One of the highlights of Wild Wonder Day 2 was the session on native bees with scientist/artist Nina Sokolov. I met Nina last year; she’s a total badass. She snatches bumblebees right off the flower with one hand.
native bees
Images
birches
I’m currently attending the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference. The first session was taught by Sushma Hegde.
handkerchiefs
Did you grow up using hankies? Do you use them now? (I did, and do.)
bissell pet hair eraser
The motor burned out in the old Miele vacuum that was here in the house. This new machine arrived today, and … let me just say, I had no idea our floors were so dirty. And hairy.
Phidippus johnsoni
This little cutie has been hanging out on my desk for a few days. I’m not 100% certain of the ID but it’s my best guess. The red-backed jumping spider is one of the largest* and most commonly encountered jumping spiders in California. In 2012, NASA sent one into space!
*Largest = still really tiny!
Sialia mexicana
It was such a delight to watch this Western Bluebird swing back and forth on a hanging twig. Just sitting there, swinging in the breeze …
Feron kingi
Feron kingi, commonly known as the red cone gall wasp, is a member of the Cynipidae family.
The adult female lays her eggs within the leaves of several white oak species, including the valley oak (Quercus lobata). Once the egg hatches, the larva begins feeding on the leaf tissue, triggering the plant to form a hard, protective structure—a small red cone about 5 mm tall. This gall benefits the insect, providing it with additional plant tissue to consume. Inside the gall, the larva pupates and eventually matures into a parthenogenetic female adult before emerging from the tip of the cone. That’s right — there are no male gall wasps.
infographic
I had a go at creating an infographic. I suspect it’s too wordy to be effective as such. What do you think?
Santa Ynez Mountains
View on my morning walk.
dove comparison
I have been looking at the doves silhouetted on the power lines, and wondering which of the two common species they are. Now I know that the tail shape is a strong indicator—the mourning dove’s tail is tapered while the Eurasian’s is square.
hashiworks 