Summer 2023 Almanac: Barnacles, Bats, and Berries
This issue's almanac features barnacles, berries, Steller's jays, and more.
Wildlife
Tarantula Hawk Wasp Mamas Deliver the Smackdown of the Summer
When it comes to motherhood, it doesn't get much more extreme than tarantula hawk wasp moms, known to duel tarantulas—and win.
Scientists Are Decoding the Love Language of Pacific Chorus Frogs
For a male frog wanting a mate, it is vitally important to stand out, to be heard in his declarations, for listeners to glean his meaning.
Historic Money for Bay Area Nature Has Started to Flow. The Challenge? Spending it.
Meet BIL and IRA—two federal bills with forgettable names that belie their enormous potential impact on the environment.
Bald Eagles Have Adopted a Baby Hawk in the Bay Area
Photographer Doug Gillard witnessed the female eagle bringing in the first fuzzy, gray baby bird, but he assumed it was dinner for the eaglet.
Birds Flock to a Resurrected Tulare Lake, Peaking at Nearly the Size of Lake Tahoe
The resurrected Tulare Lake and thousands of acres of nearby flooded farmland are providing a temporary respite for the millions of migratory birds that pass through California along the Pacific...
After the Algal Bloom Cleared Out of Lake Merritt, the Nudibranchs Came to Party in Droves
Oodles of nudibranchs showed up in Lake Merritt after the harmful algal bloom of August 2022. These sea slugs appeared in record breaking numbers, taking Oakland's beloved tidal lagoon by...
Don’t Blame the Bark Beetles
While walking in the woods, you’ve likely encountered a dead log engraved with maze-like squiggles. These natural carvings are known as beetle galleries, and the grooves are munched out by...
How the DNA We Leave Behind Can Help Conservation
Bits of DNA linger on the forest floor, in the ocean, and even in the air—and these strands have stories to tell, back at the lab. Here's how environmental DNA...
