It’s time to revisit and learn more about a crawly we met several years ago. Meet the forest alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata). The forest alligator is a southern alligator lizard and contrary to their name, they live all along the Pacific Coast.Northern alligator lizards live in the same area,[Read More…]

This week’s crawly has a perfect common name. Meet the river jeweling (Calopteryx aequabilis).Their scientific name is spot on too: Calopteryx is from the Greek “kalos” (beautiful) + “pteron” (wing or feather).There are only five species of jewelwings in North America, and only the river jewelwing can be found in[Read More…]

by Chrisy Solo This week’s crawly is a painted beauty. Meet the painted lady beetle (Mulsantina picta).It’s easy to see how the painted lady beetles got their name. While they vary a lot in color, from bright reds, yellows, greens and oranges to more subdued shades of brown and tan,[Read More…]

Christy Pitto IVN contributing writer This week’s crawly is a rare visitor west of the Cascades, but if you’re lucky you just may see one. Meet the black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri).The pictured black-chinned dropped by my feeders last week. I snapped his photo by pure chance. My aunt is visiting[Read More…]

Christy Pitto This week’s crawly is bold and beneficial. Meet Chariessa elegans, a checkered beetle. While they don’t have a common name, we’ll call them the “elegant checkered beetle” for simplicity; “elegant” for short. Checkered beetles are in the Family Cleridae, a family with at least 300 species in North[Read More…]