The closer you look, the more you see.
gynaikothrips uzeli
Tag: nature
malibu lagoon
Different angle on a favourite view. Lots of people walked by as I was sketching, and many commented kindly. My favourite was a woman who said to her young son, “Look! An artist!” then to me, “He wants to be an artist when he grows up.”
“Well,” he corrected, “a kind of artist. I want to be a photographer. I have a real camera, not a phone. I can take pictures underwater!”
“Sounds like you’re already an artist,” I smiled.
phyllocnistis citrella
The citrus leafminer is a very small, light coloured moth that arrived in California from Mexico in 2000 and has now spread throughout most of California. I’ve never seen an adult, but the larval action is very evident in my yard, especially on the young lime trees. They only infest fresh growth, which of course is just about all a little tree has!
I’ve been removing the affected leaves, but today I read that it’s not a good idea, because it just creates even more fresh growth for the larvae to mine. Apparently the insects will die off over the cooler months; here’s hoping, too, that natural predators come along to help create balance.
lagopus lagopus
Willow ptarmigans (Lagopus lagopus) in the Arctic change colour throughout the year, from completely brown in mid-summer to completely white in mid-winter. The transition (which starts from the head and moves down) is triggered by changing day length, not by temperature.
With a warming Arctic, we are now seeing snow-white birds in a snow-less landscape. Where once they were perfectly camouflaged as the seasons changed, now they are sitting ‘ducks’ for predators. The climate change is happening too quickly for them to evolve to meet the new conditions.
The willow ptarmigan’s scientific name, Lagopus lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγως) ‘hare’ + pous (πους) ‘foot’, in reference to the bird’s feathered feet which allow it to negotiate frozen ground.
Thanks, Max Romey, for introducing me to this bird and its story.
sharing the love
Twenty 7-12 year olds (and their parents) now know the difference between a valley oak and a coast live oak, though hopefully that’s not the only thing they gained from our time together 🌿💚
leucocoprinus birnbaumii
Lately there’s been a few different types of mushrooms popping up in the straw mulch. I’m no mycologist, and I’d like to learn more. This one’s not going to make it to our dinner plates!
zuma
It was good to be back at the beach with Suzanne. The water was clear and warm (about 70°F/21°C), and tiny bean clams (Donax gouldii) were out by the million. S said it had been about ten years since she’d seen this many at Zuma.
vacation casualty
Most of the cacti in the bathroom bay window survived a month without water just fine. But this one’s looking a little worse for wear.
ardea herodias
where the light isn’t
Shadows can reveal things we may not otherwise notice. We might see new details or shapes, or even additional organisms that were not at first obvious. Shadows also highlight the shape of the object on which the shadow is cast, and show which parts of the organism are touching the surface. They can help explain complex shapes and how parts fit together.
Thanks to natural science author and illustrator Robin Lee Carlson, I now understand why a water strider’s shadow looks like it has big round feet. Fascinating.
hashiworks 