@norikonbuchan.bsky.social
nature lover. animal lover. okay forager. accidental gallwasp-ologist. occasional paddler. childless cat lady who is also currently catless
Beautiful patterned wings… nicely groomed
November 13, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Beautiful patterned wings… nicely groomed
Her gall was somewhere in this cluster
November 13, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Her gall was somewhere in this cluster
This tiny wasp who emerged from a miniature chestnut husk (Atrusca trimaculosa aka Woollybear Gall Wasp) reminds us how important self-care is. Well, she is doing a lot better job than I am! 😆
November 13, 2025 at 1:44 AM
This tiny wasp who emerged from a miniature chestnut husk (Atrusca trimaculosa aka Woollybear Gall Wasp) reminds us how important self-care is. Well, she is doing a lot better job than I am! 😆
Not a bad start of our mushroom season!
November 11, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Not a bad start of our mushroom season!
No, these are not berries. They are galls made by Dryocosmus castanopsidis on Chrysolepis chrysophylla. On today’s hike, it was so nice to see them in such abundance. Many of them are already dropping to the ground and getting ready to overwinter in the leaf litter.
September 1, 2025 at 5:38 AM
No, these are not berries. They are galls made by Dryocosmus castanopsidis on Chrysolepis chrysophylla. On today’s hike, it was so nice to see them in such abundance. Many of them are already dropping to the ground and getting ready to overwinter in the leaf litter.
A visiting cat with her favorite toy 😻 I miss having my own cat…
July 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
A visiting cat with her favorite toy 😻 I miss having my own cat…
Once in a while, I get this all-golden, red-eyed Sycophila (a parasitoid of Cynipini) females from various oak galls 🤩 I hope someday, someone gives them a well-deserved beautiful scientific name (unless they have one already).
July 1, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Once in a while, I get this all-golden, red-eyed Sycophila (a parasitoid of Cynipini) females from various oak galls 🤩 I hope someday, someone gives them a well-deserved beautiful scientific name (unless they have one already).
What is it like to be so small that a droplet of water is too much to drink?
June 6, 2025 at 4:59 AM
What is it like to be so small that a droplet of water is too much to drink?
My spring rearing season is pretty much over and I feel like empty nesting… 😝
May 22, 2025 at 9:15 PM
My spring rearing season is pretty much over and I feel like empty nesting… 😝
Yesterday was our first float trip of this year. A lovely day ☺️
May 20, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Yesterday was our first float trip of this year. A lovely day ☺️
May 3, 2025 at 9:27 PM
He looked like a cartoon character from this angle
April 30, 2025 at 4:18 AM
He looked like a cartoon character from this angle
My first Diplolepis!
April 30, 2025 at 4:11 AM
My first Diplolepis!
Even though our morel hunting wasn’t successful, I got to see some cool wildflowers so it was worth it 🥰
April 27, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Even though our morel hunting wasn’t successful, I got to see some cool wildflowers so it was worth it 🥰
End results were even better, I think 😋
April 27, 2025 at 5:47 AM
End results were even better, I think 😋
Just to prove the point in my previous post, we didn’t do too badly last winter 😄
April 27, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Just to prove the point in my previous post, we didn’t do too badly last winter 😄
Went to look for morels in the late spring rain (unusual treat for CA)… but found only one. Really??? We should be able to better than that! 😂
April 27, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Went to look for morels in the late spring rain (unusual treat for CA)… but found only one. Really??? We should be able to better than that! 😂
I’m usually disappointed when a parasitoid emerges from my oak gall but this one definitely impressed me. She was the biggest and prettiest Torymus I’ve seen in person!
April 11, 2025 at 5:21 AM
I’m usually disappointed when a parasitoid emerges from my oak gall but this one definitely impressed me. She was the biggest and prettiest Torymus I’ve seen in person!
Party time for the spring generation of Dryocosmus dubiosus! 🥳
April 8, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Party time for the spring generation of Dryocosmus dubiosus! 🥳
I just don’t get tired of watching another Feron kingi emerging from her little red cone ☺️
March 21, 2025 at 4:50 AM
I just don’t get tired of watching another Feron kingi emerging from her little red cone ☺️
These Heteroecus melanoderma (a.k.a. Golden Gall Wasp) galls lost most of their blonde hair over the winter but surely protected true gold inside 🤩
March 14, 2025 at 4:47 AM
These Heteroecus melanoderma (a.k.a. Golden Gall Wasp) galls lost most of their blonde hair over the winter but surely protected true gold inside 🤩
Apparently there are multiple Cynipini (oak gall wasp) species that make this type of cryptic bud galls. This one was on Quercus lobata and hopefully some adults I’ve been rearing will reveal their true identity by DNA 🤞
March 7, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Apparently there are multiple Cynipini (oak gall wasp) species that make this type of cryptic bud galls. This one was on Quercus lobata and hopefully some adults I’ve been rearing will reveal their true identity by DNA 🤞
Another Feron kingi (a.k.a. Red Cone Gall Wasp) emerged successfully ❤️
March 2, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Another Feron kingi (a.k.a. Red Cone Gall Wasp) emerged successfully ❤️
Feron kingi making her way out of a red cone gall
February 25, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Feron kingi making her way out of a red cone gall