This fall, Baltimore Woods Nature Center is hosting a month-long BioBlitz.

A BioBlitz is a community effort to find and identify wildlife in a park or other natural area.

The data collected during the Baltimore Woods BioBlitz will provide important information about the preserve’s biodiversity.

Through Oct. 23, Baltimore Woods invites visitors to be part of the BioBlitz.

Anyone can participate by taking photos of the wild plants, animals, and fungi they see at Baltimore Woods and uploading them to the iNaturalist app or website.

On Saturday, Sept. 23, community members gathered at Baltimore Woods to kick off the BioBlitz.

Participants spent the morning learning how to find wildlife and navigate the iNaturalist app, with the help of Baltimore Woods volunteers and staff.

Then, the group explored the field on the newest part of the Baltimore Woods preserve to find species and make observations.

Together, the group uploaded 30 observations of Baltimore Woods wildlife to iNaturalist.

The BioBlitz kickoff event was fun for all ages.

Kristin LaBeau, who attended with her two daughters, Adelaide and Johanna, said the event was “great for kids to learn about nature.”

For Adelaide and Johanna, catching bugs with nets and bug jars was a favorite part of the morning.

The group discovered grasshoppers, crickets, and leafhoppers in the field, as well as fall wildflowers like goldenrod.

To read more about the Baltimore Woods BioBlitz and learn how to participate, visit baltimorewoods.org/baltimore-woods-bioblitz/.

Baltimore Woods Nature Center is open dawn to dusk for the public to explore nature 365 days a year, free of charge.

Visitors can stop into the Interpretive Center Monday-Friday 9 to 4 p.m.  and Saturdays 1o to 4 p.m. to get help with the BioBlitz or share observations.