Bio Blitz 2025 Results!
From August 15 to September 30, Gloucester Clean Community threw a wild shindig known as a Bio Blitz! The mission? To capture as much critter and plant intel as possible in a short time. The goal was to uncover how many buzzing pollinators and other fabulous species call Gloucester home during those buzzing months. Adventurers, aka observers, wielded the iNaturalist app like a magic wand, snapping pics of local bees, butterflies, bats, and blooms. Once you caught a glimpse of a pollinator or plant, zap—into the project it went, where a virtual squad of nature sleuths helped ID the species. This project got folks out and about, turning Gloucester into a nature playground right in their own backyards and parks!
The Bio Blitz was a whirlwind of nature lovers, with 93 eager observers tallying up 1,328 species and a whopping 4,675 observations!
A big shout out to our Gloucester nature enthusiasts & top observers on the iNaturalist app!
The most-spied critters on our nature watch were the ever-popular common box turtle, the dashing silver-spotted skipper, the regal monarch, and the majestic eastern tiger swallowtail!
Guess what? We've just uncovered why the Bio Blitz at our parks is the bee's knees!
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services tuned into our Bio Blitz and—surprise, surprise—spotted pesky intruders! They heroically swooped in to evict those pesky red imported fire ants from Gloucester Point Beach and Woodville. These fiery critters love setting up shop in toasty spots like landscape beds, lawns, and around trees—basically anywhere sunny and warm. Mess with them, and you'll get a sting that's far from friendly!
Think you've stumbled across a red imported fire ant hangout? Give the VDACS a heads-up! VDACS