approximately 3.5" long, bright green with distinctive red/yellow/black markings along the sides. Yellowish "horn" at the posterior. Found at school with 3 others near some flowers.
slender red snake with brighter red along the sides. Belly seems to be black. Approximately 6 inches long.
Largish lizard, approximately 9" from snout to tail. Reddish brown stripes down the back with large scales and white patches along the sides of the stripes. Very long tail and toes. Yellowish eyes.
Found in a bag of coals early evening, I think he scared us as much as we scared him! Quickly transferred to a bug box for identification, then released into our open space back yard.
Large leather-like soft shell turtle, maybe 14" long, pointed snout, dull, dark green color. Seen trying to cross the road to a creek. Very aggressive, displaying and snapping. Successfully moved it to the creek.
Large furry yellow abdomen, short legs, grey wings
Looks like a firefly without the light, long abdomen extends beyond wing covers. Bright orange head, legs and abdomen ending in black. Antennae are feathered, I can't find anything like this in any photos I've seen, but it appears to be some sort of soldier bug...
approximately 2 inches long, tan and brown segments, long greenish tentacles on back end, legs also somewhat translucent green. Head uniform tan, tan/green antennae. (red item is a dried flower petal)
Large spider-like creature, maybe 3 inches long. Found on patio at midnight. Large segmented abdomen, brown and tan, pale tan legs, large palps with dark tips, longer than any of the legs. "Hairy" head above eye clusters, hair on legs, face and abdomen. Tips of legs have "pincers"
Large wolf-like spider with unusual markings. Found in hallway inside house near open space in Martinez. After looking extensively online, we think this may be an invasive species Zoropsis spinimana. It is originally from the Mediterranean region, but was introduced the the San Francisco Bay Area recently and is spreading. We contacted a specialist at the CA Academy of Science for confirmation (he is a specialist on this particular spider) but did not receive an answer. Marks and body structure match female.
~ 2.5" from nose to tail, found under rock in rock wall, very moist. Reddish brown with gold or copper dust-like flecks along sides of body and in a v-like pattern from base of neck to eyes. Very pale underside, toes squared off. Possible immature, seems rather small. Seems to have damaged tail, (possibly from 5yo capture)
