Toyon trees
Toyon is a common brush in our part of the Sierra Nevada foothills. A common BRUSH. This location, above Sonora, had a high density of toyon as trees. That is unusual.
Floating wasps
These wasps would land directly on the water, drink, and take off. That was unusual to see. Dr. Lynn Kimsey thinks they are one of our native Polistes paper wasps.
22 June 2021
Sunshine Hill fungus
Fungus growth. Sunshine Hill area, Tuolumne County, California.
On vinca.
Pack rat nest
While doing a large poison oak job, Alex Hartung and I found a pack rat nest on a steep brush and tree-covered hillside on Oman Drive, Soulsbyville. An interior live oak had fallen over, still green, with roots intact. There were bits of bark and small branches strewn thickly over the top of the nest, which stood about three feet high. There was no way such material could have accumulated naturally like this on that tree. It was a pack rat nest. June 19, 2021. Photos by Alex Hartung.
Termite Frass
Valley Springs.
House built 1938.
Excessive moisture, fungus growing in wood.
Winged female thief ant
Columbia Ca 6-22-21
Winged female thief ant. 3/8 inches long.
Dr. Philip Ward confirmed the ID. He pointed out that the taxonomy of thief ants (Solenopsis species in the erstwhile subgenus Diplorhoptrum) is in a rather unsatisfactory state. This queen could be called Solenopsis molesta, the most common North American species, but the boundaries of that species remain unclear.
small wasp bites Andrew
small wasp 26472
41363 Ant
sample review for AZ
