Bats at Bioblitz

As I reflect on the impending end of a good summer through my photo collection, happenings just two short months ago feel a lifetime away.

When I attended my first big Bioblitz event near Baraboo, WI, at the end of June, I expected to fully immerse myself in traditional community science work. I was also looking forward to reuniting with colleagues from across the state and with some familiar landscapes I used to visit during my youth. I didn't think I would spend too much time finding inspiration for our collections. 

Specimens of Wisconsin bat species can help us 
connect with these little animals in a unique venue.

But exploring other educational tables during my mid-morning downtime, I was thrilled by a simple display of bat study skins. Seeing the carefully preserved little bodies of bat species recorded in our state felt so much more relevant to me than the common poster with image comparisons. All seven of those bats had experienced full lives and faced similar perils. They now each represented their unique species in an incredibly tangible, compelling experience.