Tejon Ranch Conservancy partnered with the Lorquin Entomological Society to perform a BioBlitz focused on invertebrates. This event took place in the eastern shoulder of Tejon Ranch, ranging from the Antelope Valley up to the main ridge of the Tehachapi. Mountains, including the highest elevations of the property. The Conservancy is documenting the invertebrate fauna of this area regularly to see if their management approach improves habitat quality for a variety of taxa.
We camped at a BLM campsite across the fence from the the Ranch boundary. We were all alone on a hill top with great views. A port-a-potty was brought in for us, and with all the gear I brought, it was almost "glamping". We set up a blacklight and a Malaise trap, enjoyed beautiful sunrises, night sky, full moon, and good company. I took 803 photos (and I was the slacker in the group) of which 250 were trashed as duplicates or really poor quality. That meant that I only had 546 to sort through and identify. Don't worry, they are not all here, just a sampling.
Rough coordinates and times:
Friday Oct 6, 2017
- 2:00pm Cottonwood Creek Crossing,. (34.926141,-118.490789) Blister Beetles
- 3:45pm Round Trough (34.938984, -118.496953) Baja California Tree Frog
- 5:30pm Native Bunchgrass Uplands (34.94171,-118.509404) Cows
- Night Blacklighting at camp
Saturday Oct 7, 2017
- 8:30am Lower Little Oak Creek (34.940258, -118.539391) Acmon Blues
- 10:10am Little Oak Canyon (34.950157, -118.553215) Great Purple Hairstreak
- 11:30 am Little Oak Stock Pond (34.963899,-118.556155) Tarantula Hawk
- 12:45pm Lower Libre Twins Peak (34.9556579, -118.57438) Grasshoppers
- 2:15pm Upper Fern Beds (34.957313, -118.601511) Bullfrog tadpoles
- 3:45pm Conifer Slope
Sunday Oct 8, 2017
- 9:00 am Sacatara Canyon (34.929750, -118.560392 ) Flies, Wasps, and Weevil
- 11:15am Horehound Spring (34.911895, -118.585770) Coll white spider!
- 12:15pm Agua Escondido Dump (34.917720, -118.613911) Ambush bug and old trucks
- 1:30pm Limestone Hill (34.904591, -118.668499)
iNaturalist team observations
We camped at a BLM campsite across the fence from the the Ranch boundary. We were all alone on a hill top with great views. A port-a-potty was brought in for us, and with all the gear I brought, it was almost "glamping". We set up a blacklight and a Malaise trap, enjoyed beautiful sunrises, night sky, full moon, and good company. I took 803 photos (and I was the slacker in the group) of which 250 were trashed as duplicates or really poor quality. That meant that I only had 546 to sort through and identify. Don't worry, they are not all here, just a sampling.
Rough coordinates and times:
Friday Oct 6, 2017
- 2:00pm Cottonwood Creek Crossing,. (34.926141,-118.490789) Blister Beetles
- 3:45pm Round Trough (34.938984, -118.496953) Baja California Tree Frog
- 5:30pm Native Bunchgrass Uplands (34.94171,-118.509404) Cows
- Night Blacklighting at camp
Saturday Oct 7, 2017
- 8:30am Lower Little Oak Creek (34.940258, -118.539391) Acmon Blues
- 10:10am Little Oak Canyon (34.950157, -118.553215) Great Purple Hairstreak
- 11:30 am Little Oak Stock Pond (34.963899,-118.556155) Tarantula Hawk
- 12:45pm Lower Libre Twins Peak (34.9556579, -118.57438) Grasshoppers
- 2:15pm Upper Fern Beds (34.957313, -118.601511) Bullfrog tadpoles
- 3:45pm Conifer Slope
Sunday Oct 8, 2017
- 9:00 am Sacatara Canyon (34.929750, -118.560392 ) Flies, Wasps, and Weevil
- 11:15am Horehound Spring (34.911895, -118.585770) Coll white spider!
- 12:15pm Agua Escondido Dump (34.917720, -118.613911) Ambush bug and old trucks
- 1:30pm Limestone Hill (34.904591, -118.668499)
iNaturalist team observations
Habitat
86 photos
Invertebrates
137 photos
Vertebrates
19 photos
All images © Kim Moore (contact for use)