February Theme
Hi all,
following up on Laura's question in our last group email, I'd like to suggest "boards, logs and rocks turning" as a potential February theme.
Laura and I have been turning over all sorts of objects in the last few days and explored the life forms we found: snails, slugs, spiders, woodlice, bugs, centipedes, earwigs, ants...
Laura recommended to turn up a log or board while standing behind it, just in case one uncovers an aggressive specimen, like a snake, to have some protection and to be able to quickly put the log or board back down. It might also be a good idea to put on gloves.
It's a fascinating way to explore nature, a bit like shining a light into a pitch black tunnel. You never know if you even uncover anything, and when you do, you have to be quick since many critters scatter or crawl into holes.
After I had posted a bunch of observations from January 31st, I was contacted by a college student who runs a related project for her senior thesis, called BLISS (Biodiversity and Landscaping – Influence on Isopods and Snails and Slugs)
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/isopods-snails-and-slugs-surveys?tab=about
Laura and I will contribute to this project during one of our next outings.
Happy iNatting!!
Comentarios
Love it! You can also provide additional habitat in your yards by strategically placing left over (non-treated) wood pieces and or logs around the area. I have done so and now have plenty of places to find the creatures of the dark, protected places. A trick I learned from the UNRC folks at NHMLA during my super project participation.
Yes -- good deal! Even if I am a bit late...it's a really good theme.
Happy to be back in the southland. While SLO was productive, with plenty of nature sidebars, these times make it hard to be separated from your covid-safe people and home.
On a whim, I hit Malibu lagoon yesterday and it just happened to be a very low tide. I hadn't seen this post yet but did a lot of rock-turning. Found a cool crab that is new to me: flattop crab (a porcelain vs true crab) aka Petrolisthes eriomerus.
On the way home, southbound PCH, I made another unplanned detour and turned left on Topanga. Hadn't driven this for YEARS. It was a trip. Wish I had more energy and a larger bladder to make stops and observations, ha. I'm signing up my husband to drive me on a weekday. There are plenty of sights to keep him interested... the short bus selling leathers and furs in a pull-out, clever bridges over creeks, one-of-a-kind art vehicles, you name it. Unfortunately, it did look like a normal summer day with the unmasked crowds. I feel we're in a game of Frogger.
Andrea, I was excited about Descanso after seeing your observations...and appreciate your point about the crowd. I was considering Descanso but have to side with safety so thanks for the heads-up. My experience with South Coast Botanic has been good but I'm looking for new places. And eager to keep turning!
Topanga Canyon area is just minutes from home and my regular stomping ground. But don't even try the official trails such as Hondo Canyon or Trippett Ranch, especially on weekends. But stopping pretty much anywhere especially on Old Topanga is worthwhile.
Yes, I wouldn't recommend Descanso. Actually, I woke up from a nightmarish dream at 3am this morning, of tightly packed, unmasked crowds. I spoke to the people in my dream and asked them why they were not wearing masks. They said they didn't have any. They threw them away because things are getting better. I asked them to at least keep some distance and they separated a bit, but then bunched together again. It was all very friendly and smiling, not a Trumpers vs. the rest of us dream, but frightening none the less. I woke up and felt exhausted and slightly panicked. Thanks, Descanso!
As to turning... It's addictive... and suspenseful. Will I see anything? On average, seven or eight out of 10 turns reveals nothing but for maybe thousands of tiny ants. Some turns reveal something that immediately disappears from view. But every now and then, score!!!
I didn't know there was an Old Topanga Canyon road distinct from Topanga Canyon road (27). Just eyed it on the map. Thank you!
Try Summit to Summit and Calabasas Peak trails off Old Topanga (https://goo.gl/maps/9qhMSWrsM9V1rwkQ6), especially when there are a few more flowers to see. Best late AM to midday, when the morning dog walkers have left. Lots of side trails make it easy to evade people.
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