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 storm.
On the (Oddly Satisfying) War Against Invasive Species
May 25, 2023 •
Invasive species removal is a long game. If you see the entire job before you, you may despair. But if you keep your head down and only look at what’s right in front of you, then you have a chance of really making a difference in the long term.
Bay Nature’s Summer Guide Is Here!
May 23, 2023 •
Inspiration for all your hiking, paddling, camping and other outdoor activities in the Bay this summer.
These Fabulous Flowers Are Spring’s Final Encore
May 17, 2023 •
When other plants start hunkering down, clarkias send up a dazzling array of purples and pinks.
Don’t Blame the Bark Beetles
May 9, 2023 •
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 the larvae of bark beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae.
How the DNA We Leave Behind Can Help Conservation
May 3, 2023 •
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 (aka ‘eDNA’) is starting to transform how ecologists work in the Bay Area and beyond.
Here Comes the 2023 City Nature Challenge, A Global Competition You Can Join This Weekend
April 25, 2023 •
What’s your plan for this year’s City Nature Challenge, April 28-May 1? Here’s what it’s all about, plus a map of Bay Area bioblitzes you can join.
Dungeness Crab Fishery Is Closed Early Again to Prevent Whale Entanglements
April 19, 2023 •
Dungeness crabbers finished the season without a single whale entanglement, unlike past years, but they paid a price.
Avian Flu Claims at Least 7 California Condors—and a Beloved Bay Area Peregrine Falcon
April 13, 2023 •
Avian flu is hitting close to home, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. California condors and a beloved San Jose falcon are the newest victims of this epidemic that is sweeping through domestic and wild bird populations worldwide.
The Lyrids Are Our First Chance to See Some Shooting Stars This Year
April 13, 2023 •
The story of how Earth came to be graced with this meteor shower starts at the birth of the universe, with a dirty snowball.