francois nearby.

Dozens of park visitors have come as well to meet the better-known stars of the weekend’s event, Martin and Chris Kratt of PBS’ “Kratts’ Creatures” and “Zoboomafoo.” The Kratt brothers bound onto the stage and start their back-and-forth patter. “So what did all the researchers find, Chris?” Martin asks. “By volunteering,” Chris explains, “the researchers have helped the Park Service get almost two years of field research, all in one intense weekend effort.” Applause fills the tent.

“The total is just over 1,000 species, and that’s just the initial count,” Chris Kratt says. “Some of the exciting things that scientists found were … ,” says Martin Kratt, pausing for effect: “A new beetle for Virginia! Two new seeps with globally rare amphipods! A moth that’s new to science!” The crowd applauds each announcement.

It’s not every day these champions of biodiversity get an ovation. They are the unknown documenting the inglorious. From the back, Art Evans looks around, takes in the scene and allows himself a small, satisfied smile.

Dan Ferber is a correspondent for Science. His articles have also appeared in Reader’s Digest, Popular Science and Audubon.

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