Great Basin BioBlitz
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Interested in what lives in Great Basin National Park? Come explore your National Park by helping ecologists identify old and new species by participating in our yearly BioBlitz program.
NPS PHOTO Cerambicidae insect observed during a BioBlitz Great Basin BioBlitz The next BioBlitz is scheduled for June 19-21, 2012. 
David Hunter This wasp, in the Crabonidae family, was one of many caught during the 2011 Hymenoptera BioBlitz. (View of wasp looking at its head. Hairs show on its yellow legs. Big dark eyes bulge out from either side of the head, and two antennae point in opposite directions.) 2012 Diptera BioBlitz (Flies) 
NPS PHOTO 2011 BioBlitz Hymenoptera During a 48-hour collecting period, over 80 participants collected Hymenoptera by various methods. Some used nets to sweep vegetation, forceps to pick up ants, bowl traps with soapy water to attract bees, and light and malaise traps to catch a variety of species. BioBlitz participants filled out data sheets to indicate the location, habitat, and collecting method. Everything was brought back to BioBlitz headquarters, where data was entered into a computer and entomologists began sorting samples. Dr. James Pitts from Utah State University announced the preliminary results of the event at a closing luncheon. "We did better than I expected. We've added at least 25 families of Hymenoptera and 65 species based on a very cursory examination, including several velvet ant species that I did not expect to be in the park." Dr. Pitts' lab will continue sorting, pinning, and identifying the Hymenoptera samples. Important components of the BioBlitz were numerous educational programs, including a workshop, kids' programs, a campfire talk, and patio talks about Hymenoptera. The science class from Woodlin High in Colorado participated for a day, and collectors as young as three years old and older than 70 collected specimens. Superintendent Andy Ferguson stated, "What a great opportunity to increase our knowledge base about the diverse life forms in the park and to involve our friends and visitors in the process. We couldn't be so successful without the many volunteers and the expertise of our first-rate. More information can be found here. 
NPS PHOTO Help park ecologists identify this cricket 2010 Orthoptera BioBlitz (Grasshoppers and Crickets) During the 24-hour collecting period, approximately 150 orthopteroids were collected, with roughly half of those adults. Dr. Andrew Barnum from Dixie State College provided identification of the specimens collected. Due to his expertise with orthopteroids, he was able to identify over 40 specimens at the event, providing nine species names and two family names. He will be undertaking further analysis of the specimens at his lab. About 40 percent of the adult orthopteroids were speckle-winged rangeland grasshoppers (Arphia conspersa), found from 6,800 to 9,200 feet elevation. Habitat was searched from 5,300 to 11,900 feet for orthopteroids, with the bulk of those caught between 5,300 and 8,500 feet. One species was only found over 10,000 feet elevation. Habitat data was collected at the same time as the orthopteroids, which will allow for further analysis about which conditions are most favorable to them. The park would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Barnum for dedicating his time to help the park develop a baseline list of Orthopteroids. The Southern Utah University entomology club and Nevada Department of Agriculture provided field equipment for the event. 
NPS PHOTO Identifying Beetles during the 2009 BioBlitz During September 11-13th, Great Basin National Park hosted its first annual BioBlitz, focusing on beetles (order Coleoptera). Participants came from Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, the Nevada Department of Agriculture, and park visitors and staff who wanted to learn more about beetles. Altogether, over 40 people assisted with the BioBlitz, with over half taking this opportunity to visit the park for the first time. Preliminary results from the beetle BioBlitz showed 716 beetles collected, with at least 30 different families represented. One surprise included beetles at higher elevations that had long since disappeared for the season at lower elevations, like tiger beetles. Jeff Knight from the Nevada Department of Agriculture is continuing identification to lower taxonomic levels. 
Two graduate entomology students deposit their collections into a bag for later identification during the 2011 Hymenoptera Bioblitz. (Two young women empty a sieve into a whirlpack bag, placing insects inside. The background shows aspen trees.)
David Hunter
Park Ranger Robb Reinhart leads a group of young naturalists to a harvester ant mound during the 2011 Hymenoptera BioBlitz. (A tall park ranger points to an ant mound with two small children next to him looking for ants.)
David Hunter
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Did You Know?
The Sagebrush, a very common resident of Great Basin National Park, is well adapted to the area. The Big Sagebrush root system can extend as much as 90 feet in circumference. This adaptation allows the plant to collect as much water as possible during infrequent rains.