This text has already been edited by Mike:
Psocoptera – Barklice
Psocids are a common but relatively inconspicuous order of insects.
These tiny insects typically live among tree bark and other dry plant
matter. While they may be winged or wingless, all of the species
found in Coal Oil Point thus far are winged. They feed on fungi,
lichen, and decaying plant debris, and along with many other insects
play an important role in cycling nutrients. They can be gregarious or
live alone. Some species spin silk in which they live. A few are known
to live communally in bird feathers and nests or mammal fur, and
some research has suggested they are the ancestors of true lice.
Coal Oil Point is home to 6 species of psocids
Neuroptera - Lacewings and Dustywings
Neuroptera is a common but not very diverse order of insects. They
are distinguishable by their densely veined membranous wings,
giving the appearance of "lace." Most species are voracious
predators, typically preying on plant pest insects such as aphids.
Because of this, some neuropterans have been successfully used in
the biological control of crop pests. We have found two species of
lacewings and one species of dusty-wings at Coal Oil Point.
Diptera - True Flies
Diptera is both a very abundant and diverse order. As their name
suggests, flies are excellent fliers. Unlike most insects, they only
have one set of membranous wings. Their hind wings have evolved
over time into structures known as “halteres,” small knob-like
protusions ('protrusions', or simply 'structures' responsible for
balance.
Fly larvae are found in a wide range of habitats and have diverse
food habits eating plant tissue, dead and living animal tissue,
decaying organic matter, blood, other insects, etc. Adults feed mainly
on liquids, often from sweet or decaying sources. Flies are also
important pollinators of native plants and crops.
The most common flies at the reserve are two species of kelp flies,
Fucellia costalis and Coelopa vanduzeei. The larvae, together with
the beach hoppers, are responsible for the breakdown of the kelp
that washes on the beach. The adult flies occurs in huge number in
and around kelp wrack. These flies are an important food source to
many shorebirds, including the threatened Western Snowy Plover.
The most curious of our flies is the petroleum fly, Helaeomyia
petrolei. The larvae of this fly spend its entire life submerged in pools
of crude oil, feeding on insects that fall into the oil. We do not know
much about he population of petroleum flies at Coal Oil Point but we
expect that the reserve provide good habitat for them, as crude oil is
common on the beach and around the dune pond. (This is fine, but I
don't believe we've collected this species. If we're going to feature it
we should get a specimen and have a photograph of it.)
Flies are responsible for a great deal of the diversity at Coal Oil
Point, with over 120 species in the collection.
Dolichopodidae - Long-legged Flies
This family of flies is very common and found in marshy and meadow
habitats. They are named for their noticeably long and thin legs.
Though small, these flies may be quite attractive, exhibiting metallic
blue and green coloration. The adults are generally predaceous on
smaller insects, while the larvae may be found in moist soil, decaying
vegetation, or water, including the tidal zone of the rocky beach. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains six -species of Long-legged flies.
Empididae – Dance Flies
Many species in this family are best known by bikers and joggers
because of their habit of gathering in large groups and swarming up
and down in the air, near trees or creeks. These swarms are a
rendezvous display where males present females with an insect, in
an attempt to convince them to mate. They are fun to watch and
imagine how they can move so fast and not collide with each other.
One can collect these flies with a butterfly net and observe the
insects that were being presented to the females after they are
dropped at the bottom of the net.
Dance flies are easily observed at Coal Oil Point along trails of shady
areas.
Syrphidae - Hoverflies
Hoverflies, or Flower-flies, are a fairly common family of flies. They
are exceptional fliers and are generally found hovering around
flowers. Many species are confused with wasps or bees because of
their similar appearance, though Hoverflies do not have a “stinger.”
When in doubt, count the wings: the hoverfly has 1 pair of wings and
the bees or wasps have 2 pairs of wings.. The adults feed on flower
nectar and aphid honeydew. Their larvae may scavenge in dung and
decaying matter or graze on aphids, while others are aquatic. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains ten species of Hoverflies.
Agromyzidae - Leaf Miner Flies
Leaf miner flies are small flies generally found among vegetation.
They are called “leaf miners” because their tiny larvae dig tunnels
within leaves. The Coal Oil Point collection contains eight species of
leaf miner flies.
Chloropidae - Frit Flies
This is a large and common family of small-sized flies. Both as adults
and as larvae Frit flies live either in decaying matter or in grass stems
and as such are found in grassy areas. The Coal Oil Point collection
has three species of Frit Flies.
Muscidae - House Flies
This family includes many common flies, including House flies.
Muscids are relatively large and hairy. Some are predaceous as
adults, while most feed on dead plant and animal tissue, dung, and
even blood. At the reserve, they are commonly found in and around
carcasses of marine mammals that die on the beach.The Coal Oil
Point collection contains nine species of Muscid flies.
Tachinidae - Tachinid Flies
The family Tachinidae contains many large and hairy flies, some
resembling bees. Their larvae parasitize other insects and, as a
result, are very important in controlling the abundance of pest
species. The female fly lays one or more eggs on the surface of the
insect host. The larvae then burrows inside of the body cavity and
eats the host from the inside-out. Amazingly, the larvae is able to eat
almost all of the host tissues without killing it. It is only when the
larvae is ready to crawl out of the host body that the host dies. The
Coal Oil Point collection contains eleven species of Tachnid flies.
Hymenoptera - Ants, Bees, and Wasps
Hymenoptera is a tremendously diverse order of insects, as well as
one of the best known. It includes all ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies.
Hymenoptera may have four membranous wings, or in the case of
worker ants, be wingless. The female members of this order (apart
from sawflies), have a “stinger.” The stinger is actually a modified
ovipositor (egg-laying organ). It is used both for defense and often to
inject venom, to paralyze or kill prey.
Adults of this order mostly feed on nectar or honeydew, while their
larvae may feed on plant tissue, nectar, or other insects.
Hymenoptera is one of the only orders whose members may be
social, living together in communities of closely related family
members. Ants and honeybees are most commonly known for their .
[this still needs work. I agree that the haplodiploidy discussion will
probably be too obscure for most readers. But 'caste system' and
sociality are also not directly connected, and this distinction is
unclear. We could also maybe set the stage for the discussions of
some of the parasitoid groups a little better, defining the term at
least.]
The Coal Oil Point collection contains over 170 species of
Hymenoptera, most of which are small parasitic wasps. The wasps
account for a large portion of the collection’s overall diversity.
Ichneumonoidea - Braconids and Ichneumons
This is the largest superfamily within Hymenoptera, named for the
largest family, Ichneumonidae. Members range vastly in size from
minute to over 2 inches, and are all parasites of other insects. The
larger of these wasps have very impressive ovipositors, though they
rarely will sting humans. The ovipositor is used instead to insert eggs
into the bodies of their hosts, which may be paralyzed in the process.
. These parasitic [the distinction between parasitic and parasitoid will
be lost on most readers] larvae are very important in controlling the
abundances of pest insects. The Coal Oil Point collection has over 50
species of Ichneumons and Braconids .
Chalcidoidea This group includes small to minute wasps with characteristically
reduced wing venation. These tiny wasps are generally parasitic on
other insects and as a result are very important in controlling the
abundance of pest insects. Some of these are even hyperparasites,
meaning that they parasitize other parasites. The Coal Oil Point
collection contains over 40 species of Chalcidoidea, including 10
species of Fairyflies (Mymaridae).
Proctotrupoidea - Proctotrupids, Diaprids, Scelionids, and
Platygasterids
This superfamily includes several types of small but very common
parasitoid wasps. As larvae, these wasps are parasitic on other
insects. Each species of wasp is generally a specialist in parasitizing
a particular group of insect. The Coal Oil Point collection includes 28
species of Proctotrupoidea, 19 of which are Scelionids.
Apoidea - Bees
Superfamily Apoidea includes all bees. Contrary to common
perceptions, most bees are solitary. The social honey bees and
bumble bees are in fact the exceptions. Solitary bees live in small
nests in the ground or other natural cavities. Bees feed on flower
pollen or nectar and as a result play an important role in pollinating
plants, including flowering crops. The Coal Oil Point Reserve
collection includes ten species of native bees, in addition to the
nonnative European honeybee.
Formicidae - Ants
The family Formicidae includes all ants. Ants live communally in
nests ranging in size from a dozen to several thousands of
individuals. Nests are found in the ground or in other natural cavities
and typically consist of one queen, many female workers anda small
number of males. Ants may be predaceous, phytophagous (feed on
plants), or scavengers.
Coal Oil Point is home to five species of ants, including the highly
invasive Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile.)
The following text is new and has not been edited by Mike:
Isoptera – termites
Termites are known for eating dead wood, including man-made
wooden structures. [I like this line], The termites’ role in processing
and decomposing dead wood and vegetable material is important for
recycling these nutrients so that they can be used by other organisms
[esp. fungi]. Much of the breaking down of the wood is actually done
by symbiotic bacteria that live inside the termites’ guts. Termites live
in social colonies in nests of anywhere from several hundred to
several thousand individuals, which usually include a queen, and
both worker and soldier castes.
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection contains two species of
termites.
Thysanoptera – thrips
Thrips are very small insectstypically between 0.5 and 2.0 mm long.
Their bodies are generally long and slender, and may or may not
have wings. When wings are present, they have a characteristically
hairy fringe. Thrips may also be recognized by their unique
asymmetrical sucking mouthparts, which look like a conical beak at
the base of the head. Thrips use these mouthparts to feed on plants,
fungal spores, or other small arthropods. They can be often found
inside of flowers.
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection contains three species of
thrips.
Orthoptera – grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids
Orthoptera are relatively large insects that often feed on plants [not
necessarily, crickets are pretty omnivorous]. When winged, their
forewings are usually long, thin and somewhat hard, while the hind
wings are broad, membranous and can be folded in a fan-like
manner beneath the forewings. They are not very strong fliers,
though they have large hindlegs which make them great jumpers.
Jerusalem crickets and camel crickets have lost their wings entirely.
Orthopterans are often known for their chirping and “singing.” These
sounds are generally created by males rubbing their legs or wings on
another body part and used to attract female mates. Jerusalem
crickets attract mates by drumming their abdomens on the ground,
producing vibrations that are sensed by members of the opposite
sex.
Aside from the Jerusalem cricket, all of the Orthoptera shown below
are immature (so the wings are not fully developed).
Homoptera – aphids and planthoppers
Homopterans are typically found on plants, on which they all feed.
They have long beaks with which they pierce plant tissue and feed on
the sap and fluid within. Homoptera expel the undigested portion of
sap from their anus, producing a substance known as honeydew.
This honeydew attracts ants, which, in exchange for the meal, protect
the Homopterans.
Aphids are perhaps the most commonly known family within this
group. [I'm not sure I agree with that] Homoptera are an important
food source for many birds, lizards, and predatorial insects (including
Flower Files*, Lacewings*, and Ladybird beetles*.)
The Homoptera includes such well known plant pests as aphids,
scales, whiteflies and sharpshooters, all of which cause damage by
feeding and may even transmit plant diseases. These pose many
challenges to famers and gardeners alike. However, the group also
contains many relatively benign bugs like treehoppers and cicadas.
The Coal Oil Point collection includes 24 species of Homoptera.
*link to pages
Cicadellidae – Leafhoppers
Cicadellidae is a diverse family. They vary greatly in size (3-13 mm,)
color and markings. Leafhoppers feed on the leaves of their host
plant and most species feed on a specific type of plant. Because of
their feeding habits, they can be significant disease vectors,
transmitting fungal, bacterial, or viral diseases.
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection contains 13 species of
Leafhoppers.
Heteroptera – True Bugs
Heteroptera is a very large and diverse order of insects. True bugs
are easily recognized by their front wings where the basal half of the
wings are thick and leathery, while the tips are membranous. Like
Homoptera, ttheirmouthparts are long beaks, which they use to feed
on plants or other insects, or in a few cases vertebrate blood. Most
true bugs are terrestrial, though a good number are aquatic. The
most common true bug at the reserve is the marsh boatman
(Trichocorixa reticulata). This insect occurs by the millions in the
margins of the Devereux Slough. [can we identify this from our
specimens?]
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection contains 24 species of true
bugs.
Miridae – Leaf Bugs
Miridae is the largest family of true bugs. They primarily live on
vegetation. Most leaf bugs feed on plants, while a few are
predaceous on other insects. The ornate plant bug, Closterocoris
ornatus, is easy to see during spring wandering on native plants.
They have an orange and brown coloration, used to warn predators
that they are distasteful. [do we have this in the collection?]
The Coal Oil Point collection contains eight species of Leaf Bugs.
Embioptera – webspinners
Webspinners live in silk-lined colonies beneath soil and debris, and
chiefly eat dead plant matter. Whereas most silk-spinning insects
use glands in their mouths, webspinners' silk glands are on their
front feet . Males of most species have wings, while females are
always wingless. Webspinners are quite active and quick runners,
usually running backward. When disturbed in their homes,
webspinners will often “play dead.”
Only one webspinner specimen has been found at Coal Oil Point
Reserve thus far.
Dermaptera – Earwigs
Earwigs are primarily nocturnal insects, hiding in crevices and debris
during the day. They feed mainly [just to avoid repetitive 'primarily']
on decaying plant matter, though a select few are predaceous. The
name “earwig” comes from an old superstition that they get stuck in
people’s ears. This myth is completely untrue.
Earwigs can be recognized by their characteristic rear pincers.
Only the European earwig has been found at Coal Oil Point Reserve.
The only California native species is found in the desert. [I'm not sure
about this. We have a publication on the earwigs of California.]
Cecidomyiidae – gall midges
As larvae, most species of gall midges produce galls in plant stems
or leaves. They use these galls as both protection and a food
source. As adults, gall midges are small and frail looking. They
have long thin legs and antennae and are often mistaken for
mosquitoes, though they are completely harmless to humans. A
common gall midge at the reserve is the sagebrush gall midge,
Asplondylia artemisiae, which produces wolly structures on the stems
of sagebrush. [If we can't pick this species out from our specimens, it
doesn't do much good to mention it.]
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection has 12 species of gall midges.
Chironomidae – midges
Chironomidae is a large and common family of small flies. Many
midge larvae are aquatic, some known as “bloodworms” for their
distinctive red color. This red color comes from hemoglobin, which
stores oxygen and allows the larvae to live in harsh, low oxygen
waters. Because of their abundance, bloodworms serve as a
significant food source for fish and other aquatic animals. As adults,
midges can also be seen congregating in large mating swarms near
fresh water. Because of their similar body type, midges are often
mistaken for mosquitoes though they do not bite. Although insects
are usually not found in the ocean, the marine midge (Telmatogeton
macswaini) occurs in the intertidal zone around sea lettuce.
The Coal Oil Point Reserve collection has 12 species of midges.
This text was written by Mike:
Collembola - Springtails
Springtails are a large order of minute insects. They take their
common name from a forked organ extending from the end of the
abdomen of most species that can be used to propel the insect
hundreds of body lengths away, putting them among the top ranked
insect jumpers.
Springtails may be incredibly abundant, occurring in great numbers
in and around wrack and other decaying vegetation. However,
because most are less than 2 mm in length, they are rarely noticed.
They are nonetheless among the most important scavengers at Coal
Oil Point, as well as in most terrestrial environments. We have found
four different species of springtails at the Reserve, though there are
doubtlessly more.
Archaeognatha - Jumping Bristletails
The jumping bristletails are an inconspicuous group, looking much
like their betterknown cousins, the silverfish. Like silverfish they are
wingless, scaly scavengers. Their main claim to fame is a remarkable
jumping ability. A braided cord-like muscle running the length of the
body can be rapidly contracted to pull the head and tail downward,
launching the insect several centimeters into the air. The scientific
name of the order means 'old mouth', referring to the relatively
primitive mouthparts of these insects. Archaeognatha is an extremely
ancient order, and are considered living fossils. We have identified a
single species at Coal Oil Point.
Odonata - Dragonflies & Damselflies
The 'odonates' are a well known group of exceptional aerialists.
These insects have attracted much popular attention, and they are
gaining on butterflies with their own 'watchers' groups. Dragonflies
and damselflies are predators in both the adult and immature stages.
The immatures are little aquatic monsters, with a grotesque
extensible lower lip ('labium') that is uses to snatch mobile prey
ranging from mosquito larvae to tadpoles and small fish.
Many biologists have become interested in the complex courtship
and mating behavior of odonates. Most are highly territorial, with
males staking out good oviposition sites, and defending them against
other males. After mating, males will often maintain their hold on the
females to ensure she fertilizes eggs with his sperm before mating
again (some males can remove from females the sperm from
previous mates.)
We have only collected one dragonfly and one damselfly at Coal Oil
Point, but there are probably more. Their flying prowess keeps them
out of our simple traps.
Plecoptera - Stoneflies
Immature stoneflies (nymphs) are very common freshwater insects.
They tend to prefer colder streams, and their presence and
abundance is often used as a measure of stream health. Adult
stoneflies seldom feed, though they are fed upon by a wide variety of
aquatic animals and birds. Cold running water is in short supply at
Coal Oil Point, and this lone adult stonefly was a somewhat
surprising find. Its nymphs may live in the mainly freshwater
backdune pond to the west of our trapping site.
Coleoptera - Beetles
Beetles are the most diverse order of insects, and are generally
considered the most successful group of organisms on Earth.
Beetles are characterized by their modified forewings, called 'elytra',
which cover the hindwings when not in use. This adaptation has
allowed them to diversify into a great diversity of ecological niches,
with many plant feeders, predators, fungivores, and scavengers.
While many plant-feeding beetles are considered pests, many beetle
predators, especially ladybird beetles, are highly beneficial.
At Coal Oil Point, beetles can be found anywhere you look, from the
intertidal zone among the barnacles, to the sandy beach, up into the
dunes. The majority of these species are endemics of coastal
habitats, never being found even 100 meters inland. A beetle survey
was the initial focus of our Coal Oil Point work, and they are relatively
more thoroughly sampled than most of the other orders. One
hundred forty-four species of beetles have been found to live at Coal
Oil Point so far.
More information on California beetles can be found in the California
Beetle Project web pages.
Carabidae - Ground beetles
Ground beetles are conspicuous beetles worldwide. Essentially all
are predators, mostly fast running and nocturnal. The known ground
beetle fauna of the reserve consists of 12 species, though
interestingly only 2 of these, the sandy beach tiger beetle Cicindela
hirticollis gravida, and Bembidion tigrinum, are apparently restricted
to coastal habitats. This tiger beetle is a species of species concern
and candidate for the endangered species list. This is a lower
proportion than is seen in many other families. All others represent
more widespread species.
Histeridae - Clown beetles
Histerids are predatory beetles. But while fairly diverse and common
in many areas, they are seldom seen. They are small, generally
secretive beetles, spending most of their time underground. When
disturbed they can retract their head and appendages, much like a
tiny turtle.
Seven species of histerids have been found at Coal Oil Point, all but
one of which are coastal specialists. Most of these species are found
beneath beach wrack, where they prey on the eggs, larvae and
pupae of kelp flies. A beautiful black and red dune specialist,
Spilodiscus sellatus, is suspected also to occur at the Reserve. But it
has not been confirmed yet. (Please let us know if you're lucky
enough to see it!)
Hydrophilidae - Water scavenger beetles
Most adult water scavenger beetles are, unsurprisingly, aquatic
scavengers. The Reserve's aquatic habitats include Devereux
slough, which hosts a couple of salt-tolerant hydrophilids. There are
also a few species found in the freshwater dune pond, as well as in
the vernal pools, in the appropriate season. But not all hydrophilids
are aquatic. Probably the most common hydrophilid at Coal Oil Point
is Cercyon fimbriatus, which lives in rotting wrack.
Staphylinidae - Rove beetles
The rove beetles are the most diverse family of beetles in California,
with over 1200 known species. They are also the most diverse family
of beetles at Coal Oil Point, with 25 species. Adults and larvae are
mostly predators. The family is characterized by a long narrow body,
with very short wing covers exposing most of the abdomen.
Nearly half of the rove beetle species at Coal Oil Point are restricted
to coastal habitats. The most striking of these is Thinopinus pictus, a
predator of beach hoppers, and the wrack piles in general host many
of these endemics. A highly specialized flightless species of rove
beetle, Diaulota fulviventris, lives in the intertidal zones on barnacle
covered rocks. It survives tidal inundation by finding minute air
pockets in rock crevices.
Coccinellidae - Ladybird beetles
Ladybirds are among the best known and best-loved beetles. As
predators of plant feeding insects, especially aphids and other
homopterans, many species have been great allies in the fight
against agricultural pests. This has led to many ladybirds being
introduced outside their native ranges. Nearly one third of California's
180 ladybirds have been introduced from elsewhere.
Nineteen species of ladybirds have been found at Coal Oil Point.
Most of these are native, and most are also widespread species.
Unlike most beetle families, there don't appear to be any species
restricted to coastal habitats.
Tenebrionidae - Darkling beetles
With over 300 species, California is home to a great diversity of
darkling beetles. Members of this family are common everywhere,
but especially in drier areas. Flightless 'stink beetles' in the genus
Eleodes are conspicuous in a variety of habitats throughout the state.
But while these large, slow beetles exemplify the family in some
ways, many Californian darkling beetles look nothing like these.
Coal Oil Point is home to at least 7 species of darkling beetles,
including several coastal specialists. The small, ladybird-like Phaleria
rotundata is found only in sandy coastal areas, as are Epantius
obscurus and two species in the genus Coelus. One of these, the
Globose Dune beetle (Coelus globosus) has become rare throughout
its range, and is a state 'species of concern'. The two species of
Coelus are difficult to tell apart, but C. globosus is usually slightly
larger, and has the 'clypeus' (a part of the head above the mouth)
more deeply cut-out, as shown in the picture below. The dune
beetles leave a distinct track on the beach that resembles a labyrinth.
Their footprints cannot be seen on the track because the beetle
walks below the sand, leaving a collapsed tunnel behind.
Chrysomelidae - Leaf beetles
As their common name suggests, leaf beetles eat plants-. Most are
colorful, conspicuous beetles, frequently restricted in their feeding to
one or a few similar plant species.
While 10 species of leaf beetles are known from Coal Oil Point, none
seem to be restricted to coastal habitats. Some, like the Cucumber
beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) are very widespread. One
species of particular interest is the eucalyptus feeding Trachymela
sloanei. This species was newly (and accidentally) introduced to our
area from its native Australia in just the past few years. For fans of
non-native eucalyptus, this beetle is considered a pest. For others
who consider eucalyptus itself an invasive pest, the beetle is a
welcome ally. A beautiful metallic green species, **, is abundant in
the spring time and can be seen, as adult or larvae, on coyote brush,
its host plant.
Curculionidae - Weevils or Snout beetles
Weevils are practically defined by their 'snout'. This elongated portion
of the head bears the mandibles and other mouthparts at its tip. The
snout is used by the females of most species to chew holes into plant
material in which they lay their eggs. Adults and larvae of all weevils
are plant feeders. The group also contains the notorious bark beetles
(formerly recognized as a separate family Scolytidae). With over 600
species in California, the weevils are our second most diverse family
of beetles (behind Staphylinidae).
Coal Oil Point hosts 7 species of true weevils (Curculionidae), in
addition to two species in more primitive weevil families (on each of
Anthribidae and Brentidae). Coastal specialist weevils include the
dune inhabiting Trigonoscuta, and the driftwood feeding Elassoptes
marinus.
Lepidoptera - Butterflies & Moths
The Lepidoptera is characterized by their scaly wings, which is what
'lepid-optera' means. While butterflies are much better known, they
are vastly outnumbered by their moth relatives. The differences
between these groups are often emphasized (butterflies being dayflying, brightly colored, and having knobbed antennae), but they
share many more similarities. All develop from a plant-feeding
caterpillar, which transforms into a pupa (or 'chrysalis' as the butterfly
pupa is generally called) on its way to becoming a winged adult.
The butterfly fauna (25 species) of Coal Oil Point is well known
thanks to the efforts of local enthusiast Nick Lethaby, who provided
our species list. The moths at the Reserve have not been as well
studied. Though we've collected many, the malaise trapped
specimens are difficult to identify. Some additional moth-specific
collecting will be needed to estimate their diversity.
Siphonaptera - Fleas
Fleas are notorious pests. They are wingless, high-jumping blood
suckers, well known to dog and cat owners everywhere. They have
also been implicated as vectors of a number of human diseases,
most notably bubonic plague (transmitted from rodents to humans by
flea bites). Though in reality most fleas are harmless and ubiquitous
cohabitants of birds and small mammals, most people will be
disconcerted to learn that plague does in fact occur in California, and
is rarely but occasionally transmitted to people by fleas from ground
squirrels. This is not a major concern at Coal Oil Point, but
awareness and caution is always advisable (visit the CDC for more
information).
One flea we have found at Coal Oil Point was in the opening of
pocket gopher burrow. We also have the stick-fast flea that burrows
in the skin of birds.
Arachnids and other arthropods
While this site deals mainly with insects, a large number of non-insect
arthropods can also be found at Coal Oil Point. These are also
important elements of the Reserve's ecology, though we know too
little about them to do them justice here. The Reserve's spider and
mite fauna appears especially diverse, and we show a few examples
of these arachnids here. The dune spider Lutica maculata is rarely
seen but common in the dunes in Santa Barbara and Ventura
counties. At Coal Oil point, this whitish spider can be seen in silk
burrows around dune plants. They probably feed on larvae of dune
beetles.
Most reserve visitors also encounter beach hoppers, which belong to
a group of crustaceans known as Amphipods. These scavengers are
associated with wrack piles and other beach debris. Species of the
genus Megalorchestia are extremely abundant in the wrack at Coal
Oil Point, reaching numbers of 18,000 individuals/m2. The beach
hoppers, together with many other species of insects, are the main
food source for many shorebirds.