Ontario BioBlitz at Riverwood Conservancy and the Credit River Watershed

It’s that time of the year again – Ontario BioBlitz time! This year we will be surveying the Credit River Watershed. A number of BIO staff along with researchers, students and citizen scientists are volunteering their time this weekend – June 11 and 12th, 2016 – to try to find as many species as they can. The event is hosted by the Riverwood Conservancy this year, in Mississauga at Riverwood Park.

In the past we have visited the Rouge, Humber, and Don River Watersheds, and each year we have managed to find over a thousand different species in the watershed! Last year one of our more exciting finds was a new spider to Canada, Myrmarachne formicaria, discovered by BIO’s very own Gergin Blagoev. We can’t wait to see what interesting plants, animals or fungi turn up during our search this year.

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Myrmarachne formicaria, a spider new to Canada found in last year’s Ontario Bioblitz in the Don River Watershed

The BIObus has made it to every Ontario BioBlitz event since 2013. Visitors always seem to get a kick out of viewing the living conditions our field staff enjoy during summer trips on the BIObus. Those conditions include an above the driver’s seat bed, collecting equipment storage where there used to be a shower… and if you want to know more you should come visit the bus in person!

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Tour the BIObus this weekend!

We will have staff manning the bus during the entire NatureFest event that will be part of this year’s BioBlitz. From 11 AM – 5 PM on June 11, come visit us and the rest of the festival! Check out the Ontario BioBlitz website for more information – and we hope to see you this weekend!

-Angela

Nature Fest