Ask-A-Naturalist: What are those reddish bumps on willow tree leaves?
Written by Terri Kueny, NBC Naturalist 2019 Those reddish bumps are called “galls”, They are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, shown in the photo below, and are actually very common. In this case, it is the Willow Apple Gall Sawfly that causes the...Ask-A-Naturalist: Do phytoplankton produce more oxygen than a rainforest? If so, does the oxygen they produce go into the atmosphere or does it just remain dissolved in the ocean?
Written by Sarah Sambolich, NBC Naturalist 2014 Edited by the NBC Research Committee There is a misconception that the rainforests contribute significantly to the oxygen we breathe. In reality, the animals and microscopic life living in the rainforest consume most of...Ask-A-Naturalist: The Shot-Hole borer beetle has caused many trees to die in our region. Have we found a treatment now? Have we stopped it spreading?
Written by Andy Dang, NBC Naturalist 2019 Edited by Susan Jarratt, NBC Naturalist 2018 Unfortunately, we have not stopped the spread of the invasive Shot-Hole borer beetle but there are some promising treatments being researched. The Shot-Hole bore beetle is an...Ask-A-Naturalist: What are those cotton-like fibres found on the coyote bush?
Written by Terri Kueny, NBC Naturalist 2019 The cotton-like fibers are actually a foamy substance called spittle produced by the Froghopper nymph. The spittle provides a high humidity microclimate and shields the bugs from rain and predators during metamorphosis....Ask-A-Naturalist: Why is there so much trash in the bay now?
Winter is the rainy season in Southern California. When it rains, trash and debris from the city streets wash down the storm drains into the Upper Newport Bay. The bay collects water and refuse from a 154 square mile watershed encompassing seven cities. Waste from...Maps & Directions
