From a tiny egg on a milkweed leaf to a butterfly that can travel over a thousand miles, the monarch’s life is full of transformation and obstacles. Most never make it to adulthood—but those that survive help produce the next generation. 🦋🌿

Banana slugs live surprisingly solitary lives, gliding through the forest at night—or whenever the air turns nice and humid. Their menu is… expansive: fresh plants, decaying leaves, lichens, droppings, even the occasional bit of carrion. But mushrooms? Those are the true treats of slug life. #Slug

🦋 Monarchs are arriving along California’s coast and forming winter clusters! They’re ectothermic—relying on sunlight—and cluster for protection from wind and rain. Subscribe for updates: westernmonarchcount.org Image: Cricket Raspet #Monarchs #Migration #NatureRabbitHole

Join me for a two-part intro to iNaturalist in the SF Bay Area: 📅 Nov 24 – Zoom (7pm PT) 📅 Nov 29 – Edgewood walk (9–10am) Local and curious? Come explore! Registration required. #NatureRabbitHole #INaturalist #BayAreaNature #StayCurious

Fungal threads (mycelium) quietly form tiny buttons underground. After rain, they swell with moisture and push up through the forest floor. Look low and slow—nature’s hidden network is showing off! #NatureRabbitHole #Mushrooms #Fungi #Mycelium #WildMushrooms #Nature #ForestFloor #NatureMagic

After the first November rains arrive, look for California Newts on the move! 🌧️🦎 After a long dry season tucked away in rock crevices, burrows, or under logs, they’re heading back to their breeding ponds—sometimes the very ones where they hatched. #CaliforniaNewt #BayAreaWildlife #Nature #Wildlife

Each fall, a “super-generation” of monarchs lives up to nine months, journeying to overwinter along California’s coast and in central Mexico. A single migration. Many lifetimes. Ever watch a butterfly and wonder where its journey began? #NatureRabbitHole #MonarchButterfly #Migration #NatureTrip

Fall is nature’s big reveal: chlorophyll fades and the yellows and oranges finally step into the spotlight. 🍂 Then come the divas—reds and purples—born from chemical reactions that create anthocyanins. 🔬🍁 #NatureRabbitHole #FallColors #LeafScience #EasternSierras #DiscoverNature