# What do you include in the ''Notes'' sections in your observations? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Tags:** question\ **Created:** [March 2, 2025, 2:05am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310 "2025-03-02T02:05:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lynnharper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/lynnharper/32/22908_2.png) [@lynnharper](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/lynnharper)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/21 "2025-03-02T21:17:06Z")
You are reminding me that I include what plant a gall or leafminer is found on in the notes. ---
**Author:** ![jasonhernandez74](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jasonhernandez74/32/33615_2.png) [@jasonhernandez74](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jasonhernandez74)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/22 "2025-03-02T22:31:35Z")
I comment if I have relied on the CV suggestions. Now, bear in mind, I don’t just pick the top one; I do checke them visually to find the best match, and I see if the CV gives the same suggestion for several images of the same observation. Still, I feel that mentioning the CV use is important. One thing that I don’t understand is people who note the weather or temperature when observing a plant. For some species, that might affect whether a flower opens or closes, but its not going to affect whether the plant is in that place at that time. For insects, it makes more sense. ---
**Author:** ![ItsMeLucy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/49beb7/32.png) [@ItsMeLucy](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ItsMeLucy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/23 "2025-03-02T23:01:07Z")
> [@jasonhernandez74](#): > > One thing that I don’t understand is people who note the weather or temperature when observing a plant. I cannot answer for everyone but we have a number of species here that are triggered by rain (rain trees, rain lilies) . We also have species here that do specific things during specific weather seasons, like Ceibas who lose their leaves in dry season then flower and fruit (there is a circle I pass frequently with a wonderful statue of Xtabay in it and of course a Ceiba in the middle of the statue and currently fruit hanging low). When it turns VERY hot, the fruit pop open, releasing a cottony substance called kapok, which houses the seeds, and these go everywhere and in places look like snow. So that is why sometimes for plants I might note the weather. ---
**Author:** ![invertebratist](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/invertebratist/32/33400_2.png) [@invertebratist](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/invertebratist)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 7:46am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/24 "2025-03-03T07:46:12Z")
Oh yes it is called Notes. I have no idea why I always thought it was called Descriptions! ---
**Author:** ![vbjanos](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/vbjanos/32/28910_2.png) [@vbjanos](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/vbjanos)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/25 "2025-03-03T15:27:14Z")
It depends on how important I think the observation could be. I will put in more effort if I have a good set of photos and intend to use it as reference or if the subject is rare. Other times I just need to say something. These are the categories I might include: **Habitat** : If it is not obvious from the photos, I will comment on the environment. Stream, spring or a bog on a usually dry hillside; floodplain or bank of a waterway; type of rock a plant is growing on. I mention soil type sometimes. **Declaration** : When there are multiple potential subjects, I just say which one is the observation for. **Features** : Anything that cannot be documented by a photo. Smell is helpful for Correa, Cymbopogon and Anthoxanthum. Describing how flexible, soft or sticky a plant can be important, too. Anything that my photos don’t show well, either due to photo quality or a messy picture that needs interpretation. Measurements in the 25 - 125 cm range. Anything smaller, I can show against a ruler or my hand; anything bigger or longer shows up against the landscape. Sometimes I forget to take photos of important features, these go in the comments. **Project Notes** : I report the number or estimated number of specimens for orchids only, also comment on orchids taken and what’s left after. **Messages** to other people viewing the observation - iNat is a community after all. Sometimes I add detailed instructions how to find the subject if I think it might be useful for someone. It could be a just a generic comment. I do not identify the subject in the notes. It could be wrong and editing notes takes more time than editing comments. ---
**Author:** ![jweaver22](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jweaver22/32/69469_2.png) [@jweaver22](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jweaver22)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/26 "2025-03-08T16:41:48Z")
I normally don’t write much unless it’s a type of fungi. So I’ll write the forest type, if it’s growing at the base of a tree, clustered or solitary, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jasonhernandez74](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jasonhernandez74/32/33615_2.png) [@jasonhernandez74](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jasonhernandez74)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/27 "2025-03-08T22:57:00Z")
> [@jweaver22](#): > > I’ll write the forest type Yes! Some mycorrhizal fungi are only found on conifers, others only on hardwoods. Some even specialize further. The kind of trees nearby can be a trait used in identification. ---
**Author:** ![phma](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/phma/32/54376_2.png) [@phma](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/phma)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/28 "2025-03-08T23:37:33Z")
Here are some of mine: > Most of them have five petals, but at least one has four. > The dusty place is the edge of the floor. > This is a burl. What caused it? The tree is at [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/263134292](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/263134292) . > The briar, not the tree. Smilax? > The GPS pole is not at the coordinates; that’s just where I parked it. The point is to the left of the pole in the first picture. > The closest foreground trunk on the ground appears to be a hickory too, but this is a reobservation of the tree in [https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/249741493](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/249741493), which is the background tree which has its root at the right side of the picture, rises at an angle, and levels off to nearly horizontal. ---
**Author:** ![janetfb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/janetfb/32/14108_2.png) [@janetfb](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/janetfb)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2025, 2:42am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/29 "2025-03-09T02:42:34Z")
Alot of my observations are on my own 3 acre property. So, I will note where I found it “near the creek”, “In east field” or “outside the fence” so I know here I found it. It doesnt help anyone else, I know, but helps me. To make myself a better observer, I am now trying to note the species of tree it was found on or which flower the bee was visiting, etc. If in a park, was it near the trail or near the parking lot, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![dgwdoesthings](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dgwdoesthings/32/40801_2.png) [@dgwdoesthings](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/dgwdoesthings)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/30 "2025-03-09T21:37:29Z")
> [@janetfb](#): > > which flower the bee was visiting I don’t know if you use observation fields but you should consider using [Interaction-\>Visited flower of](https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields/3126) for this and check out the other “interaction” observation fields [https://www.inaturalist.org/observation\_fields?order=asc&order\_by=created\_at&q=interaction-\>](https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields?order=asc&order_by=created_at&q=interaction-%3E) ---
**Author:** ![janetfb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/janetfb/32/14108_2.png) [@janetfb](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/janetfb)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/31 "2025-03-10T01:11:09Z")
How can i email these forum comment sto myself or save them in a document? ---
**Author:** ![dgwdoesthings](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/dgwdoesthings/32/40801_2.png) [@dgwdoesthings](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/dgwdoesthings)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2025, 5:16am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/32 "2025-03-10T05:16:15Z")
you could copy them and paste them into an email to yourself or a word processing document you can also copy a link to a comment by clicking ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/f/0/f0a3d499764dd518d8f62be6eb8c8501fa623844.png) symbol or you can click the 3 dots and then the ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/1/0/1074ab83563bcf1fbf21a4d4f5a5c22656c3fb07.png) symbol to bookmark for later and be reminded ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 5:17am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-do-you-include-in-the-notes-sections-in-your-observations/62310/33 "2025-05-09T05:17:12Z")
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