Latest news with #AnimaLA
Los Angeles Times
09-08-2025
- Science
- Los Angeles Times
There's more to California ground squirrels than the holes in your garden
California ground squirrels pack a lot of grit into their roughly 12-inch frame (not counting the tail).The burrowing rodents do epic battle with rattlesnakes. And last summer the critters exhibited never-before-documented carnivorous behavior: Researchers observed the squirrels killing and eating voles in a San Francisco Bay Area park.'That was shocking,' said Jennifer Smith, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and lead author of a study on the the squirrels might be best known for their homes. You know, those holes dotting L.A.'s parks, hillsides and home gardens. The burrows, which can damage crops and infrastructure, drive some people scientists say they play an important role in the ecosystem, serving as a food source for numerous animals. Once upon a time, people used to chow down on 'what we're seeing is the ground squirrels are doing the hunting,' Smith said. This is the latest installment of 'AnimaLA,' a series spotlighting local wildlife.
Los Angeles Times
18-02-2025
- Los Angeles Times
The drama, intrigue and mystery of L.A.'s bug kingdom
An entire miniature world exists in the otherwise outsize city of L.A. But it takes patience — and perhaps a net — to appreciate it. There are at least 3,000 to 4,000 insect and spider species in Los Angeles — and the figure is likely much higher. Lisa Gonzalez, an entomologist and program manager of invertebrates for L.A. County's Natural History Museum, said taking in this vast kingdom requires you to slow down while moving through the world. These creatures are small and often need to stay still, hide or be camouflaged to survive, she said. The payoff can be profound. 'There's this whole hidden world that most people never get to see or don't know about,' Gonzalez said on a hike we took in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in northeast L.A. over the summer. There are flies that resemble hefty bees, and bright green spiders that pounce on hapless pollinators. A black beetle frequently seen on L.A. trails sticks up its backside as a warning: They can emit a foul stench. Check out the second installment of 'AnimaLA,' a series spotlighting local wildlife, to get a crash course in L.A.'s lesser-known inhabitants.
