Photos / Sounds
What
North American Jerusalem Crickets (Genus Ammopelmatus)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found in the middle of the fire road leaving from Chantry Flats, this guy didn't seem to care much about anything, and barely moved at all.
Photos / Sounds
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Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Could not see any blue marks along its body.
Photos / Sounds
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Chilicothe (Marah macrocarpa)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
A fruit of a wild cucumber vine. For me, these are almost always found on the ground and empty. I have yet to see one actually hanging from the vine.
Photos / Sounds
What
Darkling Beetles (Family Tenebrionidae)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Usually this species is found in the east or south, so identifying it is tricky. It was about an inch in length, and walked low to the ground.
Here is another source (blog) documenting the same species found in California: http://bugguide.net/node/view/391414
Photos / Sounds
What
California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Although the foreground may be out of focus, the background provides a clear view of these white flowers with a hint of pink towards the center. These are found on almost every slope that faces the sunrise, and are usually covered with bees just before noon.
Photos / Sounds
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Lappet Moths (Family Lasiocampidae)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
These caterpillars were pretty small, about 0.75".
Photos / Sounds
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Plummer's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus plummerae)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found in a pretty hot environment, on a sun-facing slope along the Upper Winter Creek Trail.
Photos / Sounds
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Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found in a forest environment, this falcon was pretty far and seemed to be on the hunt.
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Genus CoelocnemisObserver
stevenflorentinoDescription
A black beetle that walks at a steady pace. The ones I have seen walk with their bodies kept pretty high from the ground. They usually position their body at an angle, with their head being lower.
Photos / Sounds
What
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found along the Winter Creek Trail that follows a river as well as several small "cabins" on the way to the Hoegee's campground. This is the "lower" trail that begins with a fire road leaving Chantry Flats.
Photos / Sounds
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Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found this guy sunbathing on a rock; these guys are everywhere, fast, and freak out easily.
Photos / Sounds
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Heartleaf Keckiella (Keckiella cordifolia)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Poorly shot photo of some heartleaf keckiella flowers.
Photos / Sounds
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Plume Thistles (Genus Cirsium)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Found along the Upper Winter Creek Trail at Chantry Flats along an east-facing slope, these plants appeared where the sun hit most; communities that had almost no trees and mostly small-large scrubs.
Photos / Sounds
Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
These ants were found walking along the Upper Winter Creek Trail at Chantry Flats, and measured around 0.5". They had a red body and black heads, and moved calmly.
Photos / Sounds
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Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
A difficult bird to take a photo of; it kept jumping through the scrubs around the Upper Winter Creek Trail at Chantry Flats.
Photos / Sounds
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Chaparral Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Yucca plant found near the Upper Winter Creek Trail at Chantry Flats in the Angeles National Forest.
Photos / Sounds
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Western Velvety Tree Ant (Liometopum occidentale)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Around the same time I saw the silver-sided sector spider, I saw this guy walking along as well.
Conditions were very shady and cool, due to the forest & canyon-like nature of where I was at. I was sitting on a rock in a river, about 5 minutes before reaching the first waterfall on the Eaton Canyon trail.
Photos / Sounds
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Typical Cobweb Spiders (Genus Theridion)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
I saw this spider while sitting down and taking notes on a boulder nestled in a small river, just before reaching the first waterfall at Eaton Canyon.
The area was in a forest as well as a canyon, and was very cool and shaded.
Photos / Sounds
What
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)Observer
stevenflorentinoDescription
Also called a Western Scrub Jay, I found it bathing in a water fountain near the very beginning of the trail at Eaton Canyon.
The area around there was mostly scrub with gravel-like soil.
