Notes From Nature Talk

Database URL - look up stuff! Hey! Kewl beans!

  • wreness by wreness

    The existing Essig Specimen Database is at: http://essigdb.berkeley.edu/query_specimens.html

    A lot of the Bug Stuff can be looked up even by putting a few letters in the fields. I've been looking up things for (maybe newer?) folks who can't read dates, etc. and luckily some are listed or you can see the collector was in that town only in that year. Anyway, you can get really clever with this if the bug is already listed.

    The Advanced Database (url is at top of that page) will make your head explode but at the bottom of that page is a field called "notes" and you can put all that random "huh??" stuff in it and it's amazing what it might pull up. I have found collectors when they aren't even listed just by putting in info on the label and then comparing the handwriting to a bunch of labels that did have them listed...same bug, same location, same paper, ink.

    This has helped me look a lot smarter than I am. (I didn't say that out loud)

    Thanks for all the tips, all! Still haven't decided if this means we're trying to be intellectually efficient or we're just gluttons for punishment 😃

    Posted