May I introduce.. Usnea Lichen?
Published December 7th, 2025
It’s a plant… ? It’s an animal… ? This beautiful and mysterious structure is classified by a fungal partner, so it’s actually a combination of an algae and a fungus. The fungus provides a structure for the algae to live in, while the algae provides food for the fungus. And [...]
May I introduce, the Yellow Bellied Marmot??
Published December 7th, 2025
What do you do on Groundhog’s Day when you don’t have a local groundhog?? For that matter, what did early American colonists do without a hedgehog? Because the hedgehog was the original hibernating mammal used in Europe to predict the arrival of spring, early Pennsylvania Germans had a quandary when they came [...]
May I introduce…. The most ghostly of flowers???
Published December 7th, 2025
‘Saprophytic plants’ are those fascinating ghost like outliers of the plant kingdom that defy the norm and thrive without the need for photosynthesis! These pale beauties have no chlorophyll and no hint of green. Instead, they are shrouded in hues of white and pink. Without chlorophyll, they are unable to get [...]
May I introduce, the Yellow Spotted Millipede?
Published December 7th, 2025
This brightly speckled little mulch muncher plays a vital role in the redistribution of organic material in the forest ecosystem. As is often true in nature, bright colors warn of danger, and indeed, this critter is protected by toxic cyanide. The amount secreted is not normally medically significant to humans, and in fact, [...]
May I introduce, the otherworldly ‘By the Wind Sailor’?
Published December 7th, 2025
This fascinating ocean traveler, more formally known as the Vellela, is a ‘cosmopolitan free floating hydrozoan’ that lives on the surface of the open ocean. In biogeography, ‘cosmopolitan’ refers to a range of taxon that extends across most of the world.  This is a member of the Cnidaria phylum (making it very [...]
May I introduce (the much maligned…) Turkey Vulture??
Published December 7th, 2025
This magnificent harbinger of Spring doesn’t often get the respect it deserves. Arriving in spring in many areas, including the beautiful Umpqua Watershed, after spending the winter in Baja Mexico and California, the Turkey Vulture (TV) gets its name from the fact that the head is hairless and red, just like a [...]
May I introduce, the beautiful rosy colored Pacific Sideband snail?
Published December 7th, 2025
This is the largest native terrestrial land snail in British Columbia. While aquatic snails have gills, this is one of the ‘pulmanate’ snails that has evolved its mantle cavity into a lung and breathes through a single opening on the right side of its body. The beautiful pink and red body is [...]
May I introduce… the snake with all sizzle but very little snap?
Published December 7th, 2025
The bull snake, also known as the gopher snake, is a rather hefty, formidable looking member of the North American constrictor family. With a potential length of 8 feet and a color pattern resembling a rattlesnake, this snake looks intimidating but has no venom. It constricts its prey instead. It gets his name [...]
May I introduce, the Magnificent Bryozoan??
Published December 7th, 2025
How cool must you be to be labeled magnificent??? Pectinatella magnifica is a species of freshwater bryozoan in the class of Phylactolaemata. As such, these are microscopic aquatic invertebrates that live in colonies, building exoskeletons similar to those of corals. Most live under the surface of the water, attached to rocks or branches. Their [...]
May I introduce, the Black Tailed Jackrabbit?
Published December 7th, 2025
Watership Down lives! One of my favorite books ever, I’ve read Watership Down at least a dozen times. What a fascinating glimpse into social, political and philosophical issues. As a youngster, it never occurred to me to question if the characters in the novel were rabbits or hares. Turns out, they were European Rabbits. [...]
May I Introduce … the Western Fence Lizard?
Published December 7th, 2025
Though a rather common lizard of the western United States, this beautiful medium sized lizard has some superhero powers. A member of the spiny lizard family, fence lizards have spiny grey, tan or brown scales with a white or yellow underside. Males often boast a beautiful blue belly or throat.
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