המועדפים של rjadams55

A scattered patch of these coral fungi were found growing out of the remains of a mostly decomposed log. They were identified by their upright stature, gray-tan coloration with pale branch tips, and lack of rapid discoloration when handled.

The second photo is brightened to show the red or red/black malar stripe better. This bird was farther south when we first heard it. Then it called and flew upstream. We later found it near the junction of the Bench Trail with the dirt road.

These unusual looking mushrooms were found in a patch of disturbed lawn surrounded by Douglas Firs and pines. Their stipes were oddly misshapen, appearing both swollen and deflated. They also left a white spore print.

Female Western Spotted Orbweaver (Neoscona oaxacensis) spider with brightly colored swirling markings on the abdomen. Those bulges below the spider in picture two are egg sacs. She constructed a vertical web inside a red bucket in a grassy meadow near cattle trough. It looks like she caught a winged insect. She is well camouflaged on her "trashline-of-debris" web.

Field Guide to Spiders of California and the Pacific Coast States, RJ Adams and Tim Manolis, 2014, pp. 113-114, plate 20.

BugGuide https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Neoscona+oaxacensis

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NOT

Metepeira spinipes is a member of Typical Orbweavers, Subfamily Araneinae
"M. spinipes is one of the very few semi-colonial spiders in the US. Each individual builds its own orb web with a retreat made of leaves and silk suspended inside a surrounding tangle web. A line connects the retreat to the center of the orb while the tangle webs of the different spiders are interconnected."

Great local observation of this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3976674. Thanks @rjadams55!
Field Guide to Spiders of California and the Pacific Coast States, RJ Adams and Tim Manolis, 2014, p.117-118, plate

BugGuide https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Metepeira+spinipes

The Mission Cactus in not native to the region, but was brought to Monterey County by Spanish missionaries and settlers. Both the fruit and pads (nopales) are edible. As part of the former Soberanes Ranch, these cactus are widespread in the canyon's dryer south-facing slope.

This extremely large male fishfly was identified to species based on the structure of its reproductive organs, clearly visible in photo 2.

Information used to identify this individual was found in Liu and Winterton's (2016) review of the North American species.

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0148319

This adult male tarantula was found along the side of I-180 just inside New Mexico and within the Gila Natl. Forest.

Species-level identification based on appearance, location and information contained in the tarantula revision by Hamilton et al. (2016).