The most observed species: The South African mantis (image credits John B., iNaturalist, licence CC BY-NC 4.0)
It's been over three weeks since we started our Backyard Biodiversity Challenge and the residents of Kaipātiki have been busy, with a combined total of 786 observations of 404 species recorded in iNaturalist. The current leader of the Backyard Biodiversity Challenge is the user ‘ryvesie’ with a whopping 335 observations of 168 species.
The most observed species has been the South African mantis (Miomantis caffra) which was snapped 12 times over the last three weeks. These colorful insects have been residents of New Zealand since the 1970s after being imported from their homeland across the Indian Ocean. Sadly they outcompete and kill our native mantis (Orthodera novaezealandiae), which has led to its decline. So if you happen to find a native one, make sure to get a photo and upload it. Only two more days to go, make sure to get any last minute observations uploaded. Until then have fun, stay safe and a few more fun stats from Kaipātiki:
Most observed taxa:
