Celebrating 30 Years of Hope!
Cactus Creek Ranch 4th Bi-Annual BioBlitz
October 25th, 2025
Prepared by: Jacquelyn Tleimat in February 2026
Date: 25 October 2025
Participants: Terry Alaniz, Mary Jo Bogatto, Tyler Bowling, Alyssa de la Fuerte, Samantha Dillon, Saunders Drukker, Camryn Kiel, Robert King, Bria Marty, Shawn McCracken, Michael Orgill, Samantha Schiereck, Jacquelyn Tleimat, Janice Travis, Chad Wilmoth, Tira Wilmoth
Weather Conditions
Prior to the survey, conditions were clear, and the low temperature was 72 F. At the start of the survey, conditions were partly cloudy, and the temperature was 80.1 F. The cloud cover started to clear around 6 PM until 8 PM, then cleared again at 11 PM. The highest temperature of the day was 93 F at 1 PM and then dropped down to 80 F by 11 PM. The moon phase was waxing crescent, with 16% illumination.
Description of Activities
On October 25th, 2025, a BioBlitz was conducted at the Cactus Creek Ranch (26°13'29.64"N, 97°25'36.59"W) which sits adjacent to the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. A total of 16 individuals participated in the survey with survey periods from 12:01 AM – 3:30 AM, 7 – 7:15 AM, 9 AM – 12 PM, 1 PM – 5:00 PM, 7:00 PM – 11 PM for a total of ~125 active survey hours. Prior to the BioBlitz, 14 game cameras had been set up on property for SnapShot USA and 3 AhDRIFT arrays for the Texas Scarlet Snake Project. Images taken by these cameras for the duration of the BioBlitz were also used for species detections. Upon arrival at the ranch on October 24th, 2025, minnow traps were deployed across all ponds (2 per pond) on the property with glowsticks as potential bait for newts. Additionally, a mercury halogen light was deployed outside of the cabin to begin documenting nocturnal insects in the area for an hour as soon as the BioBlitz began before being moved to the Peregrine House. Acoustic recordings of new species from the BirdWeather PUC were reported if recorded during the BioBlitz. Surveys began at 9 a.m.; groups split on the property to document all birds, insects, arachnids, plants, herps and mammals. One group checked the minnow traps and documented everything captured in these traps (prior to release). Beat sheets were used in the AM and PM to survey terrestrial invertebrates. Fishing was done in some of the ponds to detect any fish species missed by the minnow traps. Sieves were used to capture freshwater macroinvertebrates from the ponds on property.
In the evening, the mercury halogen light was deployed again. Two blacklights were set up behind the main house at 6 PM and left up until 8 PM. The mercury halogen light was set out from 8 PM until 9 PM at the cabin, after which it was moved to the Peregrine House until 11 PM where surveys concluded. Amphibian surveys were conducted around some of the ponds after dark. Representatives from each species were photographed. All data were uploaded to iNaturalist and eBird.
Summary of Findings
A total of 1,276 observations were uploaded to iNaturalist and 12 checklists to eBird. At the time of report preparation, a total of 454 unique species were recorded in this 24-hour period. Of these species on iNaturalist, 227 were insects (51.5%), 81 were plants (18%), 50 were birds (11.3%), 42 were arachnids (9.7%), 11 were reptiles (2.5%), 10 were mammals (2%), 9 were ray-finned fishes (1.6%), 5 were fungi (1.3%), 3 were amphibians (0.7%), 2 were mollusks (0.5%), and 7 were crustaceans (1.6%).
Of these observations made during the BioBlitz, 17 species (4%) are listed as threatened. Most plant species identified were native to the area (88%), and twelve of these plants were newly documented to the Cactus Creek Ranch iNaturalist group. Eighteen arachnid species, 57 insect species, 2 species of fish, and 1 reptile were newly documented on the property. Four new fungi and lichen species were recorded at Cactus Creek Ranch. The non-native animals were: 1 reptile, 1 fish, 1 gastropod, 1 bird, 2 arachnids, 2 mammals, and 6 insects. Overall, 95% of the species documented are native to the area and 107 species were newly documented to the Cactus Creek Ranch property on iNaturalist.
All observations on iNaturalist
Recommendations
The greatest species increase from this BioBlitz was of insects and arachnids. The number of insect species increased by 9% (603 to 660) and arachnid species increased by 35% (42 species to 58 species).
Summary of BioBlitz Achievements
A total of 4 BioBlitzes have been hosted as of this report. These Bioblitzes have led to 3,468 new observations and 610 new species documented in the Cactus Creek Ranch Biodiversity page on iNaturalist. Among the 1,154 species documented on site, 35 of these species are considered rare (fewer than 100 observations on iNaturalist). Of those rare species, five have been documented 10 or fewer times.
