Montpelier Bioblitz

MONTPELIER — At the stroke of 3 p.m. Friday June 11th, scientists and volunteers set out with their nets, binoculars, jars and buckets.

Their job: to comb the fields, forests and waterways of the capital city over 24 hours counting all the species they see.

The city's first 24-hour "bioblitz" is part science, part celebration, part education and part discovery, said organizer Bryan Pfeiffer, of Plainfield.

"We like to think we know about the biological diversity in our state capital, but we are going to find that we don't have a clue," he said.

At the starting spot at the North Branch Nature Center, one group walked toward wetlands and a pond in search of reptiles and amphibians.

Other groups searched for birds, flies, dragonflies, butterflies and even tardigrades — microscopic invertebrates commonly called water bears found on lichen, mosses and leaf litter.

The insect collectors didn't have to wander far. Within 45 minutes they'd gathered at least 20 to 30 species, including an ambush bug and a milk weed long horn beetle.

"There are probably 5,000 different species of insects," said Gary Hevel, an entomologist, and public information officer for the Smithsonian Institution's department of entomology.

Sweeping their nets across the fields, they placed their finds in jars to be mounted later.

"Isn't that like a treasure chest," said Trish Hanson, an entomologist with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, as she peered into her netful of bugs.

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