I try!
In photos, I tend to instantly look for the plant first, like you. If the user is still active I ask them whether they’ve considered copying the observation, one per species.
When I’m out observing, though, my ADHD (as well as some training in the security sector) has me snapping to pay attention to basically any thing that moves. As I result, despite the fact that I focus on plants, they are only about half of my observations…
Adding a comment to the record suggesting they duplicate the record for the plant would be good. I forget to do that for records with two identifiable organisms.
We get to post what we like, and I have no trouble with people not posting plants. I just see a lost opportunity when the plant is already photo’d and posted for the insect, but not for the plant. Sorry that I seemed to be saying more.
Plant blindness, interesting.
I always thought plants were interesting because they vary depending on where you go and of course make the habitat for everything else. Learning which plants are on the hikes I go on seemed to be the easiest introduction to an ecosystem.
I have since learned that plants are highly dependent on the geology. And the soil. Therefore a study of geology of an area lets you know what kind of plants can exist there.
Plants are host to Insects, which support bird life and other life. Wood rats and other herbivores eat particular plants and prefer particular plants. When you start looking into what insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles prefer - certain plants, you start to see the whole ecosystem.
And don’t forget microorganisms, algae, fungi, invertebrates, Protozoa, and lichen. Let’s all start looking at the whole ecosystem.
And the reverse as well! Useful for those of us interested in both geology and botany as well as to prospectors.
I often don’t think to do this because I’m focused on the insects (so “plant blindness” in that situation), have limited time, assume the plant would require a bunch more angles, or I think it’s a common plant that I see everywhere. But I will gladly duplicate the observation if alerted!
I usually leave a comment if I see Fly Death Fungus on a hover fly in an observation to let the user know, and I know another user who comments about flowers they’re pollinating.
With regard to the plant blindness and its effect on iNaturalist, Observation of the Day is likely influenced by this. Plants are disproportionately underrepresented there when comparing observation numbers and observed species numbers (unsurprisingly, orchids are the only group I could find that are slightly over-represented with regard to observation numbers). This may have to do with plant observations getting fewer “faves” than the others as I think I’ve read somewhere that this has some influence over how easy it is to find observations of the day.
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