Terrifying.

Yesterday while hiking at Shell Ridge, I saw this male tarantula out searching for a mate. Since he was crossing a trail popular with mountain bikers, I kept an eye on him until he made it safely across. Almost immediately afterwards, I saw my lifer red-breasted sapsucker!

It’s cool duck season again! At the Palo Alto Baylands today I saw 30+ species of birds, including these: green-winged teal hen, ruddy duck drake, Northern shoveler drake, and a whole lot of Northern shovelers (with American avocets and hidden willet) #birds #ducks

I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA 10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)

#gall #meme

I realize we've totally been AWOL from social media lately. Here's an update: Best of #Penumbric, vol viii, has finally been proofed and is now up on Amazon at www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR9HFPH8. (Yay!!!) Author's copies will go out in the next couple of weeks as we try to catch up.

Until recently @ymilesz.bsky.social taught me, I didn't know anything about the fascinating synbiotic relationship between fig trees and fig wasps. So I've been wanting to see their work in the wild, and found it on the last day of #September2025GallWeek ! www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Gorgeous male surf scoter I saw at the Bay a few weeks ago. He was very close to the beach playing in the surf, riding some waves and diving into others. #dslr #nikon #birdphotography #birds #ducks #scoter #surfscoter #melanitta #melanittaperspicillata #delawarebay #newjersey

This morning I went on a quick walk to Catton Park to see a scarce gall on a young Oak tree caused by the agamic (asexual) generation of the gall wasp Andricus lucidus. It had been found there recently by @susanweeks.bsky.social . This gall has lots of uniformly thin 'spines' with rounded tips.

I've been managing BHL's #Bluesky account for 4 months now. It's an honour to share such beautiful & significant content, particularly at this critical time. BHL's future is uncertain, but hopeful. Follow along @biodivlibrary.bsky.social & on the #BHLblog: blog.biodiversitylibrary.org/tag/transition

It’s Gall Week! #gallsky

"Each time I align the jump ignition sequence, I feel the shipsuit respond to my intention, its answer a thrum of power I can hardly comprehend. It opens a rift in space, and I slip through." Read 'In The Vanguard' by @chloehsmith.bsky.social inner-worlds.ghost.io/in-the-vangu... #SFF #SciFi

Hey, who turned out the lights?? 🕯️🕯️🕯️ The theme for September's flash fiction contest is CANDLELIGHT! You have until the end of this month to submit. Full submission details linked below ⬇️ www.patreon.com/posts/septem...

The new issue is out! We are storytelling animals, always have been, always will be. This issue is proof that stories still mean something in our world. www.lunastationquart... #ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines

Unisexual generation oak gall season!!! 🥰 Feron pattersonae, Feron gigas, Feron crystallinum, and Andricus brunneus, all on blue or Jolon oak. #gallsky

Saw this adorable weevil today on a coast live oak acorn! #bugsky #weevils

California Gall Wasp (Andricus quercuscalifornicus) is one of the largest cynipid wasps (5mm!) and induces the largest insect galls in the western U.S. Some females emerge August-November, while others may remain in the gall for over a year before emerging. #cynipidwasps #galls #nature #california

Spotted this baby opossum while hiking in Moraga today!

If you're not writing your long book what are you even doing. It's the summer of writing your long book, not the summer of experiencing happiness

Spined Turban Gall Wasps (Cynips douglasii) induce distinctive galls on valley, blue, and scrub oaks—home to developing larvae. Adult females emerge from these galls in winter. #OakGalls #InsectLifeCycle #wildlife #nature #california

“Jaylana” is my new favorite interpretation of my name (Janna, which I even spelled out). This usurps Gianna, which I’ve gotten a few times.

Does anyone know what this might be? I’m thinking some kind of gall wasp/sweat bee? #norfolk #inverts

Beaked Twig Gall Wasps (Burnettweldia plumbella) form galls on several California oaks—including blue, leather, Muller’s, and scrub oaks. Adult wasps are tiny, just 3 to 4 mm long! #GallWasp #nativeinsects #wildlife #nature #california

Capybaras: you know they're chill, you know they're cool, you *might* know they're the world's largest rodents, but did you know their scientific name? Now you do, it's Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris! 📷 ge_op on iNaturalist 📍 Brazil 🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations... #ObservationOfTheDay

Get ready for an exciting announcement straight from the horse's mouth! 🎠🐴 The theme for July's flash fiction contest is CAROUSEL! You have until the end of the month to submit! Check out the full submission requirements here: www.patreon.com/posts/july-f...

Yesterday I saw this pigeon posing majestically on Castle Rock at Mount Diablo State Park. My understanding is that rocky cliffs are rock pigeons’ natural habitat. 🐦

We're looking for another engineer to join our team! Learn more: www.inaturalist.org/pages/jobs

Once in a while, I get this all-golden, red-eyed Sycophila (a parasitoid of Cynipini) females from various oak galls 🤩 I hope someday, someone gives them a well-deserved beautiful scientific name (unless they have one already).

Hey, it’s that one episode of Voyager!

I’m in California. Has the NYC mayoral race been going on for 4,000 years? Because it feels like it has. And next week is only the primary?

First Baby Gar of the field season! This Shortnose Gar is about 2 weeks old, and is starting to eat other small fish. Gars grow fast for freshwater fish! Thanks @buffalo-catcher.bsky.social for getting @garlab.bsky.social on these fish!

🚀 December issue submissions are OPEN! We want your sci-fi & fantasy stories. Women-identified authors welcome - new writers especially encouraged! Deadline: Aug 15th duotrope.com/duosuma... #ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines

I have a birding horror story in this anthology! 🪶 #birds #horror

This great horned owl swooped by me tonight. Look at its feathered feet!

Ghost-hunting shows should have a general contractor.

I have a birding horror story in this anthology! 🪶 #birds #horror

2025 has been a hard year so far for Apex. In the interest of transparency, we want to share what happened, the current state of things, and how you can help. We're determined to keep publishing great stories for many years to come, and your support is what will make that possible. 🖤👽

This briefly interrupted my cat's nap. Rude!

I'm an artist that incorporates insect themes and products. Some of my favorite media are stained glass, oak galls (for jewelry and dying), and wasp paper. Here's some of my more recent stained glass works.

I saw this lovely southern alligator lizard on a hike today.

I have a poem in this Paris-themed anthology from Pure Slush, out now. This is an old poem from back when I was in my 20s, working as a receptionist, visiting Paris occasionally, and writing poetry. I'm glad it has finally found a home! pureslush.com/store/anthol...

night shades is open right now. pay is $65 flat, max 500 words. anything speculative is welcome. of special interest is alienless scifi, low-magic fantasy, (body) horror, lower-plot worldbuilding. 🛸 all the info on how to submit is here: www.annareser.com/night-shades...

These new mantis, cicada, and grasshopper discoveries were supported in part by community science. 🧵⤵️

“Really, when I think it over, literature has only one excuse for existing; it saves the person who makes it from the disgustingness of life.” ~ Joris-Karl Huysmans

5. Colombian Weasel (Neogale felipei) by sultana: the first (and currently only) known photos of a living individual — #ToiletWeasel 4ever

To protect the nature all around us, we first need to understand it a lot better — and sharing photos to iNaturalist can help with that. To celebrate #BiodiversityDay, here are just five of the *many* iNat observations that have made a direct impact on science over the years. 🧵⤵️

Some recent butterflies I’ve seen: western tiger swallowtail, umber skipper, gray hairstreak, mourning cloak. #butterflies #insects

Congrats to @zyzzyvamag.bsky.social for 40 years! Here’s @fetaplace.bsky.social reading tonight.

Asexual/unisexual oak gall season is coming! I spotted these Feron gigas galls just starting to develop on blue oak yesterday. #gall #galls