Despite the terrifying dryness in our area, spring is on the way. Do you remember the March Miracle last year, a few days of wonderful late season rain that made such a huge difference? I'm so hoping for it!! There's a 73% chance of rain on Wednesday, of 0.24", and possibly a few more drops during the following days. NWS forecast discussion has low confidence this will amount to much, though.

I wanted to share a great compilation of our local aphids, with host plant notes: https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/13044-aphids-of-southern-california. I found it because I took a picture of a Convergent Lady Beetle on a California Buckwheat, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70407687, and discovered the beetle was munching aphids. I googled, and the great iNat list popped up. From now on, a lady beetle sighting will make me inspect the plant more closely.

I don't have any particular March theme in mind, but maybe one of you is chasing something these days we could tackle together?

Stay safe, and be well!!

I have added this quote to the project description

“Wild women are an unexplainable spark of life. They ooze freedom and seek awareness, they belong to nobody but themselves yet give a piece of who they are to everyone they meet.
If you have met one, hold on to her, she'll allow you into her chaos but she'll also show you her magic.”
Nikki Rowe

A few tidbits to share.

Super excited about your observations. So energizing.
Just borrowed Art Evans' CA Beetles book and it's so good. Back to being a student. Elytra! Elytron!
Keep obscuring those special/rare/vulnerable observations. Someone posted a chocolate lily in SLO and boom -- someone quickly dug it up. Shitheads. Can't be too careful for our nature friends.
There are some good low tides this week in the afternoon. Heads up.
My biggest recent thrill was finding an endangered slug. Yes!
Took a vernal equinox hike in the Verdugos. Blissful. The clouds bobbed on the hilltops, it misted often, was sunny just as often WHILE misting, dew glistened on abundant greenery, hillsides of blooms, magical. We saw a handful of people (half were masked). One had mega-creeper vibe so my husband had one of those "I won't allow you out there alone" talks. Valid. Gunning for my vaccinations!

Btw, I started playing with all-in-one shots. Like those tide-pool photos that you dissect at home. It's so much harder on hillsides and in valleys but kind of interesting. You just have to make your way around for the closer images. It's kind of like a jigsaw-puzzle shot where the individual pieces are distinct species and altogether there are loads of species. Yeah, not so practical. I might be trippin' 😜.

xo
Tracy