“Getting older” usually comes with a ding here, frustration-generating mind cramps, a slower step, maybe a replacement part. In the scheme of things, what I don’t want to lose is my curiosity. Some ...

DEAR JOAN: Could you please help me identify this little snake? I’ve been finding them on my property for years. I’ve seen them as long as 12 or 16 inches, but usually around 8. Rob Castro Valley DEAR ...

Gardeners should be glad to see snakes glide through the garden. These much-maligned reptiles consume garden pests, including slugs, grubs, mice, voles and rats. Benson Plateau hike. Garter snake.

DEAR JOAN: Can you identify this reptile for us? I’m not sure if it’s a snake or a skink. My wife accidentally killed one a few weeks ago when she was digging in the garden. Shortly after that, early ...

The Northwestern Naturalist is the official journal of the Society. Originally published as the Murrelet, it is recognized as the best source of early biological studies in the Pacific Northwest. The ...

DEAR JOAN: Could you please help me identify this little snake? I’ve been finding them on my property for years. I’ve seen them as long as 12 or 16 inches, but usually around 8. Rob Castro Valley DEAR ...