You know you're seriously into iNat when

Something similar happened to me, last autumn. A Carolina Wren literally followed me into my house - I had a hard time in time getting it back outside.

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We’ve got some real life Disney princesses in this thread. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

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In the sense that some of us commune with animals at our feet and birds flitting about our heads while we sing our joy to the organisms around us and might be misunderstood by the other humans? Sure! Can I have an order of that Disney princess, hold the gender norms, unrealistic body presentations and inaccurate flora/fauna? This might be the first time I’ve ever considered I might be Disney princess material. If any manicurists ever get a hold of my iNat observation photos though they might quickly veto any use of the word princess. Well, maybe dirt princess?

I had a bunch of clumsy Carolina Wrens fledge into me (exactly as it sounds). One in the flower pot, one bounced off my shirt, others scattered about. They were hop-flying after leaving the nest and I was unaware and still enough that we surprised each other. The height of cuteness.

If the wren follows you and an observation is made…it’s the wren that is seriously into iNat.

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When the little one just turned two years from next door tells her mum she has found a ladybug-baby and has to show it to you. Just a few days after you have shown her some on the BlackBerry on the fence which separates the gardens.
And the little girl goes on to talk about ladybug babys to her day mum, so the mum and day mum start to talk about insects only just because YOU are into making observations in the garden every day. Lol

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When you leave home 20 minutes early because you want to get to work early to take care of a few things – but actually show up to work 10 minutes late because you stopped to chase butterflies along the way.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49798778
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49798762
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/49798798

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Yes, exactly!

But of course! You needn’t even ask. :heart:

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When people in your community call you crazy because they see you standing in your yard just “staring at a tree” for long periods of time…(observing debris carrying lacewing larva and lichen)

Just came across iNat a few weeks ago…What a great site…I don’t feel so alone anymore…sigh

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Welcome to iNaturalist and to the forum!

Debris carrying lacewing larvae are so interesting to observe, I can understand why you were doing it. :)

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Thanks for the welcome…you are so correct…they are very interesting to watch…I get “lost” in the moment so to speak while observing them. Cool little creatures for sure.

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You found your people!

Most of the time I do this in a squat which makes people think I’m peeing…Hey, sometimes I am doing both so…I mean, nature doesn’t stop calling even when it’s calling!

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There’s some inchworm caterpillars that do the camouflage thing too, only with dead plant matter instead of insect corpses.

And some beetle larva do the same thing with fecal shields.

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like these awesome garden friends: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/126204-Synchlora-aerata
(commonly referred to as camouflage looper) Soooooo cool.

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Beetles are the worst, harvesting larvae of Lilioceris lilii, ugh…

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I feel that I have found my people finally…

Thanks for the laugh :laughing: :rofl: :laughing: :rofl:

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Yes, I was specifically thinking of synchlora.
I saw something that I thought was a synchlora once, with some pink and yellow bits of petals on its back. I thought it was some debris stuck to a railing and almost walked right by. I just happened to look down right when it stopped its little waving “I-am-just-trash-ignore-me-please” flailing movements to do a deliberate inch step.

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I call this the “nothing to see here folks, move along” dance

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It’s a funny thing with birds. Sometimes they want to get into the house, but then they want out and can’t figure out how. You chase them, they avoid you, but when you finally get them outside they fly away immediately.

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Plus all the creatures that use the “I-am-just-bird-poop-don’t-bother-lookling-closely” camouflage which also fit your description. I’ve lost count of all the times I’ve been staring at a white splotch only to finally realize that, yes, that is actually bird poop and not a spider or insect that I’ve been photographing as I slowly approached.

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There was a Lot of time in life, where I was to busy to care about me enough, and I didn’t take enough time to care about my interests in nature as I should.
I am so glad I changed that now!

But I remember something in that time, which fits.
When people asked me, what I did the day before and I told them I was out, making pictures of trees! And smiled at them so glad, that I had done it and they looked at me with wide eyes and asked:“You did what??”

So it really is a good feeling to have seek, inat and this community now. :)

Thank you all for being nature-nerdy! :D

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… You have to pre-agree whether a family walk will be an iNat walk or not.

… You have a full-time job with a local church but are seriously considering doing an MSc in Entomology on the side.

… You brought an endoscope just from reading comments in this thread.

… You read this thread… To the end.

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