# Annotation Needs

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [May 15, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185 "2025-05-15T19:33:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![theresephillips](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/theresephillips/32/45403_2.png) [@theresephillips](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/theresephillips)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/1 "2025-05-15T19:33:49Z")

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Is there any specific taxons that need to be annotated specifically or generally (specifically in the PNW of Washington and Oregon)? Wondering since I know there are research that uses the annotations and looking for ways to do more annotations and want to help contribute.

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**Author:** ![AdamWargon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/adamwargon/32/44649_2.png) [@AdamWargon](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/AdamWargon)\
**Post date:** [May 15, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/2 "2025-05-15T21:37:08Z")

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Yes, I saw Carrie’s email today requesting annotators for phenology. Which I thought was interesting, given the massive pushback that iNat has received about CNC, and the relative silence from head office.

I did join the NPN (National Phenology Network, in the USA) based on that email.

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**Author:** ![calvertm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@calvertm](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/calvertm)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 2:56pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/3 "2025-05-16T14:56:35Z")

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I’m not sure about specific research needs, but an easy one might be annotating life stage for Lepidoptera (moths/butterflies/caterpillars). It’s usually very obvious whether the record is an adult (moth/butterfly), a larva (caterpillar), a pupa (cocoon), or an egg. There are some that are trickier or should maybe be left unannotated (wingless females, bagworms, leafmines, etc), but it’s usually very straightforward.

I’ve already finished all US and Canada Research Grade records observed in 2023 or earlier, and I’m now annotating US Needs ID for 2023 and earlier, but there’s still much to do there, and I haven’t looked at any observations post-2023. It’d be pretty satisfying to get this group to 100% annotated for another area. Some states are already there thanks to the generous contributions of other users, but Washington and Oregon still have a ways to go.

Here’s a sneak peak of Lepidoptera records that need annotations in the [Needs ID](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=47157&without_term_id=1) and [Research Grade](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=47157&without_term_id=1&d1=2024-01-01) categories.

Other useful annotations might be [flowers](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research%2Cneeds_id&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=211194&without_term_id=12) or [leaf coloration](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research%2Cneeds_id&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=211194&without_term_id=36) for plants, alive/dead for species that are frequent roadkill (e.g. [opossums](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research%2Cneeds_id&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=42652&without_term_id=17)), or life stage for other easily distinguishable species (e.g. [dragonflies](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research%2Cneeds_id&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=47792&photos=true&without_term_id=1), [frogs](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=research%2Cneeds_id&order_by=random&place_id=65818&taxon_id=20979&photos=true&without_term_id=1)).

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**Author:** ![squidtk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/squidtk/32/7385_2.png) [@squidtk](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/squidtk)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/4 "2025-05-16T15:09:51Z")

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> [@calvertm](#):
>
> an easy one might be annotating life stage for Lepidoptera

If _any_ insect can fly, it’s an adult

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**Author:** ![DianaStuder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dianastuder/32/43358_2.png) [@DianaStuder](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/DianaStuder)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/5 "2025-05-16T17:22:23Z")

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If you ever have reason to use a phenology graph - you can work on the taxon that interests you. The cogwheel on the graph takes you to a quick and easy way to annotate. (Use keyboard shortcuts L and L for Lifestage and Larva for caterpillars)

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**Author:** ![hedaja](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/hedaja/32/20128_2.png) [@hedaja](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/hedaja)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2025, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/6 "2025-05-16T21:04:39Z")

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It definitely is a rather easy group to start with and can be useful for identification and research. That’s why I am working on it right now.  
I can highly recommend the [Universal Metadata Tool](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/announcing-the-universal-metadata-tool-beta/53182/) for annotating. Like 90% of all observations in Lepidoptera are quite obvious and can be easily done in bulk. The ones that are not clear, can then be quickly annotated with the shortcut buttons.  
For anyone interested, here is my configuration for annotating Lepidoptera. Just save it in a new textfile as a .json and import it into the tool

> **JSON config**
>
> ```auto
> {
> "configurationSets": [
> {
> "name": "Lepidoptera",
> "buttons": [
> {
> "id": "1730368570423",
> "name": "Adult",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "A",
> "ctrlKey": false,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": true
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "1",
> "annotationValue": "2"
> },
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "22",
> "annotationValue": "24"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1730368598151",
> "name": "Larva",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "L",
> "ctrlKey": false,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": true
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "1",
> "annotationValue": "6"
> },
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "22",
> "annotationValue": "24"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1733088202208",
> "name": "Male",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "",
> "ctrlKey": false,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": false
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "9",
> "annotationValue": "11"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1733088218451",
> "name": "Female",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "F",
> "ctrlKey": true,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": false
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "9",
> "annotationValue": "10"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1733304466859",
> "name": "Construction",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "C",
> "ctrlKey": true,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": false
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "22",
> "annotationValue": "35"
> },
> {
> "type": "reviewed",
> "reviewed": "mark"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1733816304718",
> "name": "Leafmine",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "",
> "ctrlKey": false,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": false
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "22",
> "annotationValue": "32"
> },
> {
> "type": "reviewed",
> "reviewed": "mark"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> },
> {
> "id": "1743761773942",
> "name": "Pupa",
> "shortcut": {
> "key": "",
> "ctrlKey": false,
> "shiftKey": false,
> "altKey": false
> },
> "actions": [
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "1",
> "annotationValue": "4"
> },
> {
> "type": "annotation",
> "annotationField": "22",
> "annotationValue": "24"
> }
> ],
> "buttonHidden": false,
> "configurationDisabled": false
> }
> ],
> "observationFieldMap": {},
> "customOrder": [
> "1730368570423",
> "1730368598151",
> "1733088202208",
> "1733088218451",
> "1733304466859",
> "1733816304718",
> "1743761773942"
> ],
> "sortMethod": "custom"
> }
> ],
> "currentSetName": "Lepidoptera",
> "customLists": []
> }
> 
> ```

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**Author:** ![frontyardscientist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/frontyardscientist/32/31226_2.png) [@frontyardscientist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/frontyardscientist)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/7 "2025-05-18T03:02:36Z")

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Congratulations on your MILLIONS of annotations! That must have taken you so long

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/annotation-needs/65185/8 "2025-07-17T03:02:42Z")

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