A bee's nest made from resin and tiny pebbles from the desert floor. It is located at the "V" of two twigs on a dead desert plant of unknown origin. The pebbles are various colors (pink, tan, black, etc.) and are set in dark brown resin. A hand is behind the nest for comparison and clarity of photo; the nest is less than half of one small-handed female's finger tip in size.

A bee's nest made from resin and tiny pebbles from the desert floor. It is located at the "V" of two twigs on a dead desert plant of unknown origin. The pebbles are various colors (pink, tan, black, etc.) and are set in dark brown resin. A hand is behind the nest for comparison and clarity of photo; the nest is less than half of one small-handed female's finger tip in size.

A clamshell, held in my hand, with the open front facing us. The shell is completely covered, inside and out, with barnacles, which prevent the shell from either opening or closing. In the open space can be seen, left to right, a white and cream trophon snail, a mud snail with three or four barnacles on its shell, and then a leg, two chelipeds and another leg of a hermit. Next is another shell which may be holding another hermit. Behind and below these are hints of other beasties, all jammed together in the dark. The hermit is a Grainy-Hand; the olive-green cheliped has pale blue dots, and if you look closely, you can see his orange antennae in the shadows. (There are actually three Grainy-hand hermits here, but only one can be seen clearly. Also present; more snails, many different worms, tunicates. The clamshell was highly desirable housing.) A couple of blades of dead eelgrass drape over the clamshell. Background; water over a sandy beach.

A clamshell, held in my hand, with the open front facing us. The shell is completely covered, inside and out, with barnacles, which prevent the shell from either opening or closing. In the open space can be seen, left to right, a white and cream trophon snail, a mud snail with three or four barnacles on its shell, and then a leg, two chelipeds and another leg of a hermit. Next is another shell which may be holding another hermit. Behind and below these are hints of other beasties, all jammed together in the dark. The hermit is a Grainy-Hand; the olive-green cheliped has pale blue dots, and if you look closely, you can see his orange antennae in the shadows. (There are actually three Grainy-hand hermits here, but only one can be seen clearly. Also present; more snails, many different worms, tunicates. The clamshell was highly desirable housing.) A couple of blades of dead eelgrass drape over the clamshell. Background; water over a sandy beach.

A snail climbing upward on a plant stem. The snail is mostly a beautiful golden shade of amber, with a darker bit on top of the head and dark antennae trailing racing stripes and shading darker towards the rear of the shell, which also shows a lovely pattern in spots like branching and crackling.

A snail climbing upward on a plant stem. The snail is mostly a beautiful golden shade of amber, with a darker bit on top of the head and dark antennae trailing racing stripes and shading darker towards the rear of the shell, which also shows a lovely pattern in spots like branching and crackling.