Until recently, Sonoma County was the farthest south it had ever been seen, about 80 miles north of Stevens Creek. What the heck?
The Mysterious Red Belly
January 3, 2021 •
Tony Iwane
A resident of Oakland, Tony Iwane is the Outreach Coordinator for iNaturalist and an interpretive naturalist for the California Center for Natural History. Check out his photos on Flickr and his nature observations.
I Found a Spider in a Labyrinth Inside a Web — What Is It?
October 15, 2019 •
I saw a bunch of spiders hanging from structures in the middle of their webs. What are they and why do they do that? Looks like you’ve stumbled across one of the more interesting web builders of the Bay Area, … Read more
What Do Water-Loving Creatures Do in Summer?
July 16, 2019 •
How do slugs and salamanders survive the summer? Ah, seasons. The Bay Area may not have the distinct seasonality of New England, but there is a definite cool and rainy season and a definite dry and hot season, and our … Read more
How Can You Tell a Gopher Snake from a Rattlesnake?
July 2, 2019 •
If the snake you encounter looks perturbed, don’t count solely on head shape when you ID it.
What are Some of the Best Lesser-Known Nature Places in the Bay Area?
February 5, 2019 •
Everyone’s heard about Muir Woods. Where can you go to get away from the crowds and still see the nature that makes Northern California is famous?
Do Sunsets Get Better in the Fall?
October 30, 2018 •
It’s not smog or smoke making the sky more colorful.
Are Baby Rattlesnakes the Most Dangerous Biters?
May 1, 2018 •
People often say baby rattlesnake bites are more dangerous than adult rattlesnake bites. Is the conventional wisdom correct?
How Do You Identify Small Brown Moths?
February 27, 2018 •
A reader finds a small brown moth, the type you regularly see under porchlights. Where do you begin to identify it?
Ask the Naturalist: Look a Big Spider in the Mouth to Tell if It’s a Tarantula or Not
January 3, 2018 •
A reader found a huge spider. Is it a tarantula?
Ask the Naturalist: What Is This Gelatinous Mass on the Juncus Leaves?
December 19, 2017 •
An Ask the Naturalist reader finds some egg-looking things on Juncus leaves. What are they?