#Naturalist

[lichenaday]

Peltigera chionophila

Snow pelt lichen

This tripartite, foliose lichen is a symbiosis between a lichenized fungus (the mycobiont), a primary photobiont (in this case a green algae) and a secondary photobiont (a cyanobacteria housed in those little freckles you can see on the lobe surface). Three very different organisms that have figured out how to coexist as one. Isn't that beautiful?

images: source

[great-and-small]

Your blog is lovely and I love learning things from it and when you talk about native or non native plants and such, but I wanted to ask; How do you know which is which?

Are there specific search terms I can use to find out for my own area? or books?

I like teaching myself stuff, but this is one of those things that I have no idea where to start really

Love this question! Truthfully I am still very much a novice at identifying the vast majority of plants and animals out there, but I am constantly making use of the information at my disposal in order to learn more. We are so lucky to have such a wealth of knowledge about the natural world so close at hand!

I have a bachelors in biology with a focus in conservation, but even so I would say that a majority of my field identification skills are self-taught. I cannot recommend enough utilizing citizen science apps to get familiar with your native fauna!

I once spent a single summer where I challenged myself to take a photo of every single animal (bird, insect, fish, etc) that I couldn’t identify by name. I would post the images on an app like iNatualist or another reliable identification forum, and once I had a name I’d do a little research to learn more about my neighbor. This is how I came to recognize quite a few introduced species that have made my ecosystem home.

If you ever find yourself with a little extra time (+/- money) on your hands, you could also consider taking an adult naturalist class. If you happen to live in the United States for example, most states have a certified master naturalist program that anyone over the age of 18 can sign up for to learn about the local ecosystems. This would be a fun, if a little more involved, way of getting familiar with your local flora and fauna.

[jadafitch]

Cover sketch for I Love Birds, Nature Smarts Activity Book number 5! Not out until April 15th, but available for preorder now through Amazon and other retailers. PREORDER

[hawkpartys]

[enchantedbook]

Art by Georges Louis Leclerc Buffon, (1707 - 1788)

[cryptonature]

Long ago, a stone felt a tingle on its skin. Moss. A new feeling. A green feeling. The granite spoke of ages in the heat of deep Earth. The moss sang the taste of sunlight and the softness of salamander bellies. They named one another. And told those names to no one at all.

[organicmatter]

Listed some new bumper stickers in my shop 🐌

[delsolsasha]

TS4 Herbalist LookBook

the cold weather always inspires me to play my cozy saves🍃☕enjoy the links

1 - Hair | Top | Pants | Shoes |

2 - Hair | Top | Pants | Shoes |

3 - Hair | Top | Skirt | Shoes |

4 - Hair | Top | Pants | Shoes | Bag |

thank you to all of the very amazing cc creators | @ebonixsims | @b0t0xbrat | @charonlee | @whoopssim | @arethabee | @kikovanitysimmer | @tinasims | @gorillax3-cc | @jius-sims | ~ DelSolSasha

[wildlifetracker]

Spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera) along the river 5/22/24

[lichenaday]

Platismatia lacunosa 

Crinkled rag lichen

Why is she so shape? I don't know. One of the many perplexing mysteries of the lichen kingdom.

images: source

[afrodesiacworldwide]

[foreverher1]

She looks amazing!

[hawkpartys]

i think of this image approximately every day of my life

Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) observation by kiwikiu

[outdoor-naked-fun]

Outdoor work in this case 😉

[cryptonature]

Taking a deep interest in some aspect of our world isn't a commodity you can buy at a store, but it can greatly increase your quality of life.

Intentional curiosity is a gift to yourself.

You're worth it.

[jadafitch]

It's salamander season again.