New Species Documented This Spring at Pine Island
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From the banks of Currituck Sound to extensive grassy marshes, old duck impoundments, and upland maritime forests, Pine Island is home to globally rare habitat that continues to remain protected from development.
In May, scientists, staff, and volunteers spent a weekend counting as many species in as many habitats as possible for a community science survey called a BioBlitz. We counted 91 bird species, 69 spider species, 240 insects, 141 plants, and more. In total, 604 species were counted from Friday to Sunday.
“This count wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing experts that traveled to the northernmost corner of the Outer Banks,” Audubon Senior Coordinator of Habitats and Facilities Sara Marschhauser said. “Their observations will be invaluable for current and future conservation projects around the sanctuary.”
Arachnid expert Brian Bockhahn counted 66 spiders, including three state-listed species, or species recognized by the state as requiring special protection or monitoring. Bockhahn is an education specialist with the North Carolina State Park system and spent most of his time at Pine Island using a marsh vacuum and headlamp to carefully search for nocturnal spiders.
Of the 66 species that Bockhahn documented, three have never been seen before at the sanctuary: the marsh orbweaver (only a few documented in Dare and Currituck counties), gray cross spider, and a type of crab spider (only two records in North Carolina). Here is his full list of spider observations.
Long-time Outer Banks birder Jeff Lewis helped track down 85 bird species during the survey, including Chuck-will’s-widow, King Rail, and Least Bittern.
Moth specialists Sarah Toner and Larry Chen used light to attract and count moths. Once night fell, they hung a white pop-up closet from Ikea and shone a battery-powered UV light on the white fabric. Moths and other nocturnal insects were drawn to the light and settled on the sheet, making it easier to count and photograph them. They counted more than 45 moth species, including a beautiful undulambia moth, which has only been documented three times in North Carolina.
Another interesting find was a rainbow snake, a second for the sanctuary and a species that is hard to find because it usually stays concealed in vegetation. We also documented an orange eastern hognose, many cottonmouths, and beautiful kingsnakes.
“It was great to document a rainbow snake during the survey because we’ve only seen one at the sanctuary before and that was during the last BioBlitz in 2014,” said Marschhauser. “This finding shows the value of these kinds of surveys and how they can help us adapt management strategies for certain species.”
We also counted all the ticks, flies, wasps, beetles, and grasshoppers we could find. Even the smallest critters play a big role in ecosystem health as they help pollinate, are a food source for other species, recycle nutrients, and help in the decomposition process.
From migratory and resident birds to fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, pollinators, and native plants, our participants encountered a wide variety of species across the sanctuary. Thank you to everyone who trudged through mud and tall grass to help us get a snapshot of all the life at Pine Island.
This data will help us better understand the health, abundance, and diversity of the species that call the sanctuary home.