CHAOS: Complex Habitats around Our Suburbs

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Lady beetle eggs (Coccinellidae, unknown genus/species) on a cedar fence.

(Two animal species in one shot: There was a squirrel lurking in the trees behind, if you can make out the fuzzy gray shape in the background of the full-sized image.)

CHAOS: Complex Habitats Around Our Suburbs isn't just a geeky acronym; it is a gallery of often-unnoticed life. Each week, I'll add a new photo of a complex habitat found near my home. We often think of nature as something that exists outside of our neighborhoods, away from the cities. It is easy to forget that cities and neighborhoods are, indeed, habitats-notably, our habitats. But we aren't the only creatures around, whether we like it or not. In our streets, our yards, our parks, and even inside our houses, a diverse array of life has adapted to live alongside us. Perhaps I can encourage you to find the hidden life around your home, as well. It really isn't a bad habit to add to a Monday.

All photos by the author, unless otherwise noted.

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Hey, this is really cool! I like the idea (not so sure about the acronym, but it does work for your blog anyway!) and might start doing the same - share photos I've been taking of suburban life of the non-human kind. Too many of us ecologists have ignored it for far too long... I guess distance makes the heart go fonder... or familiarity breeds contempt... something like that.

I look forward to seeing more such images here.

Thanks! I know how you feel... I'd love to study the ecology of the Galapagos Islands or something equally exotic. I easily forget how exotic my backyard can be!

I thought the acronym was pretty corny, myself, but it does fit. (I've always been bad at picking titles.) I'm sort of eager about this feature, too... when I first began doing my Friday Fractals, I was using these sorts of pictures. Now that my fractals have been leaning more towards art these days, I thought the photos deserved a feature all their own.