First discoveries from the Bioblitz on the Langen Tag der StadtNatur

With the help of catch nets we were able to catch and identify some insects. © LIB, Steinkröger

 

We were on the prowl: At the Langer Tag der StadtNatur in Hamburg, we organised a Bioblitz in the Niendorfer Gehege. On Saturday 18 June, we not only found numerous species, but also introduced visitors to Hamburg’s biodiversity.

A total of around 80 people attended and wanted to learn more about the local animal species from our experts. On tours through the Niendorf enclosure, we showed where insects, crustaceans, butterflies and worms hide and how to catch them correctly in order to identify them afterwards. We used malaise and ground traps, butterfly and water nets or quite unconventional methods such as rubbing a metal rod on a buried wooden beam to bring worms to light.

Our researchers are still evaluating the results properly, but have already been able to identify over 90 different species that have been found, caught or observed on the Bioblitz: These include birds, lizards, beetles, bugs, earwigs, flies, cicadas, bees, bumblebees, woodlice, butterflies, snails, centipedes, dragonflies and grasshoppers. The list will be extended considerably by the planned genetic analyses of the trap material. We will present the results in more detail in the coming weeks. (The complete list of the interim status is available here as a PDF).

A total of five different tours led through the nature reserve. © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
At our “base” at the Niendorfer Försterei, visitors could research the respective species in books. © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
With the help of these water nets, some crustaceans could be caught in a glass container… © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
In these little plastic bags we can observe even more closely what we were able to catch with the nets. © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
The microscopes revealed even more details of the animals. © LIB, Steinkröger
The Malaise trap had already been set up there by our team beforehand. Together we looked to see what could be found in the collection container. © LIB, Steinkröger
Torsten Demuth from the Neuntöter e.V. takes the container off the Malaise trap. © LIB, Steinkröger
Ground traps have also been previously prepared by researchers to catch a wider variety of species. © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
The participants were able to catch many different types of insects with the net. (see cover picture) © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
The branches were tapped with the net and caught with the umbrella. © LIB, Steinkröger
© Steinkröger
On the yellow screen, small insects are also easier to find and pick up. © LIB, Steinkröger
During the tours, the group discovered exciting species together, such as this Ischnura elegans… © LIB, Steinkröger
…or this Libellula depressa… © LIB, Steinkröger
…and several species of grasshoppers… © LIB, Steinkröger
…and beetles. © LIB, Steinkröger

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