A couple of days ago I was cleaning up storm debris from my yard when a tiny creature fluttered daintily by. I recognized its flight pattern immediately as one of the prettiest and most delicate things I know: a green lacewing. It brought a smile. The order Neuroptera (“nerve winged”) has some really dainty insects. […]
Outdoors
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UPDATED: Birders Flock to Great Gray Owl
UPDATE: Local birder Rob Fowler was kind enough to send out some directions to the Great Gray Owl’s current location, as well as some tips to follow to make sure the bird stays happy and safe during its Humboldt visit. Find Fowler’s tips copied at the bottom of this post. PREVIOUSLY: The Humboldt County birding […]
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Will the Lassics Lupine Survive?
You’re forgiven if this is the first time you’ve seen the Lassics lupine. The rare flower exists in less than four acres on Earth, on two small, alpine plots in southern Humboldt and Trinity counties. Climate change has dwindled the flower’s individual population to fewer than 60, scientists believe, prompting the Center for Biological Diversity to […]
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HumBug: Illumination
Despite tipping over every rock and lifting every piece of peeling bark on my property over the years, I have yet to find a scorpion. So, for the last few evenings, when I take my dogs out I’ve carried a black light flashlight. Scorpions are known to fluoresce under UV, which is a curious thing […]
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HumBug: Skeletons in My Closet
Let me get one thing out of the way right off: I am not an entomologist in the sense that I have no degree in the subject, nor do I work at it as a profession. Like Sherlock Holmes, I like to think of myself as a talented amateur. I do it because I enjoy […]
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HumBug: It’s a Bug’s Life
I should explain I am using the word “Bug” in the generic sense … any small creepy crawly critter born with more than four legs. There is another technical definition for the word: a member of the insect order Hemiptera. The “true bugs” are generally shield shaped, with front wings about half the size of […]
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HumBug: Walking on Water
A quick flick of movement across a calm spot on the water brought a water strider to my attention. Although they might resemble spiders with their with spindly legs and dark bodies, they are actually members of the order Hemiptera (half wing) or “true bugs.” Their remarkable ability to skate so adroitly across the surface […]
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Dogs Dosed By Junkie Poop? Naaaah. Well, Maybe.
A few weeks ago, while scrolling through Facebook to research our article on digilantism, we ran across a passionate comment from a Hammond Trail hiker whose pup had been “poisoned” by eating human poop. “Later that afternoon my dog almost died. Vet took samples of what my dog threw up and her diarrhea…Found mushrooms and […]
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HumBug: Scaly Protection
The order of butterflies and moths, Lepidoptera, gets its name from Greek words meaning “scale wings.” Like a mosaic, those scales make up each species’ distinctive markings. Listed in the literature are a number of ways those minute scales contribute to the animal’s well being. As a layer of insulation on their body, they help […]
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HumBug: Look What the Rains Brought
As the seasons change, the macro invertebrate fauna (aka bugs) change. It’s November, and it finally rained at my house. At night when my dogs take me out for a walk I’m finally seeing my long awaited friends, the glow worms. Rapacious slug hunters, these little firefly relatives are usually found on the ground amongst […]
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The Humboldt Four Head to Nationals
Four Humboldt State University mountain bikers boxed up each of their bikes and then paid more than $400 apiece to have them sent to Snowshoe, West Virginia, and back. The reason? The 2015 USA Cycling Gravity Mountain Bike Nationals. This weekend, HSU’s four riders are competing in the two highest levels of racing, professional and […]
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The Reluctant Cyclist, Part 7 – Good Excuses, A New Commute
Friday, Sept. 4. That was the last day I rode my bike. As of this writing, 38 days have passed – in fact, the poor, neglected piece of machinery still sits locked to an inside bike rack in an office building in which I no longer work. I really do need to pick it up. […]