Quite a few today. Several shown. Some with what look like eggs (see photo 5). Last 3 photos taken on a glass at home
We found this planktonic creature floating. It ate a piece of a squid mantle when put in the same bucket with our bait. What is it!!!! We are thinking a type of mollusc as the mouth seemed and moved like an elongated radula, and there are spots resembling photoreceptors.
For the one in back. Two for the price of one on a Calochortus splendens.
Tarantula hawk dragging a small tarantula
A fun sequence! This wasp dragged an apparently paralized larva (ID TBD, separate observation) across the trail. She put it down outside the burrow and went inside, then in one quick move, pulled the larva inside (diameter of burrow exactly the same diameter!). She squeezed past and exited, then filled the opening with rocks and dirt. Presumably laid an egg down there. :-O
Ormyrus sp. ovipositing into gall of Andricus kingi.
Location
Valley Oak grove on west side of Trans-California Pathway.
Generation
Asexual, summer
Host Plant
Quercus lobata
Acknowledgments
@jennifer3370
@r171
Carrying a small paralyzed tarantula
Mite ID here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127798414
What is this creature?!?!? Is it part of the Salp family?
Possible Siphonophore, over 3 meters long, 2-3 meters deep, near shore
Washed up during low tide. Jelly like, clear body, with apparent "fins" for swimming. What appeared to be a digestive tract had a purple hue.
I have no idea what this is. iNat says squid but I dont think so.
Found floating in the water, took it out to get photos and then replaced. It was alive and when the purple mouthparts were touched it extended those little hooks and went for a little chomp
Three smaller bombus flanking a very large bombus (see index finger for scale). Perhaps the smaller ones attacked the larger one and they all died in a fight? Any experts know what could have led to this strange outcome?