Large number of adult male and females on Rhus integrifola shrub foliage at dusk. Multiple females were observed ovipositing on flower buds(images 2-4) and pupal exuviae were also present (images 5 and 6).
@megachile -- I'm assuming this is some kind of gall midge, but I'm not seeing anything similar either in Northern CA or on Q. agrifolia in particular. I took photos of two leaves. The first (larger) leaf had both leaf folds and what looked to me like vein galls. I opened one of the folds and took a photo (Photo 7), but I have no idea what I'm looking at. Then I opened one of the veins (Photo 8) and that's where I found the larva in Photos 9 and 10. Sorry the photos aren't any better--tiny stuff!
Unknown, tiny reddish leaf fold galls on Coast Live Oak.
wanted to believe this was E. hypecoides, but could not find any hairs on buds.
Emerged from woolly galls of Four winged salt bush
On a Pacific Dune-Digger bee (Habropoda miserabilis), which has its own observation here
For more information about this species, see articles here, here, and here.
Hanging around these galls on coast live oak:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/206725951
Super cool!! Large cluster of galls around stem of Artemisia ludoviciana with two recently emerged gall midges perched right above the galls. They were both females with very impressive ovipositors. Very fascinating part of nature that I was lucky to witness. I'm IDing as Rhopalomyia because every other Cecidomyiid forming galls on Artemisia is from that genus, and the adults are imilar in coloration to Rhopalomyia that have been reared by others.
This species was having an emergence event at this site. The pupa were on coast live oak.
The adults with long wings and a yellow-greenish body is consistent with other whiteflies I've seen on oak in the past, but not been able to identify.
2-mm tube-like galls on underside of Larrea tridentata leaf.
Purple sage host. Adult preserved.
Midge and friends, newly emerged from galls on purple sage. I have no idea where the aphids were lurking other than in the midge galls! Pupa case, dissected gall and exit hole photos added.
1 female emerged from one of these galls on coast live oak:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197830376
Collected: 01-27-2024
Emerged: 01-29-2024
two bees seemingly mating!!
Link to host plant Mojave Sage (Salvia mohavensis) observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200158479
White Sage Leaf Gall Midge (Rhopalomyia audibertiae) Endemic in California.
Gallformers: https://www.gallformers.org/gall/3243 (as of 2/22/24)
(Mojave Sage (Salvia mohavensis) is not listed specifically as a host in Gallformers as of 2/22/24, only Salvia apiana / Salvia leucophylla / Salvia mellifera ).
"Rhopalomyia audibertiae
Family: Cecidomyiidae | Genus: Rhopalomyia
Hosts: Salvia apiana / Salvia leucophylla / Salvia mellifera
Detachable: integral
Color: gray, red, green, purple
Texture: hairy
Shape: conical, hemispherical
Season: Spring
Alignment: erect
Location: upper leaf, lower leaf, leaf midrib, between leaf veins"
BugGuide: https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Rhopalomyia%20audibertiae
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What is a Gall? Gallformers: https://www.gallformers.org/
"Plant galls are abnormal growths of plant tissues, similar to tumors or warts in animals, that have an external cause--such as an insect, mite, nematode, virus, fungus, bacterium, or even another plant species. Growths caused by genetic mutations are not galls. Nor are lerps and other constructions on a plant that do not contain plant tissue. Plant galls are often complex structures that allow the insect or mite that caused the gall to be identified even if that insect or mite is not visible."
GALLS
Plant Galls of the Western United States: a photographic guide to 536 species of plant galls found west of the Rockies, with 400+ color images and plates, Ronald A. Russo, April 2021. (Available on Amazon)
Gallformers: Identify Galls by name or by host plant https://www.gallformers.org/id
INaturalist Project, Galls of California https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-california
California Oak Galls (photo guide), Joyce Gross: https://joycegross.com/galls_ca_oak.php
California Oak Galls Induced by Unknown or Undescribed Species (photo guide), Joyce Gross: https://joycegross.com/galls_ca_oak_undescribed.php
Nancy Asquith Journal: California Oak Galls https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-plants-with-mystery-galls/journal/44142-california-oak-galls
Nancy Asquith Journal: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/galls-of-california/journal/44203-where-to-learn-more-about-galls
BugGuide: Identification, Images, & Information for insects and other gall-inducers, (US & Canada) clickable categories or use search bar: https://bugguide.net/node/view/3/bgpage
BugGuide: Unidentified Tracks, Larvae, Webs, Parasites, and Other Mysteries: https://bugguide.net/node/view/696662/bgpage
INaturalist Project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/all-your-galls-are-belong-to-us
Could it also be a Collared Petrel Pterodroma brevipes dark morph? I'm going off of Brett/Ron/Mike's "Birds Seen That Day" list for the species. Collared and Herald's were the only ones they reported by March 29.
Los Padres Dam Mystery Manzanita #8
Already coming into bloom. Most leaves elliptic and tapering to a point. Pedicel glabrous.
Here's the other coyote. Caught some good behavior on this one. Scat.
Here's an interestig beast. I saw these bright red galls growing on some manzanita, so I decided to look inside. Full of wee green beasts!
I didn't know this was a burl-forming species... see photo #5
this tree was spared during the fuel reduction mastication etc. and someone pruned it instead.
Inside folded leaf on Quercus agrifolia.
More observations of similar folding on Q. agrifolia:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/188319590
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/181451964
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183555175
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183800577
USDA/FS: A field guide to Insects and Pathogens of CA Oaks -mentions 3 whiteflies. All 3 overlap area and are found on coast live oaks (which this was). The three are: Crown whitefly, gelatinous whitefly, and Stanford's whitefly. Since first 2 are found on underside of leaves and latter is found mostly on upper leaves, I'll assume it was either of the first two. No "pupae" were present. It was windy so hard to get photos. ID tentative -will collect next time. (aside, next observation after this one, here,
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/77115783
is a bug nymph feeding upon what appears as whitefly pupae.) iNat suggested those pupae were Crown whiteflies).
Ridge Route
There were many of these hovering around the chamise--or at least I'm assuming all the bugs flying around were these. Super small but very interesting insects.
A page from my field notebook from 28 June 1994, from Sector Santa Rosa of the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This is what I used to do before digital photography. This shows the tree Cordia alliodora, identified for me at the time by Roberto Espinosa (RE). Cordia stems are swollen and contain ants, of several species but mostly a small ant with a flattened head, that uses its head to block the entrance to the cavity where they nest. I've since learned that this is the obligate Cordia specialist ant, Zacryptocerus setulifer (Emery), now known as Cephalotes setulifer. (According to John Longino "The most ubiquitous inhabitant of C. alliodora is Zacryptocerus setulifer (Emery)...Nearly every C. alliodora population I have examined in Costa Rica has had Z. setulifer in some of the nodes.")
Complete ML guess, I hadn't noticed this type of gall-like growth on Quercus agrifolia terminal buds before.
**update: relocated the gall on 9/12, collected and left in fridge at ~40F in a ziploc bag. On 9/19, dissected and photographed, preserved 5 or 6 larvae in 40% EtOH, left any possible living remainders in a sealed glass bottle and put both back under refrigeration.
12/20/23 update, turned out to be a new galling midge.
New gallformers.org code: "q-agrifolia-swollen-bud":
Gallformers page: https://www.gallformers.org/gall/5318
Update of 9/2/23 observation of Artichoke gall-like observation found on Quercus agrifolia.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/181449885
Larvae preserved in 40% ethanol and refrigerated.
Larvae measure ~2.5mm in length.
New gallformers.org code: "q-agrifolia-swollen-bud":
Gallformers page: https://www.gallformers.org/gall/5318
Interesting occurrence in a small patch of gravely sandy soil between two large paved areas. Furthest west that I’ve noticed Q. lobata on former Fort Ord lands
Moth on a gall on Goldenrod, found by Merav Vonshak
Looks like it was time for the aphids to emerge from their galls, first time I've seen the actual aphids (assuming that the insects are actually Manzanita Leafgall Aphids, please correct me if wrong).
Many winged ones crawling and sometimes flitting around the Manzanita leaves, even more shed exoskeletons attached to leaves. They're tiny, and constantly moving, hard to photograph clearly with or without a macro lens.
This particular poor Manzanita is loaded with galls, to the point where I wouldn't be surprised if they're actually problematic.
There's a related observation for the live aphids, which may or may not be Tamalia galucensis: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/181501422
Fruits lumpy.
On pumice (mine)
Leaves obtuse to blunty acute; flowers subsessile; upper leaves elliptic-lanceolate. On pumice slope with Pinus contorta var. latifolia, Arctostaphylos patula. Large population (common) across entire pumice feature (mine)
Found underneath adult chamise - maybe Apiastrum angustifolium instead?
On Arctostaphylos sp. (presumed to be rainbowensis but hairs make me unsure). A small black insect was found within each “blister”.
In gravel, on the road
Larvae camoflaged like a juniper needle
on Juniperus virginiana
Appears to be evidence of some insect making its way out of monkeyflower bud or egg layed on top.
ID tentative. Maybe this long pointed structure was the gall of Ericameria nauseosa stem gall moth (Gnorimoschema octomaculella)?
Emerged from gall on Ericameria nauseosa on 04/11/2023. Gall collected 04/09/2023: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154239859 In a very unfortunate accident I lost track of the specimen while trransferring it to a vial but the gall still has several larval chambers that appear to be occupied so there is a chance I could get more adults. Pupal exuvia in pic 8.
Terminal stem gall on Ericameria nauseosa. With several larval cells protruding from the hairy gall base. Collected to attempt rearing.
Trying to ID large winged insect covered by smaller winged insects.
Ant? Termite?
4 adults merged from a gall collected in this area:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153729350
Collection date: 04-01-2023
Emergence date: 04-27-2023
4 more identical midges emerged (no photos added here):
04-28-2023
Time-lapse of emergence:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1apsuYRoAc
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6argssxK8uE
on California Juniper
Hundreds of tiny, less than 1 inch long toads, hopping along the receding, vernal pool shoreline.
Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas) is a large native toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm (2.2 and 5.1 in) long, native to western North America. It is frequently encountered during the wet season on roads, or near water at other times. It can jump a considerable distance for a toad. Breeding occurs between March and July in mountainous areas, and as early as January in lower-elevation regions. The female lays up to 17,000 eggs stuck together in strings that adhere to vegetation and other objects along water edges.
Adults have a white or cream dorsal stripe. It is dusky gray or greenish dorsally with skin glands concentrated within the dark blotches. Its parotoid glands are oval, widely separated, and larger than the upper eyelids. This species is non-venomous, but skin secretions are mildly poisonous.
Immature toads are called tadpoles. As the tadpole matures, hind legs start to sprout followed by front legs, as the tail is absorbed. Soon this aquatic juvenile can be seen hopping near bodies of water by the hundreds.
https://herpatlas.sdnhm.org/species/overview/western-toad/2/
David Styer stopped the car during the Plant Survey to show us the 3-4 Leafy Horkelia (Horkelia californica var. frondosa) plants that were growing next to Osoberry shrub. Link to Osoberry observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/156966486
Link to another California Horkelia observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/216420665
California Horkelia (Horkelia californica) California Endemic. It is native, perennial, long-hairy, and uncommon on Fort Ord (compared to the prolific Horkelia cuneata). Bractlets are generally toothed. Bractlets exceed the sepals and have red-tinged margins. 5 white petals are more rounded and shorter with a wide base (unlike H. cuneata where base of petal is narrower than terminal end). Peak bloom time: April-June. There are 3 subspecies in California.
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 284-285.
(lists 2 subspecies in Monterey County: Leafy Horkelia (Horkelia californica var. frondosa) and California Horkelia (Horkelia californica var. californica)
Jepson eFlora, Horkelia californica: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=28403
Jepson eFlora, Horkelia californica var. frondosa: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=81858 "Ecology: Coastal scrub, canyons, poison-oak thickets. Leaf: 10--40 cm; sheathing base +- hairy; leaflets 3--5 per side, 15--60 mm, +- evenly double-toothed < 1/4 to base, generally unlobed; terminal leaflet 20--90 mm. Flower: hypanthium inner wall glabrous; sepals not red-mottled inside; filaments 1--2 mm, base 0.5--1.5 mm wide; style 2--3 mm."
Calflora: Horkelia californica var. frondosa https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=11733
( 3 subspecies listed on Calflora).
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 188.
(lists 1 subspecies of California Horkelia on Fort Ord: Leafy Horkelia (Horkelia californica var. frondosa)
Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 264-265.
Jepson eFlora Key to Horkelia: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_keys.php?key=11238
Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg
Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James G. Harris and M. Harris, 2022.
Two Photos, of this mystery (Gilia?) plant, sent by a friend who saw these amongst thousands of Greater Yellowthroat Gilia plants. No other photos available at this time. Photo Credit: D. Denning.
POSSIBLY
Slender-flowered Gilia (Gilia tenuiflora ssp. tenuiflora) Native/CA endemic, annual plant in the Phlox (Polmoniaceae) family that grows up to 40cm (16 inches) tall in sandy soils, on sandy hills, floodplains, and dry riverbeds. Stems can be glabrous or tufted-woolly-hairy. Inflorescence is glandular. Flowers have a slender long dark purple throat, pink-lavender- or purple petals, longest stamens are exserted, and style exceeds the anthers. Anthers are bluish-purple. Peak bloom time: April-May.
Gilia Flower Anatomy:
In Gilia, the corolla is divided into three sections - tube, throat, and lobes (limb). The tube is the proximal part that is generally cylindrical before any substantial expansion. The throat is the conical part that expands in diameter. The lobes (limb) are the part where the corolla is no longer fused. So, often - and in this case - the tube is completely hidden inside the calyx to the point where its color cannot be discerned without dissecting the flower.
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 169.
Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 248-249.
Jepson eFlora https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=50825
Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 123.
Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/polemoniaceae-gilia/
Found these two circling each other on the trail and then witnessed their full mating dance.
A genus of midges that induce galls on Brodiaea elegans elegans. Added pictures of larvae, pupae, pupal cases, and adults after hatching.
Four boas under one piece of debris, along with one WYB Racer, to be posted later.
Follow-up observation from 6d previous:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/150430936
UC ANR list of pathogens "Oak leaf blister":
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/taphlfcrl.html
Location updated
Mock heather
On coast live oak
Found at night on Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum).
Ratio of brown form : green form was roughly 10:1.
One of the eclosed adult moths is shown at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110131870.