BBHSP Biology Section 1: Animals
Please contact us if you find any corrections or if you have questions about this page. Photos by BBHSP staff and friends. The growing list of species found at BBHS is on this page (below all the pictures) and is collected and managed by Jennifer Berry. Enjoy!
*Also, for information about Fish in the river Ahjoomah (AKA Pit River), please see this page:
http://www.bigbendhotsprings.org/?page_id=504
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Mammals:
Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)
Columbian Black-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus)
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
Grey Fox Track
Amphibians and Reptiles:
Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla)
Pacific Chorus Frog with interesting colors and markings
American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana or Lithobates catesbeianus) Juvenile Male (?)
Western Toad, Anaxyrus Boreas Hunkering Down
Western Toad, Anaxyrus Boreas Blending In
- Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata or Emys marmorata)
Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata)
Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata or Emys marmorata)
Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata or Emys marmorata)
Ensatina Salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii)
Ensatina Salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii)
Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
LIZARDS, TICKS AND LYME DISEASE
UC Berkeley entomologist Robert Lane has discovered that a substance found in the blood of the common western fence lizard kills Lyme disease bacteria in the gut of juvenile ticks that feed on it. It may help explain why there is far less Lyme disease in California than in the eastern United States, where the lizard does not live. The western fence lizard — a commonly found species dubbed the blue belly lizard in California – can carry an average of 30 juvenile black legged ticks, which are about the size of a poppy seed. Three stages of tick development Larval Ticks pass through three stages of development. During each stage they eat one “blood meal.” Larval ticks become infected with Lyme disease when they feed on rodents.
Nymphal Tiny tick nymphs can transmit Lyme disease by biting a human. If they feast on a common western lizard, however, something in the reptile’s blood appears to kill the bacteria
Adult Adult black-legged ticks move off the forest floor and onto plants and grasses. Those who feasted on lizards as nymphs are less likely to transmit Lyme disease to humans.
California Orange-Bellied Newt (Taricha torosa)
Valley Garter Snake
California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) is nonvenomous.
Insects and Arachnids:
Buprestis aurulenta, commonly known as the Golden Jewel Beetle or Golden Buprestid Beetle.
Buprestis aurulenta, commonly known as the Golden Jewel Beetle or Golden Buprestid Beetle.
Black Beetle
Insect Mating Behavior
Female Deer Tick (aka Black Legged tick – Ixodes scapularis – Ixodes dammini)
The Female Deer Tick is probably the most dangerous tick…
Deer Tick Diseases: Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis
Female American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
Male American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
Dog Tick Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tuleremia and may carry Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis.
More information on local ticks:
Predaceous Diving Beetle (Aquatic Insect) Family Dytiscidae
Predaceous Diving Beetle (Aquatic Insect) Family Dytiscidae
Grasshopper nematode (Mermis nigrescens)
Grasshopper nematode, a roundworm of the phylum Nematoda, Mermis nigrescens, develops as an internal parasite of grasshoppers (and perhaps earwigs). It is extremely large, 5 to 20 cm.
Grasshopper nematode, a roundworm of the phylum Nematoda, Mermis nigrescens, develops as an internal parasite of grasshoppers (and perhaps earwigs). It is extremely large, 5 to 20 cm.
Grasshopper
Millipede
Moth #1 – Ceanothus Silk Moth (Hyalophora euryalus)
Colias-Alexandra-Butterfly-on-California-Buckeye
Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly
Meeting of the Minds
Moth #2 –
Moth #3 –
Moth #4 –
Moth #5 –
Moth #6 –
Moth #7 –
Moth #10- Morning Glory Plume Moth, Emmelina monodactyla
Moth #8 –
California Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Nymphalis californica)
Eastern Eyed Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus)
Grub
Worm
Signal Crayfish
California Scorpion (Graemeloweus iviei OR more likely a Paruroctonus silvestrii) (??) found under a rock.
Birds:
Band-Tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) Roosting Above Mineral Site
Band-Tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) Roosting Above Mineral Site
Black-Headed-Grossbeak
Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Steller’s Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri)
American goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
Juncos in Nest
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) preched on Ponderosa Pine Snag near River Achoma
Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) doing yoga in Oolaymoomay meadow.
| Invertebrates | |||
| Adelpha | californica | California Sister Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Apiomerus spp | Bee Assassin | Bug | |
| Argia | vivida | White damselfly | Damselfly |
| Battus | philenor | Pipevine swallowtail | Butterfly |
| Buprestis | aurulenta | Golden Buprestid | Jewel beetle |
| Catocala | spp | Underwing moth | Moth |
| Cercyonis | pegala | Wood Nymph Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Coelocnemis | californica | Broad-necked Darkling Beetle | Beetle |
| Coenonympha | californica | California Ringlet | Butterfly |
| Collomia | grandiflora | Mountain Collomia | Annual |
| Chalcophora | angulicollis | Western Sculptured Pine Borer | Beetle |
| Charidryas | gabbii | Gabb’s Checkerspot | Butterfly |
| Cinidela | longilabris | Long-lipped Tiger Beetle | Beetle |
| Danaus | plexippus | Monarch Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Dasymutilla | sackenii | Velvet Ant | Wasp |
| Desmerocerus | californicus dimorphus | Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle | Beetle |
| Gnophaela | latipennis | Pindi moth | Moth |
| Junonia | coenia | Buckeye Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Monochamus | clamator latus | Pine Sawyer Beetle | Beetle |
| Nymphalis | antiopa | Mourning cloak | Butterfly |
| Occidryas | chalcedona | Chalcedon Checkerspot | Butterfly |
| Osmia | spp | Mason Bee | Bee |
| Papilio | zelicaon | Anise Swallowtail Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Papilio | eurymedon | Pale Swallowtail Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Prionus | californicus | California Prionus beetle | Beetle |
| Speyeria | callippe | Callippe Fritillary Butterfly | Butterfly |
| Birds | |||
| Anas | crecca | Green-winged Teal | Duck |
| Anas | platyrhynchos | Mallard | Duck |
| Ardea | herodias | Great Blue Heron | Aquatic |
| Bombycilla | cedrorum | Cedar waxwing | Songbird: Waxwing |
| Buteo | jamaicensis | Red-tailed Hawk | Hawk |
| Calypte | anna | Anna’s Hummingbird | Hummingbird |
| Cinclus | mexicanus | American Dipper | Songbird: Cinclid |
| Coccothraustes | vespertinus | Evening Grosbeak | Songbird:Finch |
| Colaptes | auratus | Nothern Flicker | Woodpecker |
| Contopus | sordidulus | Western Wood Peewee | Songbird: Flycatcher |
| Cyanocitta | stelleri | Stellar’s Jay | Jay |
| Empidonax | difficilis | Pacific-Slope Flycatcher | Songbird: Flycatcher |
| Euphagus | cyanocephalus | Brewer’s Blackbrid | Songbird: Blackbird |
| Falco | peregrinus | Peregrine Falcon | Falcon |
| Icterus | bullockii | Bullock’s oriole | Songbird: Blackbird |
| Junco | hyemalis | Dark-eyed Junco | Songbird: Sparrow |
| Megaceryle | alcyon | Belted Kingfisher | Kingfisher |
| Megascops | kennicottii | Western Screech Owl | Owl |
| Meleagris | gallopavo | Wild Turkey | Wildfowl |
| Melospiza | melodia | Song Sparrow | Songbird: Sparrow |
| Myiarchus | cinerascens | Ash-Throated flycatcher | Songbird: Flycatcher |
| Oreotrxy | pictus | Mountain Quail | Wildfowl |
| Pandion | haliaetus | Osprey | Raptor |
| Passerella | iliaca | Fox Sparrow | Songbird: Sparrow |
| Passerina | amoena | Lazuli Bunting | Songbird: Cardinals |
| Patagioenas | fasciata | Band-Tailed Pigeon | Dove |
| Pheucticus | melanocephalus | Black-headed grosbeak | Songbird: Cardinals |
| Picoides | pubescens | Downy Woodpecker | Woodpecker |
| Pipilo | maculatus | Spotted Towhee | Songbird: Sparrow |
| Piranga | ludoviciana | Western Tanager | Songbird: Cardinals |
| Psaltriparis | minimus | Bushtit | Songbird: Tit |
| Selasphorus | rufus | Rufous Hummingbird | Hummingbird |
| Setophaga | coronata | Yellow-rumped Warbler | Songbird: Warbler |
| Setophaga | nigrescens | Black-throated Gray Warbler | Songbird: Warbler |
| Setophaga | petechia | Yellow Warbler | Songbird: Warbler |
| Sialia | mexicana | Western Bluebird | Songbird: Thrushes |
| Sphyrapicus | ruber | Red breasted Sapsucker | Woodpecker |
| Spinus | pinus | Pine Siskin | Songbird: Finch |
| Spinus | psaltria | Lesser Goldfinch | Songbird: Finch |
| Sturnus | vulgaris | European Starling | Songbird: Starling |
| Tachycineta | bicolor | Green Tree Swallow | |
| Troglodytes | aedon | House wren | Songbird: Wren |
| Turdus | migratorius | American Robin | Songbird: Thrushes |
| Vireo | cassinii | Cassin’s Vireo | Songbird: Vireo |
| Zenaida | macroura | Mourning Dove | Dove |
| Reptiles + Amphibians | |||
| Diadophis | punctatus occidentalis | Northern Ringneck Snake | Snake |
| Elgaria | multicarinata | Southern Alligator Lizard | Lizard |
| Emmys | marmota | Western Pond turtle | Turtle |
| Ensatina | eschscholzii | Monterey Ensatina | Salamander |
| Pituophis | catenifer catenifer | Gopher Snake | Snake |
| Pseudacris | regilla | Pacific Chorus Frog | Frog |
| Rana | boylii (?) | Foothills Yellow-legged frog | Frog |
| Rana | catesbeiana | Bullfrog | Frog |
| Sceloporus | occidentalis | Western Fence Lizard | Lizard |
| Taricha | torosa or granulosa | California or Rough-Skinned Newt | Newt |
| Thamnophis | couchii | Sierra Garter Snake | Snake |
| Thamnophis | elegans | Terrestrial Garter Snake | Snake |
| Mammals | |||
| Brassariscus | astutus | Ringtail | Carnivore |
| Castor | canadensis | Beaver | Rodent |
| Felis | catus | Feral cat | Carnivore |
| Luntra | canadensis | N. American river otter | Carnivore |
| Lynx | rufus | American Bobcat | Carnivore |
| Mustela | erminea | Short-tailed Weasel | Carnivore |
| Myotis | californicus | California Bat | Bat |
| Neotoma | fuscipes | Dusky-footed Wood Rat | Rodent |
| Neovison | vison | American mink | Carnivore |
| Odocoileus | hemoinus | Black-tailed deer | Herbivore |
| Otospermophilus | beecheyi | California Ground Squirrel | Rodent |
| Scapanus | orarius | Coastal mole | Shrew/Mole |
| Sciurus | niger | Fox Squirrel | Rodent |
| Sciurus | griseus | Western gray squirrel | Rodent |
| Sylvilagus | bachmani | Western brush rabbit | Rabbit |
| Tasmasciurus | douglasii | Douglas’ Squirrel | Rodent |
| Urocyon | cinereoargenteus | Grey Fox | Rodent |