What is your Favorite Lifer from this week?

This week finally some moths appeared again, though the only new one was Common Swift Moth that quickly became too abundant, plus two more lifers: Elm Leaf Gall Mite and rare on iNat staphylinid beetle Anthophagus angusticollis.

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I’ve seen several lifers this week, but this one takes the cake! A juvenile Queensland Grouper!
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/121877864

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This beaded lacewing is an entirely new family for me, seen while “mothing” last night https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121836329

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OK, today is only Wednesday but I found a new lifer yesterday so I want to report it here. Most people don’t pay attention to plant pathogens including Powdery Mildew fungi, but yesterday I noticed there were spots of powdery mildew on the leaves of a Crepe Myrtle tree outside my local park – John Jay Park. Today I looked it up because many Powdery Mildews are species-specific or genus-specific, and sure enough this one specializes in attacking Crepe Myrtle. It is [Crape Myrtle Mildew],(https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/334956) Erysiphe lagerstroemiae.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121809985

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It is a new species record for NYC and surrounding areas, and currently it is the most northerly record of this fungus on iNat. And at the present time, iNat has total of only 15 observations of this species.

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Thanks for sharing. I’ll keep an eye out for it. My rose bushes get tons of mildew/spots/leaf discoloration, but I’ve never seen anything affect crepe myrtles in New Mexico.

This branch was in the shade, so that probably helps.

Wow, surprise! Two lifers today out of a modest total of only 28 observations, most of them from Central Park.

My iNat friend Ansel Ooman pointed out to me this Chameleon Plant, aka Fish Mint.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/157642-Houttuynia-cordata
I have seen a variety of it once before as a rather out-of-control garden plant, but this is the first time I have seen it when it was wild:

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I was also super lucky that, while we were sitting on a bench, I happened to notice a small moth that flew over and landed on the wide road-like path to the east of the Harlem Meer. The moth was a species new to me, the Square-spotted Martyringa Moth!
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/224466-Martyringa-latipennis
I am super happy every time to get to see a new moth!

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I have two favorite lifers - the first one is one I had hoped to find, another orchid called Ophrys apifera.

The second one was completely unexpected since I’m a plants-only person - but while looking for the above orchid a large blue thing suddenly flew around my head (and looked like a fairytale pixie until it landed). Turned out to be something called Rosalia alpina.

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That’s Something with a capital “s”, Rosalia is one of the best-looking genera of longhorn beetles! (My aim is to see Rosalia coelestis) And this one is stunning!

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Thanks! Yours looks very similar (to me)! But according to inat obs count extremely rare so good luck! The only “large beetle” I had seen before in Europe is the comparatively common Lucanus cervus - I realized how lucky I was when yesterday I ran into a guy and his daughter in the field and they said they are bug experts and had been searching downed trees in the area for 3 years to find a Rosalia alpina . They seemed a bit annoyed that I just randomly saw one, doubting the id even when I showed them my pictures :slightly_smiling_face:

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I got very lucky yesterday as my friends and I explored Fitzgerald Marine Preserve (south of San Francisco) during a minus low tide. We found a pretty red and green leather star:
http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122392909

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I had a pretty productive week, here are two moths from the start of it: Broken-barred Carpet and Small Magpie with introduced leafminer, first obs in the region Locust Digitate Leafminer Moth.
Yesterday made 2nd country observation of Anthomyia liturata and saw not that rare, but 25th observation of Temnosira saltuum, plus only a genus, but also first one for me and not as common on iNat, Eurychaeta.

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I just saw my second prominent moth!

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I’m visiting Colorado at the moment and I’ve come across two new-for-me salticids.

Apparently a Contrasting Jumping Spider (Euophrys monadnock), which somehow materialised on my hand, and only the second iNat record in CO:

Also this California Flattened Jumping Spider (Platycryptus californicus):

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Since I don’t get over to the forum much, I missed this thread. I’ve been very fortunate this year & have found many Salticid lifers but my favorite is Sassacus cyaneus, the Iridescent Leaf-Beetle Jumping Spider. Quik pic:


I know I’m dating myself (& the reference is somewhat obscure), but each time I see one of these little Salticids, I imagine mini Ed-209 from the movie.

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I’ve been going to the tide pools a lot this week. So, seeing a ~very~ old American Chestnut tree was pretty unexpected. I did not know what an American Chestnut looks like, but some hikers I passed pointed it out to me. The ID is not confirmed yet.

http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122848648

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For the 3rd full week of June, I saw two lifers worth mentioning. First is a pair of badgers (no picture, just good views). Second is this gartersnake, that didn’t move when I nearly stepped on it until I got out my camera, leading to this blurry shot. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122685153

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Once again, I’m behind in uploading my photos. However, what I have uploaded this week, I’d my observations of a Red-belted Bumble Bee and a Herring Gull would be my favourites. I thought I was looking at a completely different animal both times.

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I also saw my first Baltimore Oriole. Here’s the observation: https://inaturalist.ca/observations/123282667

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That was a looong week!
Starting with rare things, 2nd observation of Heptamelus ochroleucus, 2nd observation of Anthracoidea pilosae, 8th observation of Aethes triangulana.
Array of moths: Orange Moth, Plum Fruit Moth, The Flame, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, Heart and Dart, Burdock Seedhead Moth, Brown Smoke, Common Pug, Great Oak Beauty that is both huge and beautiful, and favourite with the last one is this Buff-tip.


Then two new Nephratoma’s: quadrifaria and scalaris + a tiny beetle Brachysomus echinatus.

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