Diario de swells

Under a board next to the compost.

Found on kitchen window.

This species is native to the Old World (Africa, Europe, and Asia), and only recently (2001) arrived in North America.

The adults overwinter and are very common in early spring.

It was relatively warm this afternoon (~ 7 deg C), and there were several interesting insects on the wall just outside the front door. A dark-winged fungus gnat (Sciaridae), which I've already found in the house, as well as two new taxa for the yard list - and for the 2023 list. These two are also the first in their families.

The first was a Pteromalid, which has been IDed on iNat as belonging to the genus Conomorium.

The second was a Small Dung Fly (family Sphaeroceridae).

Both ~ 2.5 mm.

I found a small (7 mm body length) spider in the bathtub this morning. I'm pretty sure it's in the Agenelinae subfamily, but that's about the best I can do. I might have to make a specimen of this one to ID further. But spiders are so hard to ID and I'm not wild about collecting in alcohol.

Agenelidae (Typical Funnel Weavers)

It's been cold and rainy (of course - this is Idaho in January) so there hasn't been much to see outside.

But I managed to find a some earthworms and Common Pill Woodlice under a garbage can in the yard. I've tentatively ID them to family, waiting for some help from iNat experts.

Earthworm (Lumbricidae)

Common Pill woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare)

House Finch and Black-capped Chickadee

House Finch

Black-capped Chickadee

We have a woodpile that is several years old. We seldom burn wood anymore, so our wood (Western Larch mostly) is starting to rot.

This afternoon I spotted some small fungi growing on one of the split logs - a Common Bird's Nest Fugus (Crucibulum laevae), I believe.

Common Bird's Nest Fugus (Crucibulum laevae)

I found a small spider (6.5 mm) on the bedroom wall. It looks to me like it's a ground spider (Gnaphosidae) in the genus Sergiolus. Unfortunately, it lost a leg when I captured it.

Sergiolus sp.

I found this little guy on our kitchen counter. I often see them on our puzzle table, too. I wonder if they are living in the soil (maybe eating the roots) of our house plants.

Length ~ 3mm

Dark-winged Fungus Gnat (Sciardiae)

I've never been very successful IDing moss and lichen, but I thought I'd try to include them in the big year project. If anyone can help with these I'd appreciate it.

#6 Shield Lichen (Parmelia sp.

#7 Orthotrichaceae