leaf miner on pelt lichen!
the lichen is posted here - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151245177
I found this male Mosquito standing on the wall of a container containing a few inches of stagnant, putrid rainwater. The container used to be a pool waterfall feature, but it broke years ago and the pipes at the bottom became clogged.
I caught and killed it.
Photos 1 and 3 had an Auto White Balance applied to it in Photoshop. Photo 3 was also brightened. Photos 4-6 were sharpened and brightened.
Don't think the hide out was made by the Salticid though??
Collected 9/15/23, refrigerated in a ziploc bag until 9/24 and dissected Quercus agrifolia acorn.
Preserved in 40% ethanol at 40°F.
Collected acorn from same tree, same date/time as the acorn gall observations below (2nd acorn):
Stem gall on Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
All found in same patch of plants:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184160738
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184160742
Update of 9/2/23 observation of Artichoke gall-like observation found on Quercus agrifolia.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/181449885
Larvae preserved in 40% ethanol and refrigerated.
Larvae measure ~2.5mm in length.
New gallformers.org code: "q-agrifolia-swollen-bud":
Gallformers page: https://www.gallformers.org/gall/5318
California Scrub Oak; This gall was found last year by Merav Vonshak except it was purple; I assume it will turn purple with time; this was a cluster of at least 3, maybe 4 galls. Gallformers: q-dumosa-pip-gall
Looks like this is a parasitoid on Coyote Bush Bud Gall Midge, Rhopalomyia californica.
I'm just guessing on the species because Russo says that Platygaster californica is the most common parasitoid on the galls and photos I've seen are roughly the same. But I gather that there are a handful of others, some from different families like Torymidae and Pteromalidae.
The other photos show the twig and the wasp apparently ovipositing or getting ready to do that.
On Athyrium filix-femina. Think this is the right gall ID, but perhaps there's a similar species local to CA?
@graysquirrel @merav @norikonbu @nancyasquith @megachile @garth_harwood
This is a fun one!
On Quercus berberidifolia, California scrub oak
https://www.gallformers.org/gall/3746
Gall on a nonnative pine in a park? I am looking at the brown thing on the green cone. I am not sure if this is a gall. I will remove it from the gall project if it is not.