Using an Apple iOS Device on a Group Big Bat Count

Before the count

Please install the iNaturalist app. On iOS (Apple) there are two versions in the store

  • The new “iNaturalist” app, Green icon with white dove logo.
    • If you have this version, before the count, open the app. and go into Menu>Settings. There turn on Advanced mode, and select “All observation options”
  • The original version “iNaturalist Classic“, with white icon with green dove logo.

Recording bat records to iNaturalist

The process will depend on which version of the iNaturalist App you have but in all cases the first steps are:

  • Listen for the species name called out by the person with the EMT tablet.
  • Lookup that species in the red column of the species laminate.
  • Read across to the green columns to find the full species name, or iNat Code, to enter into iNaturalist

For new iNaturalist (green icon with white dove logo)

First ensure “All observation options” is selected, in Menu>Settings>Advanced mode on. As above.

Then to record an observation:

  1. Click the big round green + button at the bottom centre of the screen
  2. Select “Create observation with no evidence” at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Under “IDENTIFICATION” click the “SEARCH” Button
  4. Type the name of the bat name using the iNat code from the supplied species lookup table into the search box at the top of the screen.
  5. Look to see if the desired Bat species appears at the head of a list that appears below.
    • If the desired Bat species (with photo) appears in the list, click it
    • OR If the desired Bat species does not appear. Then the phone may not have an internet connection, or you are on a past version of iOS, and the species lookup in iNaturalist will not work.
      • In this case please delete the short code and instead start typing the full species name in iNaturalist into the box manually. In the case of bats named after people (Daubenton’s, Natterer’s, Brandt’s and Bechstein’s) you need to type the latin name.
      • When the desired Bat species (with photo) appears in the list below, click it
  6. On the next screen , check it the species then click the green “SELECT THIS TAXON” button at the bottom of the screen.
  7. On the final screen, check details, then hit the white SAVE button at the bottom of the screen

For iNaturalist Classic (white icon with green dove logo)

To record an observation in iNaturalist classic:

  1. In the iNaturalist App, tap the grey “Observe” button at the bottom middle of the screen.
  2. Select “No Media” from the menu that slides up from the bottom of the screen.
  3. Type the name of the bat name using the iNat code from the supplied species lookup table into the “What did you see?” box near the top of the screen.
  4. Look to see if the desired Bat species appears at the head of a list that appears below.
    • If the desired Bat species (with photo) appears in the list, click it
    • OR If the desired Bat species does not appear. Then the phone may not have an internet connection, or you are on a past version of iOS, and the species lookup in iNaturalist will not work.
      • In this case please delete the short code and instead start typing the full species name in iNaturalist into the box manually.
      • When the desired Bat species (with photo) appears in the list below, click it
  5. On return to the “Details” screen, there is no need to select the Project as your observations go into all the projects you have joined if they meet the criteria of the project.
  6. Tap the green rectangular “share” button at the bottom of the screen to submit the new observation to the iNaturalist database