Recently Asked
“I believe we have quite a number of these spiders around our property but this had the biggest web so it may be actually be different from the rest? We have oak trees and it was suspended smack dab in...”
Cathy, Santa Paula - September 9, 2023
“Last week, in Buellton, I saw this caterpillar. I have two questions:
Is it a swallowtail caterpillar?
Is this the right season for caterpillars? I've seen swallowtail flying around my house (in Los...”
Karin, Buellton, CA - September 5, 2023
“Hello,
The insect in the attached photos showed up outside the door to my home a few days ago and it is still there. The wings are 2 inches long and the insect is 3-3/4 inches long from wing tip to...”
Laurie, Santa Barbara - July 8, 2023
“Are you able to tell what type of fossil this is? I found it near Hendrys beach. I saw part of it sticking out then I broke the rock open and found some more inside.”
Natalie, Santa Barbara - May 24, 2023
“Hello!
Can you tell what type of grasshopper this is? I saw it out at UCSB West Campus.
Thank you!
Kevin”
Kevin, Goleta - May 15, 2023
“Hello!
Can you tell what type of bumblebee this is? It's the largest yellow one I've ever seen. It dwarfed the honey bees, but is not as large as a carpenter bee. I watched it for about 20 minutes, w...”
Kevin, UCSB - April 18, 2023
“Hello!
What type of bee is this? And are those two yellow balls pollen? This was taken at SBMNH on Sunday.
Thanks!”
Kevin, UCSB - February 27, 2023
“Hi- I live in Carp and always collect sea glass - the other day I came upon an object that has me curious if it is an old piece of pottery. It seems like old clay -- very smooth on one side with a sli...”
Amy, Carpinteria - December 5, 2022
“Hi there,
I recently found 2 shells near the capitola beach. I assumed that they were the same species, but I don't know which. I also don't know how old they are, if they are fossilized, and if they...”
Ani, Fremont, Ca - December 3, 2022
“Hello there,
This afternoon, I noticed this large spider outside on the bench on my porch.
I live in Lompoc, and I have seen quite a few different species of spiders in my garden, but I have never...”
Sara, Northern Lompoc - November 11, 2022
“Thank you very much again for the recent help with the fungus ID. I now have another request, an entomological one this time. These little ones have been hanging out in the bathroom lately. I though...”
Daryl, Santa Barbara - October 5, 2022
“What type of moth do you think this might be? It was the length of maybe a pinky finger.”
Kevin, Santa Barbara County - September 22, 2022
“I wondered if you think this could belong to a Mud Dauber Wasp. It's about 3-4 inches at the widest point. It seemed to get constructed very quickly, but I did not see the insect that built it. As wel...”
Kevin, Santa Barbara - August 24, 2022
“Hello,
I need a little direction as where to go to get some fossil shells identified and dated. The shells are from Platform Heritage (offshore from Gaviota) and 3-4 thousand feet deep in the formati...”
Robert, Gaviota Coast - July 23, 2022
“Hello Dr. Gimmel, I found this bug on the kitchen counter this morning. It's about 3/16" long. I took this picture with a basic digital microscope.
I've been looking online and trying to identify i...”
Gary, Santa Barbara - July 23, 2022
“Can you identify this organism found on Butterfly Beach?”
Julie, Montecito, CA - July 6, 2022
“I wonder if I might trouble you for an insect ID. Is this a Northern Walkingstick?
This individual was on the wall of my office building (here at UCSB). You never know what you'll see on the wall of...”
Kevin, UCSB - July 1, 2022
“Trying to find out what this is...
Thank you”
Layton, Santa Barbara - June 28, 2022
“Hello,
I have been unable to identify this caterpillar I found on the underside of a jade plant. Can you please tell me what it is?
Thanks!
Leslie”
Leslie, Riviera - June 27, 2022
“I saw a weird bug with 8 legs and two of them were really big. It was about 2 inches long.”
Flora, Nipomo, CA - May 30, 2022