Gina

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Last Notes

2025-04-06 18:40:41

A California endemic, False Babystars (Leptosiphon androsaceus) blooms appear to grow from a whorl of leaves—an effect created by small, opposite leaf pairs spaced along the stem, a feature shared with some close relatives.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california #californiaendemics
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/292/479/734/936/600/original/e9ee38847e314133.jpg
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/292/479/734/173/332/original/14a3491f5496df1d.jpg

2025-04-06 01:37:57

Jeweled Onion (Allium serra) is a California endemic in the same genus as garlic (Allium sativum), whose name literally translates to “cultivated garlic”—a nod to Allium, the Latin word for garlic.
#wildlife #wildflowers #nature #california #californiaendemics
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/288/458/223/482/441/original/240ca9dad0761e71.jpg

2025-04-05 01:14:12

Silver Bush Lupine (Lupinus albifrons) signals pollinators with a color shift: the white banner spot turns purple as the flower ages—faster after pollination—guiding insects to fresher blooms while still drawing them in from afar.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california #pollinators
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/282/702/445/864/925/original/ba158b9d4afa1828.jpeg

2025-04-03 01:57:36

Flatface Calicoflower (Downingia pulchella), a California endemic, thrives around vernal pools and other seasonal wetlands, blooming after winter rains before disappearing with the dry season.
#nature #wildlife #wildflowers #california #californiaendemics
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/271/548/071/885/438/original/327a1302315d6dab.jpg

2025-04-01 02:23:48

The sweet-smelling Sea Muilla (Muilla maritima) endures California’s long dry season by storing water and nutrients in its corm (a bulb-like structure), enabling it to regrow after its above-ground parts die back post-flowering.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/260/324/321/072/804/original/732d34a89bf45039.jpg

2025-03-28 04:01:11

"Courting male Lark Sparrows put on a dance that lasts for up to 5 minutes. The dance starts with the male hopping, then spreading his tail and drooping his wings so that they nearly touch the ground, almost like a turkey strutting."
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/lark_sparrow
#birds #nature #wildlife #california

2025-03-26 23:45:58

Propertius Duskywing (Erynnis propertius) depends on oaks—Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) and Garry Oak (Q. garryana)—with larvae hiding in silk shelters and feeding at night. In fall, they form cocoons in folded leaves that drop to the ground, overwintering until spring.
#butterflies #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/231/394/765/115/586/original/86d7432c57ba1c1c.jpg

2025-03-26 00:06:40

The endangered Vernal Pool Tadpole Shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) survives California’s seasonal pools with encysted eggs that stay dormant through dry years, hatching when conditions are right. (Video of dip netting at Warm Springs.)
#nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/225/792/806/586/795/original/07b48645fbf505f4.mp4

2025-03-25 01:03:14

California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera), the only palm native to the western U.S., is fire-adapted. Its trunk resists burning, only losing some of its outer layers, leaving a charred layer to protect it from future fires. More charring means more resistance.
#palms #nature #wildlife #california #calflora
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/220/373/916/625/308/original/f52969cf62b469aa.jpeg

2025-03-23 16:14:13

Teddybear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) stems detach easily and can take root forming a stand of clones. Desert woodrats collect these “cholla balls” to armor their nests, creating a prickly defense against predators.
#cacti #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/212/631/209/772/743/original/a8775085747b7a46.png

2025-03-22 04:26:36

Verdins (Auriparus flaviceps) are known nectar robbers, feeding through holes bitten in flowers instead of their natural openings—stealing nectar while avoiding pollination. We spotted one in action today!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Verdin/overview
#birds #wildlife #nature #california

2025-03-21 13:26:57

Make Western Side-blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana) can have one of three throat colors, each linked to a different reproductive tactic. Orange-throated males guard harems, blue-throated males guard a single female, and yellow-throated “sneakers” mimic females to slip past rivals.
#lizards #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/200/648/614/646/458/original/496d2bffa3ba5ead.png

2025-03-21 04:02:54

Like most other pea plants, Pacific Pea (Lathyrus vestitus) hosts Rhizobium bacteria in its root nodules, fixing nitrogen from the air to enrich poor soils like serpentine. When the plant dies, it releases the fixed nitrogen, fertilizing the soil.
#wildflowers #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/198/430/484/824/907/original/e1e2b3b764f6736a.png

2025-03-20 02:19:25

Warrior's Plume (Pedicularis densiflora), like other louseworts, is a root parasite, tapping into the roots of nearby plants to steal water and nutrients. As a hemiparasite, it can survive on its own but will parasitize when given the chance.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/192/362/012/185/630/original/3f005c3c7203a8c0.jpeg

2025-03-19 02:11:32

The Greater Bee Fly (Bombylius major) mimics a bee, allowing it to approach solitary bee and wasp nests unnoticed. Females flick their eggs inside, and once hatched, the larvae consume the host’s larvae.
#beeflies #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/186/666/209/943/867/original/8f32aad5d4f4cb82.jpg

2025-03-18 03:02:07

Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) caterpillars have a secret weapon—ants! They produce a sweet substance that attracts and appeases ants, which, in return, protect them from predators and parasites. This mutualistic relationship helps more caterpillars survive to become butterflies.
#butterflies #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/181/205/264/302/935/original/a1ac5af300f4bd7b.jpg

2025-03-17 00:52:49

"Orange-crowned Warblers (Leiothlypis celata) begin their spring migration earlier, stay later on the breeding grounds, and winter farther north than most other warblers."
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Orange-crowned_Warbler/overview
#birds #wildlife #nature #california

2025-03-17 00:39:01

Interested in converting some of your yard to native plants?
https://www.myhomepark.com/hnp-custom-native-garden-design?utm_source=Start+a+new+HABITAT
#nativeplants

2025-03-16 01:22:28

Orange Bush Monkeyflower (Diplacus aurantiacus) supports wildlife at multiple stages—its nectar nourishes hummingbirds and insects, while its leaves sustain the larvae of common buckeye (Junonia coenia) and variable checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona) butterflies.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/169/488/810/246/634/original/086cdab15f701c2c.jpeg

2025-03-15 00:28:25

Sun Cup (Taraxia ovata) opens its bright yellow flowers in the morning and closes them by evening or on cloudy days. This reversible movement, called photonasty, is a response to light driven by changes in turgor pressure—not growth—allowing the plant to protect its pollen and conserve energy.
#wildflowers #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/163/613/978/845/301/original/09a0069868a08876.jpeg

2025-03-13 23:41:04

Male Spotted Towhees (Pipilo maculatus) perform a morning concert, singing persistently until they’ve found a mate. In California, though, love is fleeting—they pair only for the breeding season before parting ways.
allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Towhee/overview
#birds #wildlife #nature #california

2025-03-13 00:07:33

Goldenrod Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia) can shift between yellow and white to blend with flowers, staying camouflaged as they ambush unsuspecting pollinators.
#spiders #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/152/207/264/379/306/original/567b63a98c1add31.jpg

2025-03-12 00:59:15

Red Beard Lichen (Usnea rubicunda), like other Usnea species, has an elastic inner cord you can feel by gently tugging its "branches." Usnea, like other lichens, often grows on sick or dying trees—not causing the decline, but thriving where the canopy opens to let in more light.
#lichens #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/146/748/260/414/817/original/a6df61f3d1563524.jpg

2025-03-10 02:49:45

Bluewitch Nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum), a relative of tomatoes and potatoes, offers only pollen, not nectar, to visiting insects. Since pollen provides no immediate energy, insects must visit nectar-rich flowers too—keeping their sugar buzz going!
#nature #wildflowers #california #wildlife
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/135/858/105/899/491/original/d69565f58080ea4e.jpg

2025-03-09 06:04:52

Brush Rabbits (Sylvilagus bachmani) are born hairless and helpless, relying on well-hidden nests for safety. In contrast, hares are born fully furred and ready to run—a key advantage for surviving in more exposed nests.
#californa #wildlife #nature #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/130/959/832/525/584/original/e120bb0c1c5d3a08.png

2025-03-07 22:38:19

Wrentits (Chamaea fasciata) form lifelong pairs and often duet—males sing a song that speeds up like a bouncing ball, while females keep an even rhythm. Links below to listen to their songs.
#birds #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/123/544/606/687/723/original/451ead602dd7f90c.png

2025-03-05 22:20:05

Woolyfruit Desertparsley (Lomatium dasycarpum), a member of the carrot family, is closely associated with serpentine soils, where 75–84% of plants are found.
#wildflowers #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/112/144/553/619/773/original/badf1e07038e681b.png

2025-03-03 23:10:40

Sea Muilla (Muilla maritima), despite its name, isn’t a sea plant—it thrives in dry, open habitats. A member of the onion family (Alliaceae), it lacks the strong odor of its relatives and grows from a corm, not a bulb, which helps it survive in California’s Mediterranean climate.
#wildlife #nature #wildflowers #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/101/022/578/473/701/original/cacc7cabdf4f0bd3.jpg

2025-03-01 23:14:52

Red Maids (Calandrinia menziesii) get their magenta hue from betalain pigments—found only in the plant order Caryophyllales and some fungi. These are the same pigments that give beets their deep red color!
#wildflowers #nature #california #wildlife #calflora
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/089/714/701/700/603/original/49b0d774fbef3ec3.jpg

2025-02-27 23:41:14

Henderson’s Shooting Star (Primula hendersonii) has nodding flowers with swept-back petals expose the stamens and pistil, encouraging buzz pollination by native bees. The bees vibrate their flight muscles to shake pollen loose—a technique also used by bumblebees on tomatoes!
#wildflowers #nature #california #wildlife #buzzpollination
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/078/493/742/032/538/original/6e86f7fc70923493.jpeg

2025-02-26 00:33:10

Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is a nitrogen-fixing legume that exhibits cauliflory—a trait where flowers and fruits emerge directly from stems or trunks rather than new growth. The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) also displays cauliflory, with flowers sprouting from its trunk and developing into the beans used to make chocolate.
#nature #flora #wildflowers #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/067/373/231/311/147/original/39a21a5b064b77ea.jpeg

2025-02-25 02:08:17

Bushtits (Psaltriparus minimus) stay in stable flocks of 10–40+ year-round. During breeding season, pairs build their pendulous nests from spider silk and plant fibers, but they don't mind their flock mates hanging nearby while they nest.
#birds #nature #wildlife #california
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/062/084/918/649/982/original/f85a73806a7650d0.jpg

2025-02-24 02:07:52

Southern Candy Cap (Lactarius rufulus) is a mycorrhizal fungus that forms a mutually beneficial relationship with oak trees. It creates an ectomycorrhizal sheath around the oak's roots, exchanging carbohydrates for nutrients in the soil, helping both the fungus and the tree thrive.
#nature #fungi #california #wildlife
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/056/421/058/398/389/original/a77e1d88ac45db2e.jpg

2025-02-22 03:00:39

Fremont’s death camas (Toxicoscordion fremontii) is a true fire follower, relying on wildfire cycles for reproduction. A nine-year study in the mountains north of Santa Barbara found that after a fire, 90% of plants flowered, while in unburned areas, fewer than 10% did—and they rarely set seed.
#wildflowers #california #nature #wildlife #CaliforniaFloristicProvince
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/045/300/724/695/542/original/42716c969865e149.jpg

2025-02-21 01:58:58

Yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata) are mostly insectivores but adapt their diet in winter. Unlike other warblers, they can digest the waxy berries of bayberries and wax myrtles, allowing them to winter farther north than other warblers.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/overview
#nature #wildlife #california #birds
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/039/401/922/662/489/original/8ac5307fa0a5b412.png

2025-02-19 23:01:23

The California newt (Taricha torosa) emerges with the rains, trekking to ponds and streams to breed. Its bright orange belly warns predators of its potent toxin—tetrodotoxin, the same deadly compound found in pufferfish. Look closely for nets and egg sacs!
#wildlife #california #nature #newts
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/033/033/379/576/226/original/3ea9b3c7bc0a9246.jpeg

2025-02-18 21:46:44

In late winter and early spring, California bay (Umbellularia californica) bursts into bloom with clusters of small, yellow-green flowers, attracting pollinators. By fall, trees will produce olive-like bay nuts, which Indigenous peoples roasted to make a chocolate-like drink.
#nature #california #wildlife #flora
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/027/081/644/402/228/original/4123947ed0e48935.jpg

2025-02-17 23:27:23

Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) is bursting with bright red berries this time of year, a wintertime food source for birds and mammals, and a classic sight in California’s winter landscapes. Early settlers called it “California holly,” which may have inspired the name Hollywood!
#CaliforniaFloristicProvince #LearnAboutNature #NatureInFocus
#DiscoverWildCalifornia #CalFlora #nature #flora
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/021/815/617/566/317/original/a60c273a17990514.jpeg

2025-02-17 04:43:33

Mustard Yellow Polypore (Fuscoporia gilva) is a tough, wood-decaying fungus that forms flat, brownish crusts on dead or dying hardwood.
#fungi #californiafungi #nature
https://files.sfba.social/media_attachments/files/114/017/395/422/296/793/original/6eade14636b0cca9.jpeg