Garden in a City Julia Rabkin

In this episode, we explore methods used to tell apart butterflies and moths, as well as a common fall butterfly in the Bay Area: the umber skipper. We also look at the role lepidopterans play in ecosystems and even some nocturnal butterflies! This episode also includes a poem about checkerspot butterflies.

To learn more about how to tell apart butterflies and moths, read this article by the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/zoology/item/how-can-you-tell-the-difference-between-a-butterfly-and-a-moth/.

This article from the Xerces Society was also very helpful: https://www.xerces.org/blog/moths-are-cool-too.

In this episode, we explore two common seabirds in the Bay Area: the Brown Pelican and Heermann's Gull. We then talk about how these birds are connected to each other, and discuss avian evolution.

The episode concludes with a poem about Double-Crested Cormorants, another seabird common in this area.

To learn more about the birds talked about in this episode, visit Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds website (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/), which includes more information about Brown Pelicans and Heermann's gulls.

In this episode, we explore the Bay Area's many species of marsh birds, including the Snowy Egret, Bufflehead, and Double-crested Cormorant, and discuss their relationship with the marsh's ecosystems.

This episode also includes an original poem about Buffleheads.

Bird information for this episode was found on All About Birds, a birding website created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/.

Information about Buffleheads came from Buffleheads by Anthony J Erskine, and information about Double-crested Cormorants came from The Devil's Cormorant by Richard J King. General information about ducks came from Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America by Guy A. Baldassarre.

I also mention Sacramento Heron and Egret Rescue. You can learn about their work here: https://sacheronsave.org/.

In this episode, I answer nature questions asked by San Francisco Schoolhouse's K-1 class. Explore a wide variety of nature-related topics as we dive deeper into many subjects about the Bay Area's ecosystems.

In this episode, we explore four of our most common Bay Area mushrooms: Western Jack-ó-lantern, Turkey Tail, Artist's Conk, and Witch's Butter. As always, this episode concludes with a poem about nature.

Sources and more information on specific subjects:



Davis, Haley. The Most Eye-Catching Mushrooms to See in Winter, Bay Nature https://baynature.org/2021/02/10/top-5-winter-fungi-in-the-bay-area/

Siegel, Noah. Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, 2016

Turkey Tail, Encyclopedia of Life https://eol.org/pages/190215

In this episode, we discuss three highlights of winter: the adaptations of our native plants to the rainy season, how insects survive the cold, and grandfather's beard lichen. As always, this episode concludes with a poem about nature.

Sources and more information on specific subjects:

Grandfather's beard lichen:

Marianchild, Kate, and Ann Meyer Maglinte. Secrets of the Oak Woodlands: Plants and Animals among California’s Oaks. Heyday, 2014.

Native Plants in Winter:

Charles, Jacoba. “Bay Area Native Plants Play It Safe, Biologically Speaking -.” Bay Nature, https://baynature.org/article/bay-area-native-plants-play-it-safe-biologically-speaking/. 

Insects in Winter:

Institution, Smithsonian. “Where Do Insects Go in the Winter?” Smithsonian Institution, https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/winter. Accessed 25 Jan. 2023.