January 20, 2005 – Renteria pond

There is a sweet little pond - an old irrigation pool - at the south end of the Renteria property. The winter rains have created a hotbed of freshwater life.


The first critter I encountered was this little (maybe a third of an inch long) aquatic spider, which had rowed itself across the water's surface to the shore.

A few minutes later it rowed over to a twig and perched, head down. Note the fine hairs on the legs, which no doubt help keep it atop the water via surface tension.

There's plenty of action below the water – here are two Waterboatmen next to a packet of frog eggs.

Here's a closer look at a waterboatman, oars extended.

There were scads of Chorus Frog egg-clusters in the water, deposited on fallen twigs.

The eggs were in various stages of development. First, a fresh batch – the dark part is what becomes the tadpole, the pale part is the yolk.

And here's a batch that's a bit further along.

What's this? Hmm, a snail hanging below the surface of the water (indicated by the debris at upper right), using surface tension to keep aloft.

Same snail - notice the wisps of algae growing from its shell.

The same species in a more familiar pose.