The appearance of an unexpected visitor during field work is always a treat . . . this one, a humpback cowry (Cypraea mauritiana), was found on the windward side of Oʻahu during a survey of benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms along a rocky stretch of coast. Cowries are marine snails with smooth, often brightly patterned shells. The…

Some bees are so small that to identify them, one needs to look at them through the lens of a microscope. This little specimen is a male Lasioglossum dispersum, a type of sweat bee found in the caribbean. The second part of their name (or specific epithet)  refers to how dispersed the species is. It can be…

Field work can often be an adventurous endeavor and planning for the possibility of problems is just as important as preparing for exciting research. At UC Davis, there is an entire Field Safety Research Team dedicated to facilitating safe field research. The field safety team provides consultations on how to minimize risk while in the field. One…

One of the cool things about visiting Dairy Farms is all the extra critters that live there!  Many dairy farms have feral or barn cats that live on the property. They help to catch mice, in between taking cute naps like this! [Photo and caption by Isabelle McDonald-Gilmartin] [Edited by Maggie Creamer]

If you’ve ever enjoyed the beautiful cinematography of a jungle nature documentary, we have news for you! Your expectation of what a rainforest looks like might be a bit skewed. Rainforests are some of the most biodiverse places in the world, and documentaries often make it look like these forests are chock-full of lianas and…

Ruminant animals, like cows, don’t have upper incisors like many other animals, and instead have what is called a dental pad. This pad helps the cows to pinch the grass from the ground. The combination of the dental pad and tongue makes a very efficient system for grazing.  Eubanks, D. L. (2012). Dental Considerations in Cows and…

While the joys of fieldwork are many, sometimes field research involves a lot of time staring at immobile study subjects high in the trees. I study coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus), who spend much of their day in the canopy foraging or resting. While titis do move throughout the day, they spend multiple hours at…

Just like this spooky little cormorant (Phalacrocoracidae), Field Frame Friday is back just in time for October! After a brief hiatus, Field Frame Fridays will now be posted every other Friday. This is no trick, but we are hoping these posts will be more of an anticipated treat with our slower schedule. See what I…

Vegetation sampling is a crucial part of research involving rangeland cattle grazing. It is a way to quantify how much and of what type forage cattle are consuming throughout the grazing season. It can help range and animal scientists understand grazing patterns and preferences of cattle while also looking at the environmental impact of grazing…