The free app allows users anywhere in the world to submit smartphone photos of organisms and their locations for identification by artificial intelligence tools and possible confirmation by experts.

iNaturalist Senior Communications Manager Arya Natarajan said about seven million monthly active users have so far captured more than 260 million verifiable observations of 528,000 species. More than 6,000 peer-reviewed scientific papers have featured data from the app.

Natarajan said surprise findings include identification of a previously unknown mantis species and rediscovery of a New Zealand moth that had been thought extinct. It is also powerful as an early warning of invasive species in an area, including in aquatic ecosystems.

“I would say, for Michigan residents, don't be afraid to be curious about something that maybe you've seen a million times, because maybe you've seen it a million times but somebody else hasn't,” Natarajan said. “You just never know what's out there, and the more people we have on the ground looking around, taking photos, contributing to a platform like this, the better we can understand the nature around us and really be able to protect it.”

In addition to submitting images out of personal curiosity, nature lovers can use the app to participate in a bioblitz – a focused short-term event you can do in a group or on your own – where participants find and identify as many different species as they can within an area. The crowd-sourced data can give scientists and others insights about biodiversity and native and invasive species at home or abroad.

On a large scale, organizations, including the National Park Service and the National Geographic Society, sponsor bioblitzes. Closer to home, the 2025 Sea Grant Great Lakes BioBlitz in April and May covered Michigan and the seven other U.S. states that border the Great Lakes, plus the Canadian province of Ontario.

Bioblitzes can also raise awareness about certain species and enable state agencies to gather information about species of concern – either to protect and preserve endangered species or to manage the impacts and spread of invasive species. In July, the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum hosted its second moth night. Participants using iNaturalist photographed more than 187 species in 700 observations.

Also this year, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) hosted its first Aquatic Invasive Species Detection Blitz, which brought out 42 observers who documented 18 invasive species including phragmites/common reed, Eurasian watermilfoil, and zebra mussels.

The United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly created the first annual World Lake Day to recognize one of Earth's most vital natural resources and call attention to threats such as overuse, pollution, and climate change. U.N. recommendations for observing World Lake Day include raising awareness of preservation, conservation, and restoration.

Lakes are key to biodiversity, offering a habitat for countless species of fish, plants, and wildlife. They help keep the planet cool, absorb floodwater, store carbon, and provide recreation and economic opportunity.

For World Lake Day, you can find ways to connect with water resources in your community no matter where you live. Learn about lakes or take steps at home or in your neighborhood to steward and safeguard our waters for current and future generations. Take time outdoors and photograph nature around you – maybe using iNaturalist – to connect with and learn about what’s living in your watershed. If you’re near a body of water, see what species you can identify along the shore or with an underwater camera.

You can use iNaturalist without an account, but your information will be saved only to your local device instead of added to the larger pool of knowledge. A children’s version, Seek, is also available.