Watering the Monstera plant on the patio, I recently spotted this creature. I submitted pictures to iNaturalist and learned that this is a Gray Bird member of the grasshopper family. According to iNaturalist, it is native to “southern North America including Mexico and the southwestern United States from California to Texas.” Known as a vagrantContinue reading “Gray Bird Grasshopper—Juvenile stage”
Tag Archives: iNaturalist
Bordered Mantis: A Closeup
This insect was perched on the patio wall, keeping perfectly still when I reached for the garden hose. Thinking it was a leaf that had blown in with the recent Santa Ana winds, due to its color and body shape, I turned away. A second look revealed that this four-inch-long creature was not a storm-tossedContinue reading “Bordered Mantis: A Closeup”
Garden Snails
Overnight rain brought a hatching of garden snails. Normally active at night and at dawn, perhaps the rain beckoned them in their whorled shells to saunter over sidewalks in search of groceries. Their iridescent paths and meditative pace have always delighted me when walking after a rain shower. Garden snails are non-native to California. It is believed they arrivedContinue reading “Garden Snails”
Meet a Jumping Spider
Attached to the front door trim, this inch-long spider was hard to miss with its orange coloring. The rest of the body appears striped gray and black. Why are we seeing these spiders now?Phidippus adumbratus is found primarily in southern California, with a few appearances as far north as San Francisco, according to iNaturalist. ActiveContinue reading “Meet a Jumping Spider”
Mashabu 