Andrenas are commonly referred to as “mining bees,” because they construct underground nests. If you scour the ground along park trails, you may spy the holes of Andrena nests, usually no more […]

While this may look more like something your cat coughed up, it’s the cocoon of a Giant Silkmoth—likely the Ceanothus Silkmoth (Hyalophora euryalus) or “Kasloensis” (Hyalophora euryalus kasloensis). Last year, […]

Last week, we had a tumblebug sans dung ball, this week with! Ellen writes, “there were 2 rolling the dung along. The 2nd went into a dark hole in the ground when […]

Cobwebs spiders (family Theridiidae) are often housemates, wanted or otherwise. Even if you don’t see them, you may find their handiwork—messy, three-dimensional webs, with strands running in many different directions. […]

These common beetles are named for the months they are most numerous in, May and June. The adults are nocturnal, foliage feeders, while the larvae, known as white grubs, feed […]

If you spend any time digging in your garden, chances are you’ve come across one of these before. While it is extremely difficult to determine the exact species, this is […]

This immature female black widow is certainly beautiful …but take that red hourglass marking on her underside as a warning. While they are not aggressive (will not attack you), they will defend themselves or […]

This stunning beetle’s name, auripennis, means “golden winged,” although they range from iridescent green to gold, with an uncommon black form. They are a type of Leaf Beetle (family Chrysomelidae), a […]

This strange looking beetle is likely the Black Meloe (Meloe niger). They are active primarily in April and May. As you might guess from their short, stubby wings, the adults are flightless ground-dwellers. […]