You know you're seriously into iNat when

When you’re digging a hole and get distracted by root galls
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/99291813
Only record of this species on iNaturalist

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when you forget to id your plant to ssp level

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In what way does that show you’re seriously into Nat? I don’t get it.

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In that you feel like it was a personal failure.

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It’s not quite transparent from original post, esp with so many people here hating ssp, as if you’re finally forgetting to add ssp. id when you’re into iNat.

When you no longer remember the last few letters in many species names because you let iNaturalist complete them for you.

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When you’re so terrified of being wrong that you comment the correct ID with a question mark instead of suggesting it.

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This is such a fun, and long, thread! Here’s mine…

When you plan the first family vacation since the pandemic so that you can reach your 1000th observation and get some new species before year end :)

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103644619

This entry of a Telamonia spider feasting on its prey marks my 1000th observation, thanks to the road trip! The past 6 months have been a whirlwind of learning and observing the natural world for me and my whole family. I guess the interest was always there but the iNat and Seek apps and the community of amazing identifiers have provided me an easy way to learn, document and contribute to our knowledge base.

Celebrating my 1000th observation and being thankful to iNaturalist!

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OH OH OH I just remembered one.

  • When you get a lifer… and it’s something you really wish you didn’t know existed in your area.

Amblyomma americanum and Triatoma sanguisuga, looking at you two right now

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When you’re sure it’s an iders’ hymn in a song:
“Wait another day
Wait another night
Just wait another week
Just wait another month
Just wait another year
For me to become I
For things to become right
While life will pass you by”

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No caption needed:

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…it takes you three or four times longer than it would to walk somewhere because you keep stopping to take pictures of all the plants you see (and it also doesn’t help if you’re playing Pokemon Go at the same time, lol…)

You know, last week I had a dream that I got a bunch of awesome pictures of a roseate skimmer (a type of dragonfly that’s pink) and now I really want to take awesome photos of one in real life…the problem is getting close enough without it flying away or me falling into the creek…

Edit: also I just dreampt last night that I was at the beach trying to take pictures of sharks. They weren’t real sharks, and they were definitely showing off and playing tricks on me because they knew I was trying to take their picture.

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Yes. Definitely.

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I’m not gonna read every comment because there are hundreds so sorry if there are repeats

When you have actual nightmares about misidentifying someone’s observation.

When you wear winter pajamas and fluffy socks in 90° weather so mosquitoes won’t eat you alive but you don’t want to hurt the invertebrates you’re photographing with spray so it’s worth it.

When you carry a macro lens attachment for your phone even though you are going to the grocery store.

When wasps don’t scare you as much anymore because they are always flying around you.

When you’re at a picnic and stop to take a photo of a species you haven’t seen yet even though your food is getting dry.

When your dream boyfriend’s hobby is identifying.

When you’re sad that you DIDN’T find a spider under the table.

When someone whacks a bug and you didn’t get to see what it was.

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You end up in bed an hour or more late because you just have to get your observations uploaded to iNat first.

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Same here, but I usually upload my observations as I take them, so instead I’m just laying there checking my projects and identifying.

… you get 120-20 notifications per hour because you plough through too much unknowns
See
image
?

… you abandon your iNat email account because it’s overloaded with iNat emails!

… your study tabs go to sleep

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…you’re early for your dentist appointment so you walk around outside taking photos of weeds for iNaturalist rather than sitting inside reading a magazine or looking at your phone.

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You can turn them off in account settings!

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You find a location with lifer birds to photograph, and it turns out to be sewage treatment plant holding pools–and you drive in anyway. We had to roll down the windows for 20 seconds at a time to listen for the birds while holding our breath; and then roll up the windows to breathe again. Repeat cycle.

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