Photos / Sounds
What
Seep Monkeyflowers (Section Simiolus)Observer
sagezackDescription
It was the only flower in a field of dried grass. It was near an open pipe that was dripping water. The plant measured about a foot in length, and had 4 flowers on it. It was the only one in bloom that i could see.
Photos / Sounds
What
Mantises (Order Mantodea)Observer
sagezackDescription
This mantis I found was colored light brown like the grass it lived in. It was about 3-4 inches long and had eye markings on it's arms.
Photos / Sounds
What
Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus ssp. oreganus)Observer
sagezackDescription
We found this rattlesnake between a grassland and an oak woodland, under a log. It was approximately 2-3 feet long but we were not going to check. It looked like a Diamondback with a striped tail.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Forest Scorpion (Uroctonus mordax)Observer
sagezackDescription
This scorpion was found in a redwood forest under a rock. It measured about one and one half inches to 2 inches, though I didn't make sure. It was dark brown on most of it's exo-skeleton except for a few places: the stinger was a much lighter shade of brown, as were the legs; finally it's underbelly was within the realm of a very, very light tan to almost white with about 6 darker spots going down it's belly. There was only one in the area that we could see.
Photos / Sounds
What
Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)Observer
sagezackDescription
Me and my group of inters stumbled upon a yellow garden spider haven. This was in a small clearing in the grassland right next to one of the ponds with a few tufts of harding grass in the middle. What i mean by haven in this case is where there are a large amount of one thing in one area. There were a lot of the spiders in that area; about 15-20 large female spiders, and 2-3 male spiders. This was all in a relatively small clearing mind you. It looked as if all the spiders had a lot of food on hand.
Photos / Sounds
What
Genus DasymutillaObserver
sagezackDescription
It was and ant-like bug that had bright yellow fur on top of both it's head and its abdomen. The rest of the bug was black. it measured at about one half to three quarters of an inch. There was only one of them that i could see. It is probably part of the Dasymutilla family.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bandwing Grasshoppers (Subfamily Oedipodinae)Observer
sagezackDescription
This grasshopper was found in a chaparral area of the preserve, and has a speckled body color of sandy yellow, black, beige, and grey. all except for the inner thighs which are striped black and white; as well as the ending portion of the legs which were a bright blue. it measured about an inch and a half in length. The compound eyes are very pronounced and colored the same as the main portion of the body. looks almost like either the Pallid-winged grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis) or the Pard Grasshopper (Metator pardalinus).
Photos / Sounds
What
Fungi Including Lichens (Kingdom Fungi)Observer
sagezackDescription
A large, what I think to be a root nodule. It's longest portion measures 1 and 3/8 inches long. It has an almost mustard color scheme, that is hard to see with the dirt. Might be fungal. Found attached to a root under a large rock. It has a strong smell of dirt and rotting wood, to the point that it makes me recoil when I get close to it. Is kind of spongy.
