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Three Digger Crayfish (Creaserinus fodiens) with eggs of the water boatman Ramphocorixa acuminata on the carapace. The water boatman eggs have a separate observation here.

This observation is for the eggs on these Digger Crayfish (Creaserinus fodiens). Female Ramphocorixa acuminata preferentially attach their eggs to the carapace of crayfish (Forbes, 1878; Abbott, 1912; Griffith, 1945). I saw adults of the water boatman, but didn't photograph them--Doh! The crayfish have a separate observation here.

Abbott, J. F. 1912. A new type of Corixidae (Ramphocorixa balanodis, n. gen., et sp.) with an account of its life history. Canadian Entomologist 44: 113-120.

Forbes, S. A. 1878. Breeding habits of Corixa. American Naturalist 12: 820.

Griffith, M. E. 1945. The environment, life history and structure of the water boatman, Ramphocorixa acuminata (Uhler) (Hemiptera, Corixidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin 30: 241-365.

Taken on monthly Birding on Broadmeade group walk on Lake Creek Trail in Williamson County in northwest Austin.

Two small Blotched Water Snakes were hunting minnows in the creek near the third low water crossing. At first we wondered if this was one snake with two heads, but finally one head moved somewhere else.

Vouchered at Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS 16535).

ANHC/AGFC/INHS/USFS survey for Boston Mountains Crayfish (Cambarus causeyi). With Brian Wagner, Chris Taylor, Kathleen Quebedeaux, and Zach Rozansky.

When I walked by this on the trail, my first thought was that it was a really long snake. Then I realized that it was two snakes, but only one snake had a head- because the head of the plain-bellied water snake was inside the cottonmouth. However, it seems I startled the cottonmouth into giving up its meal, because it un-swallowed the other snake and left.

A REQUEST:
When recommending an identification, please adhere to current standards of taxonomy as deployed by iNaturalist at this time — as opposed to identifying and classifying organisms based on personal beliefs about what taxonomy can, should, or of right ought to be in opposition to iNaturalist’s current taxonomy. Comments noting such taxonomic disagreements, however, are welcomed and encouraged. I prefer my observations to be inline with current taxonomic standards as deployed by iNaturalist (as opposed to my personal beliefs) so that this and other observations are readily accessible to iNaturalist users with greater efficiency and usability. Thanks!

If you have any questions regarding this observation, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below!

Janson Jones,
http://floridensis.com.

2nd-5th pics are comparisons of key ID features of common dandelion on the left and red-seeded dandelion on the right. Note the red seed bases, red on the stems and sepal tips, and even triangular leaves that look like a cartoon Christmas tree.