Mobbing an Osprey.
Disney’s Pop Century Resort; Orange County, Florida
Pod of at least 3 or 4, including one calf. Adults all appear to be female. Observed attacking a Common Dolphin, possibly teaching the calf to hunt.
Aumentos Reef, Monterey, CA
The Mola was moving - eyes looking around, gills and mouth were cycling.
The photo was taken by Lisa Hatfield. Lizard survived the encounter with the young cat and was released nearby. Though it may have been injured during the encounter, and during subsequent removal.
Green and blue iridescent worm found amongst mussels in a pier piling that was removed. The animal was brought on to the Wet Deck of the Sea Center for observation. The worm measured about 2.5 ft.
Found washed up on beach
Quite a few today. Several shown. Some with what look like eggs (see photo 5). Last 3 photos taken on a glass at home
We found this planktonic creature floating. It ate a piece of a squid mantle when put in the same bucket with our bait. What is it!!!! We are thinking a type of mollusc as the mouth seemed and moved like an elongated radula, and there are spots resembling photoreceptors.
For the parasites
For the one in back. Two for the price of one on a Calochortus splendens.
Wasp. Jepson
The tan-colored aphid seems to be mummified.
Tarantula hawk dragging a small tarantula
A fun sequence! This wasp dragged an apparently paralized larva (ID TBD, separate observation) across the trail. She put it down outside the burrow and went inside, then in one quick move, pulled the larva inside (diameter of burrow exactly the same diameter!). She squeezed past and exited, then filled the opening with rocks and dirt. Presumably laid an egg down there. :-O
Ormyrus sp. ovipositing into gall of Andricus kingi.
Stan State campus
Valley Oak grove on west side of Trans-California Pathway.
Host Plant
Quercus lobata
Acknowledgments
@jennifer3370
@r171
Carrying a small paralyzed tarantula
Mite ID here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127798414
What is this creature?!?!? Is it part of the Salp family?
Found and returned alive
Possible Siphonophore, over 3 meters long, 2-3 meters deep, near shore
Washed up during low tide. Jelly like, clear body, with apparent "fins" for swimming. What appeared to be a digestive tract had a purple hue.
I have no idea what this is. iNat says squid but I dont think so.
With a striped nudibranch looking for a snack.
Found floating in the water, took it out to get photos and then replaced. It was alive and when the purple mouthparts were touched it extended those little hooks and went for a little chomp
Three smaller bombus flanking a very large bombus (see index finger for scale). Perhaps the smaller ones attacked the larger one and they all died in a fight? Any experts know what could have led to this strange outcome?