Western tussock moth (Orgyiavetusta) caterpillars are beautiful and abundant around the state in late spring/early summer, but like some other caterpillars, they possess chemical defenses that can trigger allergic reactions, commonly in the form of a rash. Some species have irritating spiny bristles calledurticating hairs, as pictured here; some have hollow hairs (think tiny hypodermic needles!) connected to venom glands, like the southern flannel moth; and some concentrate the toxins of their host plant with their body, like monarchs.

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 The Save the Redwoods League just purchased the largest remaining old-growth redwood forest in private ownership from the Oregon border to Big Sur! Located near Cazadero in Sonoma County, the forest features the McApin Tree, a 1,640 year old (!), 19 ft diameter redwood. Congrats to our friends at the Save the Redwoods League and thank you to the Richardson Family. Just 5 percent of the original coast redwood range remains. Since their founding in 1918, Save the Redwoods League has protected more than 200,000 acres of redwood forests and helped create 66 redwood parks and reserves. Read about it here.

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 Mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) were once found in abundance in the streams of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains in Southern California. Over the past few decades, their numbers decreased significantly due to various reasons from fungal infections to nonnative predators. Only a few hundred were thought to exist today. Now, hundred of tadpoles raised at the LA Zoo are being reintroduced and released into the San Gabriels thanks to a collaborative effort between zoos and agencies. Read about it here. 

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Looking for summer plans? It's not too late to sign up and earn your California Naturalist? certification this summer on the Central Coast with The Coastal Institute at Camp Ocean Pines. Rich with natural science wonders in forest, field, and shore, you'll learn about natural history with a marine science flourish. This California Naturalist residential immersion course, held August 19-26, includes seven days of field trips and lectures from enthusiastic leaders with extensive experience in the field. Hear from local experts who work with marine mammals, California condors, rocky intertidal invertebrate species, Monterey pine forests, fungus, marine algae, and more! For additional details and to register, visit http://calnat.ucanr.edu/Take_a_class/OceanPines/. Spread the word!

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Congratulations to the newly certified naturalists from Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History! Students were immersed in the natural history of the Monterey Peninsula through a combination of guest presenters from California State University, Monterey Bay, Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the museum staff. They put their knowledge into practice during field trips to view the unique plants at former military site Fort Ord National Monument, explore the tidal marshes of Elkhorn Slough, tour Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, and practice the scientific protocols of LiMPETS Monitoring at the tide pools. No small feat for these #CalNat grads. Welcome!

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Registration is now open for the Fall 2018 Santa Barbara Botanic GardenCalifornia Naturalist course (Sept. 5 - Nov. 14). Get $60 off your registration if you sign up before August 1! Classes are led by local experts and cover an overview of California's diverse ecology, as well as an the ecology of the Santa Barbara region. Participants come from all backgrounds, from newcomers to the region, to trained scientists who want to fill 'gaps' in their overall understanding. It is an excellent introduction to becoming a citizen scientist, amateur naturalist, restoration volunteer, expert docent, or simply an informed hiker. Scholarships are available to prospective participants with financial need. To learn more and sign up, visit http://calnat.ucanr.edu/Take_a_class/Santa_Barbara/.

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Join Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's California Naturalist Open House event on Wednesday, July 18, from 5:30-7:00p as they showcase their California Naturalist course. Enjoy refreshments with some of the local expert instructors and course graduates. Explore the broad overview of regional and California natural history the course provides to long-time residents, newcomers, and participants at all levels of expertise. Register for the free event!

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Western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) are split into two sub-species in California, the California toad (Anaxyrus boreas halophilus) shown here and found widely across the state except the desert and high Sierra, and the boreal toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) found in the topmost ~1/5 of the state. You can differentiate toad between treefrog tadpoles because toad tadpole eyes are inset and treefrog tadpole eyes are located on the far edges of the head. It's understandable if you're confused by the Latin names, these were formerly in the genus Bufo, but reclassified in 2006. Bufo is still used in many references. 

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The inaugural Audubon Canyon Ranch Martin Griffin Preserve autumn/winter CalNat course in Stinson Beach is accepting application for registration! ACR has been offering a highly regarded docent training for decades- and just last year they started offering the CalNat certification as an enhancement. The training is hosted by ACR's 1,000 acre Martin Griffin Preserve, home to more than twenty-five species of mammals, over ninety species of landbirds, thirteen species of reptile, and eight species of amphibian. Mixed evergreen forests blanket slopes overlooking the Bolinas Lagoon. Open hillsides support grasslands and coastal scrub, while freshwater habitats nestle in canyon floors. Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m.– 2:00 p.m. September 5, 2018 through March 6, 2019 (holiday exceptions). Trainees also observe experienced docents on the trails and in the classroom.  http://calnat.ucanr.edu/Take_a_class/ARC/

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 The search for urban wildlife in So. L.A. continues as the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County partners with community scientists to survey in September 2018! "The data collected the first year was eye-opening. We not only documented bats in every backyard but in most backyards we detected bats that are California Species of Special Concern (identified as vulnerable, but not yet classified as Threatened or Endangered). These bats are uncommon to the area, and we had previously thought that they were too urban sensitive to use urban neighborhoods or possibly required habitat that didn't exist in the L.A. area."  If you want to be immersed in urban wildlife discovery and you live south of the 10 Freeway, between I-405/Hawthorne Blvd. and the 710 to the beach, contact the museum. 

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Visit the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven at the University of California, Davis plant sale and open house Saturday, June 23 11-2 in observance of#NationalPollinatorWeek! Learn to observe and identify bees in flight, catch and observe bees up close, see honey bees at work in the hive, and gather tips and plants to garden for pollinators. No shortage of native pollinators this time of year at our other partner UC & non-profit arboretums and botanical gardens around the state, like Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, UC Santa Cruz Arboretum,Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, and University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

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 Dr. Walt Koenig (author of the annual (since 1980!) California Acorn Report) and California Naturalist Kate Marianchild (author of the book Secrets of the Oak Woodlands) share fun acorn woodpecker facts in this KQED Science article.