Natural History Journal

Large, colorful and altogether conspicuous, the Western Tiger Swallowtail ( Papilio rutulus ) is among the most widespread butterflies of the western United States, as well as one of the easiest Californian butterflies to identify at a glance. Western Tiger Swallowtail feeding on thistle nectar at San Joaquin River NWR With a nearly four-inch wingspan and brilliant yellow wings patterned with distinctive black tiger striping, this swallowtail is hard to miss!  Tiger Swallowtails are equally likely to be found in woodlands, riparian areas and other wild lands as they are in backyards and suburban parks, provided nectar sources are present.  Adult Tiger Swallowtails feed on the nectar of a variety of plants, from wild thistles and our native California Buckeye, to backyard flowers like zinnias (I've even seen them on peach blossoms).  Likewise, females lay their eggs on several different host plants, including aspen and cottonwood (in th...

Unlike last year in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and 2016 in Death Valley National Park  (as well as Mojave National Preserve ), the deserts of California are far from experiencing a Super Bloom this year.  Desert Dandelions, peeking out from beneath a rock near the mouth of Borrego Palm Canyon The Anza-Borrego region only received about an inch of rain this year, as opposed to over 7 inches last year.  No wonder annual wildflowers are scarce!  During our entire trip earlier in April, I only spotted a few desert dandelions and one lone bloom of desert sand verbena, two species known for carpeting the desert with their brilliant flowers in years of abundant rain. One lone Desert Sand Verbena bloom But despite the lack of annual wildflowers, the desert did not disappoint!  This year, the blooms are concentrated a little higher off of the ground, on flowering trees, shrubs and cacti.  Hiking up washes often produces the best specimens...

Today is Earth Day!   And this year's theme is ending plastic pollution!  Our reliance on single-use plastic has gotten entirely out of hand, and as a direct result of our consumer choices plastic pollution is negatively affecting our health as well as the health of the planet (particularly marine life). I urge you - I plead with you - take some time to consider ways you can personally eliminate single-use plastic from your life.  Then, start taking steps to implement your plan for a future free of plastic pollution! For further inspiration and ideas for living without single-use plastics, check out these posts: Kick the Plastic Habit: Plastic Bags and Other Single-Use Packaging Kick the Plastic Habit: Plastic Water Bottles and Other Single-Use Beverage Containers At Home With A Naturalist: In The Kitchen Happy Earth Day!

Earlier this week, I wrote about Sacramento's Gardens Gone Native garden tour and shared a few benefits of converting our exotic landscapes to natives.  Now, we continue the celebration of  California Native Plant Week (the third week in April) by highlighting a plant that is one of my favorites - and a favorite among birds as well - Blue Elderberry! Blue Elderberry ( Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea , formerly S. mexicana ) is an excellent plant for a wildlife garden.  In the spring and early summer, it is covered in umbels of creamy white to buttery yellow flowers that are savored by butterflies.  By late summer, the flowers give way to clusters of dark blue berries which are relished by an array of bird species, including migratory species passing through and resident songbirds.  Blue Elderberry is also the only host plant of the Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle ( Desmocerus californicus dimorphus ), a Federally Threatened species. Along with ...

Last Saturday, I spent a very enjoyable day touring 13 of the 21 gardens featured in the 2018 Gardens Gone Native Tour, hosted by the Sacramento Valley chapter of the California Native Plant Society. The centerpiece of this front yard is a young Valley Oak (Quercus lobata).  It is surrounded by plantings of Silver Bush Lupine, Western Redbud, Deer Grass and more, all interlaced with inviting pathways and scattered with annual California Poppies. According to their website , "The purpose of the Gardens Gone Native Tour is to support the mission of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society by raising awareness of the beauty and environmental functions of California's diverse native plants.  Our goal is to provide members of our community with the opportunity to view outstanding examples of native plant gardens, promote the benefits and use of California natives in home and public gardens, and provide information on how to ...

Perhaps, just perhaps, there is a place where dinosaurs walk among us.    Common Chuckwalla, peering out from beneath a shrub in Borrego Palm Canyon   Perhaps the Colorado Desert of California is another "Isla Nublar" and Jurassic Park could also take place here, amongst ocotillos and chollas... rather than Isla Sorna's Coast Redwoods that would never be found growing on tropical Costa Rican islands in the present day, never grew there in the past, and were not even around during the reign of the dinosaurs at all.    (This is what happens when botanists watch Hollywood films...  Though I realize Coast Redwoods are ancient trees that grew during the warm, wet climate of the past, they flourished across the northern hemisphere during the Tertiary Period (65-1.6 million years ago), which is known as the beginning of the age of mammals and took place after the extinction of the dinosa...