iNaturalist is a worldwide network of people who contribute observations of natural organisms. These are mapped and identified to make a huge resource of observations of biodiversity across the globe. Its primary aim is to connect people with nature, but it also provides valuable open data to research projects in science, conservation and land management. It began in 2008 as a Master's project in the University of California, Berkeley, and remains a nonprofit social enterprise that is free to use for both the public and the scientific community.

To use iNaturalist
1. Download the iNaturalist app from the App Store, or Google Play Store.
2. When you open the app, you will be greeted with a welcome screen and information about how to use the app. Swipe to learn all you can do with iNaturalist! At the end, you can view nearby observations for inspiration.
3. At the Log In page you can sign in if you already have an account. If you need an account, select New to iNaturalist? Sign up now!
4. At the bottom of the screen. Enter your email address, a password, and a username. Select Sign Up to create an account.
5. To join the Appleton with Eaton Green Group project, click either the menu in the top left on Android and select Projects, or the project icon in the bottom right on Apple.
6. Click on the search magnifying glass, type Appleton with Eaton Green Group, select the group, and click on the join button.

To make an observation:
1. Tap Observe
2. Add one or more photos as evidence. You can take a photo, or select one you have previously taken from your camera roll.
3. Choose what you saw. Select "What did you see?" and iNaturalist will present a number of suggestions!
4. You can search for a species if you think you know it, or choose one of the suggested species if you are unsure.
5. The date you saw it should be added automatically.
6. The place where you saw it should be added automatically. If it doesn't it might be an issue with the Privacy Settings in the app.
7. Your observation will be automatically added to the project for the community to see!

As of March 26 2024, our group consists of 46 observers who have made a whopping 941 observations which cover 471 species.

The species seen most commonly is the 7-spot ladybird, followed by the buff-tailed bumble bee. If you look up your find on the website there is a whole raft of information about it, such as when it is mosy observed, its lifecycle and taxonomy.

You can also see an interactive map of where the finds were made.

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) by appletonwildlifediary. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, plus parts of North Africa.

Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) by holt2012. It is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe and temperate Asia as far east as Japan. It has a wingspan of 50 to 55 millimetres (2 to 2+1/8 in). The base colour of the wings is a rusty red, and at each wingtip it bears a distinctive, black, blue and yellow eyespot.

(c) Luigi Andena. Song thrush (Turdus philomelos) by holt2012. The song thrush breeds in forests, gardens and parks, and is partially migratory with many birds wintering in southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; it has also been introduced into New Zealand and Australia.

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) by appletonwildlifediary. Native throughout the temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere, A. muscaria has been unintentionally introduced to many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, generally as a symbiont with pine and birch plantations. Although poisonous, death due to poisoning from A. muscaria ingestion is quite rare. Parboiling twice with water draining weakens its toxicity and breaks down the mushroom's psychoactive substances;

The observers of Appleton have made over 1000 observations in iNaturalist! The person making the 1000th observation was our own Claire Salmon of shop fame, who recorded a black lace weaver. Apparently it was terrifying, so all credit to her for taking a photo and putting it in the system, rather than smacking it with her shoe or running away. To mark the occasion she was presented with a certificate and the book "Planting for Butterflies" to help make her garden eco-friendly.

Our 1500th observation came around very quickly! Thanks to everyone out there who is busy recording finds in their gardens and wild spaces. The observation was of a willow leaf beetle (Plagiodera versicolor), and it was made by Eva-Maria Gibbs, just her fourth observation. She received a certificate and the book "Ghosts in the Hedgerow" as a prize.

The beetle lives in various habitats, but usually near water. Adults feed on leaves and pollen of willow and poplar trees, especially Salix fragilis ('crack willow'). It is predated by the shieldbug, several ladybird species and the larva of a hoverfly.