Sonoma County

Collections were made using Malaise traps between 17 May and 2 Jul 2007, and starting 29 Nov 2007, by Senior Insect Biosystematist Peter Kerr. The trap catches are still being processed, but so far have yielded the following species: Diptera: Anisopodidae (Sylvicola sp.); Diadocidiidae (Diadocidia sp.); Keroplatidae (Platyura pectoralis Coquillett); Lauxaniidae (Minettia flaveola (Coquillett)); Mycetophilidae (Acnemia spp., Aglaomyia sp., Allodia sp., Anatella sp., Azana sp., Boletina spp., Brevicornu sp., Coelophthinia curta Johannsen, Coelosia modesta Johannsen, Cordyla spp., Docosia sp., Dziedzickia sp., Exechia cincinnata Johannsen, Exechia sp., Exechiopsis sp., Greenomyia joculator (Lafoon), Leia striata (Williston), Megophthalmidia sp., Mycetophyla spp., Mycomya spp., Novakia miloi Kerr*, Phronia spp., Rymosia sp., Sceptonia sp., Sciophila sp., Synapha sp., Tetragoneura sp., Trichonta sp., Zygomyia sp.).

Material from this collecting effort led to the publication of the following paper, with the new species indicated above with *:

• Kerr, P.H. (2007) Revision of the Holarctic genus Novakia Strobl (Diptera: Mycetophilidae). Zootaxa 2554: 27-40. [abstract]

San Diego County

Monterey County

Steve Gaimari collected on intertidal rocks and on algal wracks along the beach in February 2006. Taxa collected include Diptera: Canacidae (Canaceoides nudatus), Coelopidae (Coelopa vanduzeei), Dolichopodidae (Paraphrosylus praedator, Paraphrosylus sp., Melanderia curvipes), Ephydridae (Scatella sp.), Sphaeroceridae (Thoracochaeta johnsoni, Thoracochaeta arnaudi).

Calaveras County

This State Park has been very productive over a couple of seasons collecting. Among the taxa collected are the following Coleoptera: Buprestidae (Acmaeodera sp., Anthaxia sp., Chrysobothris sp., Chalcophora sp.), Cerambycidae (Anistrangalia laetifica, Anistrangalia sanguinea, Brachyleptura vexitrex, Callimoxys sp., Centrodera sp., Cosmosalia chrysocoma, Grammoptera sp., Lampropterus sp., Leptura obliterate, Leptura propinqua, Molorchus bimaculatus, Neobelmira delacauta), Cerylonidae (Cerylon californicum [new county record], Lapethus discretus [new county record]), Coccinellidae (Scymnus sp.), Cryptophagidae (Antherophagus sp.), Dermestidae (Anthrenus sp.), Erotylidae (Triplax sp.), Mycetophagidae (Mycetophagus sp.), Nitidulidae (Carpophilus sp., Colopterus sp., Epuraea sp., Lobiopa sp.), Stenotrachelidae (Cephaloon bicolor), Tenebrionidae (Clamoris americana [new state record]), Throscidae: Aulonothroscus sp., Pactopus horni); Diptera: Keroplatidae (Macrocera sp., Orfelia sp.), Mycetophilidae (Allodia sp., Anatella sp., Azana sp., Boletina sp., Brevicornu sp., Cordyla sp., Docosia sp., Dziedzickia sp., Exechia sp., Leia sp., Megophthalmidia occidentalis, Mycetophyla sp., Mycomya sp. Neuratelia sp., Novakia miloi*, Phronia sp., Sciophila sp., Synapha sp., Tetragoneura sp., Zygomyia sp.), Vermileonidae (Vermilio sp.).

Material from this collecting effort led to the publication of the following paper, with the new species indicated above with *:

• Kerr, P.H. (2007) Revision of the Holarctic genus Novakia Strobl (Diptera: Mycetophilidae). Zootaxa 2554: 27-40. [abstract]

Del Norte County

Collaborator Laurens van der Leij (Netherlands) collected here in August 2005 while on a bike trip through northern California. His collections included Diptera: Syrphidae (Cheilosia latrans).

Nevada County

Collections were made by Collaborator Janie Booth (UC Davis), with the following taxon contributing to the paper listed below: Hemiptera: Matsucoccidae (Matsucoccus bisetosus), with the host Pinus ponderosa.

• Booth, J.M. & Gullan, P.J. 2006. Synonymy of three pestiferous Matsucoccus scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Matsucoccidae) based on morphological and molecular evidence. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 108: 749–760.

Merced County

Alpine County

Several members of the Entomology Lab collected here from May through October, 2006, using Malaise traps and insect nets. Taxa collected include Diptera: Diadocidiidae (Diadocidia sp.), Empididae (Dolichocephala argus, Iteaphila sp.), Keroplatidae (Orfelia spp.), Mycetophilidae (Allodia spp., Allodiopsis spp., Anatella sp., Boletina spp., Brevicornu spp., Coelophthinia sp., Cordyla spp., Docosia spp., Dynatosoma spp., Dziedzickia spp., Exechia spp., Exechiopsis spp., Hadroneura spp., Leia sp., Mycetophila spp., Mycomya spp., Novakia miloi*, Phronia spp., Rymosia sp., Sceptonia spp., Syntemna sp., Tetragoneura spp., Trichonta spp., Zygomyia spp.), Sciomyzidae (Limnia severa), Tephritidae (Trupanea sp.); Hemiptera: Aphalaridae (Neophyllura arctostaphyli); Isoptera: Hodotermitidae (Zootermopsis angusticollis); Odonata: Coenagrionidae (Argia vivida).

Material from this collecting effort led to the publication of the following paper, with the new species indicated above with *:

• Kerr, P.H. (2007) Revision of the Holarctic genus Novakia Strobl (Diptera: Mycetophilidae). Zootaxa 2554: 27-40. [abstract]

Santa Cruz County

Collections were made in October by collaborator Steve Lew (UC Berkeley), including the following taxa of spiders (Araneae): Agelenidae (Hololena sp.), Amaurobiidae (Callobius olympus, Callobius sp.), Araneidae (Araneus sp., Larinioides sp.), Corinnidae(Meriola sp.), Hahniidae (Calymmaria lora, Calymmaria sp.), Linyphiidae (Arcuphantes sp., Microlinyphia sp.).

Santa Clara County

Collaborator Demian Kondo (UC Davis), collected scales in this State Park in March, 2005, including the following taxon of Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Margarodidae (Matsucoccus fasciculensis).

Amador County

Collections were made using Malaise traps between 24 May and 29 Jun 2007, and starting 15 Oct 2007, by Senior Insect Biosystematist Peter Kerr. The trap catches are still being processed, but so far have yielded the following species: Diptera: Acroceridae (Eulonchus sp.); Diadocidiidae (Diadocidia sp.); Keroplatidae (Macrocera spp., Orfelia spp.); Mycetophilidae (Acnemia spp., Anatella sp., Boletina spp., Brevicornu sp., Cordyla spp., Docosia sp., Dynatosoma sp., Dziedzickia sp., Exechia cincinnata Johannsen, Exechia sp., Exechiopsis sp., Greenomyia joculator (Lafoon), Hadroneura sp., Leptomorphus sp., Megophthalmidia occidentalis Johannsen, Mycetophyla falcata Johannsen, Mycetophila fungorum (DeGeer), Mycetophila parvimaculata Van Duzee, Mycetophila spp., Mycomya spp., Neuratelia sp., Phronia spp., Phthinia sp., Rymosia sp., Sceptonia johannseni Garrett, Sciophila sp., Synapha sp., Tetragoneura sp., Trichonta sp., Zygomyia sp.); Platypezidae (Calotarsa insignis Aldrich); Rhagionidae (Chrysopilus sp., Ptiolina sp., Rhagio sp.); Syrphidae (Volucella bombylans (Linnaeus)); Tephritidae (Chaetorellia succinea (Costa)) and Odonata: Gomphidae (Ophiogomphus bison Selys).

Mendocino County

Collaborator Peter Cranston (UC Davis) spent time in 2005 in this park collecting midges. Among the taxa collected were Diptera: Chironomidae (Ablabesmyia sp., Brillia sp., Conchapelopia sp., Cricotopus sp., Endotribelos sp., Heterotrissocladius sp., Parametriocnemus sp., Zavrelimyia sp.).

Contra Costa County

Collaborator Phil Ward (UC Davis) spent time in March, 2008, collecting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in this State Park. A total of 27 ant species was recorded from the park, although sampling was not comprehensive and the actual total could be expected to be several times this. Following is a list of the species collected - please note the following abbreviations for Nesting habits (A=arboreal, G=ground) and Feeding habits (O=omnivore/scavenger, P=predator, S=seed harvester):

Dolichoderinae (Liometopum occidentale [A, O], Tapinoma sessile [G, O]); Ecitoninae (Neivamyrmex californicus [G, P]); Formicinae (Camponotus dumetorum [G, O], Camponotus essigi [A, O], Camponotus hyatti [G, O], Camponotus maritimus [G, O], Camponotus quercicola [A, O], Camponotus semitestaceus [G, O], Camponotus vicinus [G, O], Formica moki [G, O], Formica subelongata [G, O], Formica subpolita [G, O], Prenolepis imparis [G, O]; Myrmicinae (Crematogaster coarctata [G, O], Crematogaster marioni [G, O], Messor andrei [G, S, O], Pheidole californica [G, S, O], Pogonomyrmex subdentatus [G, S, O], Solenopsis molesta [G, O], Stenamma californicum [G, P], Stenamma diecki [G, P], Stenamma diecki (inland form) [G, P], Stenamma punctatoventre [G, P], Temnothorax gallae [A, O], Temnothorax sp. CA-03 (nr. rugatulus) [A, O]); Pseudomyrmeciinae (Pseudommyrmex apache [A, O]). Images of these and other California ant species can be seen on the “California Ants” page of AntWeb (http://www.antweb.org/california.jsp).

Marin County

Collections were made in November, 2005, by collaborator Steve Lew (UC Berkeley), including the following taxa of spiders (Araneae): Amaurobiidae (Callobius rothi), Cybaeidae (Cybaeus sp.), Hahniidae (Calymmaria sp.), Segestriidae (Segestria sp.).

Mendocino County

Collaborator Peter Cranston (UC Davis) spent time in 2005 in this park collecting midges. Among the taxa collected were Diptera: Chironomidae (Orthocladius (Euorthocladius) luteipes, Parachaetocladius sp., Lopescladius sp.)

San Diego County

Collaborator Phil Ward (UC Davis) spent time in June, 2007, collecting ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in this State Park. Collections were made at Boucher Lookout and along Boucher Trail and Adams Trail, in mixed coniferous forest with Pseudotsuga macrocarpa, Calocedrus decurrens, Abies concolor, Quercus kelloggii and Q. chrysolepis.  A total of 16 ant species was recorded from the park, although sampling was not comprehensive and the actual total could be expected to be several times this. Following is a list of the species collected - please note the following abbreviations for Nesting habits (A=arboreal, G=ground) and Feeding habits (O=omnivore/scavenger, P=predator, S=seed harvester):

Amblyoponinae (Amblyopone pallipes [G, P]), Dolichoderinae (Tapinoma sessile [G, O]), Formicinae (Camponotus vicinus [G, O], Formica moki [G, O], Lasius pallitarsis [G, O], Prenolepis imparis [G, O]), Myrmicinae (Crematogaster hespera [A, O], Crematogaster mormonum [G, O], Monomorium ergatogyna [G, O], Myrmica punctinops [G, O], Pogonomyrmex subnitidus [G, S], Solenopsis molesta [G, O], Stenamma punctatoventre [G, P], Stenamma sp. cf. snellingi [G, P], Temnothorax andrei [G, O], Temnothorax nevadensis [G, O]). Images of these and other California ant species can be seen on the “California Ants” page of AntWeb (http://www.antweb.org/california.jsp).

The ant fauna of Palomar Mountain State Park appears to consist primarily of thermophilic species, characteristic of the so-called Sonoran life zone. Typical examples are Crematogaster hespera, Formica moki, Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and Temnothorax andrei. There are also a few species typically of cooler and more northern locations, including Lasius pallitarsus and Stenamma sp. cf. snellingi. Two unusual species of ants found at Palomar Mountain State Park are worth highlighting. Amblyopone pallipes is a subterranean ant, infrequently encountered in California, which is a specialist predator on geophilomorph centipedes. Myrmica punctinops is a recently described species, endemic to California, and known from only three other localities (in Los Angeles and Monterey Counties). It belongs to a genus of ants that is primarily boreal in distribution. No introduced species of ants were seen at Palomar Mountain State Park Salt Point State Park. Potential invaders include the Argentine ant (Linepithem humile) and the pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum).

Monterey County

The collecting activities in this park occurred in April, 2006. Specimens are only sorted to family, at most, at this point.

Humboldt County

Collaborator Laurens van der Leij (Netherlands) collected here in August 2005 while on a bike trip through northern California. His collections included Diptera: Syrphidae (Allograpta micrura, Baccha elongata, Chalcosyrphus nemorum, Eristalis arbustorum, Eristalis hirtus, Eupeodes fumipennis, Melanostoma mellinum, Platycheirus hesperius, Platycheirus stegnoides, Platycheirus stegnus, Sericomyia chalcopyga, Toxomerus marginatus, Toxomerus occidentalis)

San Bernadino County

Collaborator Alex Van Dam and Research Associate Penny Gullan (both UC Davis), collected scales in this State Park in May, 2007. The following scale was collected off of Cylindropuntia cactus: Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae (Dactylopius tomentosus).

Kern County

Collaborator Demian Kondo and Research Associate Penny Gullan (both UC Davis), collected scales in this State Park in May, 2004. Material from this collecting effort led to the publication of the following paper:

• Kondo, T., Gullan, P.J., & Miller, D.R. 2004. A new hypogeal species of Oregmopyga Hoy (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Eriococcidae) from southern California, U.S.A., and a key to species of the genus. Zootaxa 784: 1-12. (open access)

The taxon described from this effort was Hemiptera: Eriococcidae (Oregmopyga viscosa Kondo). Other taxa collected include Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae (Dactylopius sp.), Margarodidae (Steatococcus n.sp.), Pseudococcidae (Phenacoccus nr. dicoriae).

Humboldt County

Collaborator Laurens van der Leij (Netherlands) collected here in August 2005 while on a bike trip through northern California. His collections included Diptera: Syrphidae (Allograpta micrura, Eristalis hirtus, Eristalis tenax, Eupeodes fumipennis, Melanostoma mellinum, Platycheirus stegnus, Sphaerophoria opinator, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, Toxomerus marginatus, Toxomerus occidentalis).

Sonoma County

Collaborator Phil Ward (UC Davis) spent time in July, 2005, collecting ants in this State Park. Phil commented that the ant fauna of Salt Point State Park appears to be typical of the northern California coastal region. Several Canadian zone (boreal) species occur in the park such as Formica aserva, Formica neorufibarbis and Lasius pallitarsis. These coexist with species having a more southerly distribution such as Camponotus hyatti, Crematogaster coarctata, Formica subelongata, and Hypoponera opacior. Strongly thermophilic species (e.g., Dorymyrmex insanus, Formica moki, Messor andrei, Pheidole californica and Solenopsis xyloni), which occur just a few kilometers inland, are apparently absent from the park. No introduced species of ants were seen at Salt Point State Park. Potential invaders include the Argentine ant (Linepithem humile) and the pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum). Images of these and other California ant species can be seen on the “California Ants” page of AntWeb (http://www.antweb.org/california.jsp). Among the taxa colled are Hymenoptera: Formicidae subfamilies Dolichoderinae (Tapinoma sessile), Formicinae (Camponotus hyatti, Camponotus vicinus, Formica accreta, Formica argentea, Formica aserva, Formica lasioides, Formica neorufibarbis, Formica subelongata, Formica subpolita, Lasius alienus, Lasius pallitarsis), Myrmicinae (Aphaenogaster occidentalis, Crematogaster coarctata, Solenopsis molesta, Stenamma diecki, Temnothorax nevadensis, Temnothorax rugatulus), Ponerinae (Hypoponera opacior).

Sutter County

A group of systematists from the Plant Pest Diagnostics Center were allowed access to this area soon after it's designation as a State Park, and before public access was allowed. Collections were made in April, 2006, including the following taxa of Coleoptera: Bruchidae (Acanthoscelides sp.), Buprestidae (Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) sp. ), Cantharidae (Cantharis sp., Silis sp.), Kateretidae (Heterhelus sericans), Melyridae (Amecocerus sp.), Mordellidae (Mordellisterna sp.), Tenebrionidae (Mycetochara sp., Notibius sp.); Diptera: Asilidae (Machimus occidentalis, Lestomyia sp.), Sciomyzidae (Dictya montana; Sepedon pacifica), Syrphidae (Ceriana sp., Cheilosia sp., Eupeodes volucris, Sphaerophoria sulphuripes, Syrphus opinator, Scaeva pyrastri, Toxomerus occidentalis); Hemiptera: Miridae (Irbisia sp.); Lepidoptera: Adelidae (Adela sp.), Papilionidae (Battus philenor, Papilio zelicaon), Pieridae (Anthocaris sara, Colias eurytheme), Nymphalidae (Vanessa atalanta, Vanessa cardui), Hesperidae (Erynnis sp.); Odonata: Aeshnidae (Anax junius, Rhionaeschna multicolor), Coenagrionidae(Argia vivida, Enallagma civile), Libellulidae (Sympetrum corruptum).