I think it might be better if the experts instead browse through the families/genus they know and correct the mis-identifications as a priority, as this would help the AI recommendations (and therefore general IDs) more in future and ‘correct’ ID’s left as ‘needs ID’ aren’t a problem in general other than not being as specific as possible.
Or, you know you’re seriously into iNat when you’re discussing ID/curation strategies :p
Ha! I got pulled over because I suddenly stopped and pulled off the road (no one was behind me) to run back the way I had come because I thought I saw a Gila Monster… The officer didn’t trust me at first and then walked me to the spot where it was… a torn orange and black piece of fabric. I was so deflated it wasn’t a Gila Monster and I guess wanting further proof, the officer asked to see the photos on my camera from my outing. When he saw various reptile and amphibian photos he finally believed me.
On another note, I’ve had another officer who was my friend stop behind my truck when I was pulled to the side. He ran my plate then walked up to the window, realized it was me and asked what I was doing. I said trying to get photos of toads and he goes “you missed one back there” and I said, “Well a car was coming so I wasn’t going to jump out in front of it. If I knew it was you I would have.” He laughed at me and said to enjoy the rest of my toad hunt.
Your comment got me thinking: I make lots of IDs, but I purposefully steer away from reviewing RG observations, for two reasons. One, I am definitely not an expert and, two, I think it’s important to give observers feedback on their identifications, so they learn what a organism is and feel as though their observations are worthwhile enough that somebody IDs them. So, I end up making lots of IDs for relatively new observers on relatively “easy” organisms.
That said, there’s no reason why I couldn’t alter my strategy to concentrate on making IDs on species on which the computer vision needs training. Thanks for making me think about that!
I posted the dog’s a couple of years ago after she came back from the kennel infested. If I ever got a botfly though, I’d definitely post that
You can’t say needs id aren’t a problem, needs id have much more mistakes than RG, you never know if your id is correct, so how cv i going to learn if even people aren’t sure in those ids? They’re also not going to GBIF which is an ultimate goal.
I will say that it was very cute when she was younger and she called centipedes and millipedes “’pedes”.
Yes sorry I didn’t mean RG observations, I meant IDers reviewing through ‘exlore’ for instance, under ‘needs ID’ within a family/genus (e.g. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6744&taxon_id=336926).
Incorrect RG observations are certainly a more ‘serious’ problem (especially where impacting GBIF accuracy), but I don’t imagine that’s especially common unlike all the ‘needs ID’ observations that the AI frequently gives wrong ‘advice’ on (Alysiinae for instance) and I’m probably thinking more outside mammal/aves orders where mistakes are more common.
I guess my point was I think for those knowledgeable IDers it is better prioritising effort on remediating errors rather than confirming correct ID’s (which more people can do), even though the ‘needs ID’ pile grows. Probably getting a bit off-topic :/
Now that’s just sensible generalization.
I’m always on the lookout for opportunities like that. That’s how I got my first virus observation (it wasn’t SARS-CoV-2). It’s also the inspiration for my thread on traveler’s diseases. Did you know that there are no observations of any member of Genus Flavivirus? None of Orientia tsutsugamushi? And only 8 of Genus Plasmodium? This is a wide-open area for iNatting!
There is no fiber optics or even cable out where I live. We were using satellite for internet but the service available here is very limited. We got rid of the satellite and signed up for highest tier data plan with Verizon. It allows for 30GB of high speed hotspot (on each of two phones, so 60GB total). After the 30GB is run out it goes down to 600kb/s, but I usually don’t run out more than a few days before the end of the month if at all. Depends on how much streaming tv we watch.
You follow r/whatisthisbug, r/whatsthisplant, r/spiderbro, r/botanicalporn, etc on reddit so you can ask people to post their interesting pics on iNaturalist.
Did you see my Habronattus last week in r/spiderbro? 
https://www.reddit.com/r/spiderbro/comments/t5zaec/another_wild_jumping_bro_in_new_mexico/
I haven’t been very active in the last week, too many other projects to work on!
She’s a lumper, not a splitter.
You neglect your facial hygiene for a week to observe Cutibacterium acnes
When you keep on looking at this post, waiting for it to get 1000 repies.
It is at 1002 (1003 with this post).
…when you spend most walking time with eyes glued to the floor, because moss, and you walk directly into a lamp post. (me 3 days ago)
That’s actually how I found iNat, someone mentioned it in the comments on a post I made there! I think the post is gone now but I wonder if that was you!