Damon Tighe
@damontighe.bsky.social
Community Scientist with a focus on fungi and a huge iNaturalist addict. Formerly a researcher on the human genome project, single cell sequencing, but now spend most work hours supporting educators in bringing more hands-on biotech into their classrooms
Happened to catch a brown rat this morning while trying to leave town. It was surprisingly UV fluorescent under 365 nm light. if you encounter UV fluorescent organisms please consider adding them to this project on iNat that I curate: www.inaturalist.org/projects/uv-... #UVfluorescence #rats #UVF
November 12, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Happened to catch a brown rat this morning while trying to leave town. It was surprisingly UV fluorescent under 365 nm light. if you encounter UV fluorescent organisms please consider adding them to this project on iNat that I curate: www.inaturalist.org/projects/uv-... #UVfluorescence #rats #UVF
Did anyone else see a weird arc above the Aurora last night? Trying to rule out if being an artifact from my phone. It seemed most present at 8:39 PST and then faded as the light show got more intense. If you saw it, please make an observation of it on www.aurorasaurus.org #aurora #northernlights
November 12, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Did anyone else see a weird arc above the Aurora last night? Trying to rule out if being an artifact from my phone. It seemed most present at 8:39 PST and then faded as the light show got more intense. If you saw it, please make an observation of it on www.aurorasaurus.org #aurora #northernlights
Getting some nice #northernlights action in the #Oakland hills right now. Remember to add your photos to www.aurorasaurus.org #aurora
November 12, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Getting some nice #northernlights action in the #Oakland hills right now. Remember to add your photos to www.aurorasaurus.org #aurora
Lucked out and saw the bay areas rain beetle, Pleocoma behrensi, during that good rain we just had. These beetles live under ground for up to 14 years, adult males emerge for a few days to find mates and then die. None of the adults have mouths. #Pleocoma #RainBeetles #beetles #SFBAY #oakland
October 16, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Lucked out and saw the bay areas rain beetle, Pleocoma behrensi, during that good rain we just had. These beetles live under ground for up to 14 years, adult males emerge for a few days to find mates and then die. None of the adults have mouths. #Pleocoma #RainBeetles #beetles #SFBAY #oakland
The Sierra Nevada in California just got a flirt of snow on Friday, enough cold to really set off fall colors and the last push of high high elevations mushrooms. Made a few collections of Cortinarius that I can’t identify which always feels good. #sierranevada #fallcolors #fall
October 7, 2025 at 12:58 AM
The Sierra Nevada in California just got a flirt of snow on Friday, enough cold to really set off fall colors and the last push of high high elevations mushrooms. Made a few collections of Cortinarius that I can’t identify which always feels good. #sierranevada #fallcolors #fall
I love UV fluorescence and Craig does this on a very high level with California Native plants. Craig’s ever growing catalog of images is stunning, worth following.
Cypripedium montanum, an orchid native to western North America where it grows in montane habitats. With a range barely including California, this species is remarkable for being one of few Californian orchids having large flowers.
#cypripedium #calflora #uvivf #glowingflowers #fluorescent
#cypripedium #calflora #uvivf #glowingflowers #fluorescent
October 6, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I love UV fluorescence and Craig does this on a very high level with California Native plants. Craig’s ever growing catalog of images is stunning, worth following.
It’s Powdery Mildew season for all those that celebrate!
Found in a London Plane Tree today in San Leandro, California #fungi #Erysiphe #powderymildew
Found in a London Plane Tree today in San Leandro, California #fungi #Erysiphe #powderymildew
October 1, 2025 at 2:37 AM
It’s Powdery Mildew season for all those that celebrate!
Found in a London Plane Tree today in San Leandro, California #fungi #Erysiphe #powderymildew
Found in a London Plane Tree today in San Leandro, California #fungi #Erysiphe #powderymildew
#AllThingsFungiFestival2025 was incredible. many good speakers, including Merlin Sheldrake. Lots of fungal activity in the forest this year and a wonderful hands on Community Mycology tent dedicated to getting people hands on skills. #fungi #festival #mushrooms #
September 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
#AllThingsFungiFestival2025 was incredible. many good speakers, including Merlin Sheldrake. Lots of fungal activity in the forest this year and a wonderful hands on Community Mycology tent dedicated to getting people hands on skills. #fungi #festival #mushrooms #
Nice flush of Fly Death Fungus in the yard this week. Doing my best to help it along like I use to do at my old apt complex where a single infected fly lead to ~7+ years of zombifies flies. Check out imafungus.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.... for a great overview of their biology
August 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Nice flush of Fly Death Fungus in the yard this week. Doing my best to help it along like I use to do at my old apt complex where a single infected fly lead to ~7+ years of zombifies flies. Check out imafungus.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.... for a great overview of their biology
Ran the moth light in the front yard (San Leandro, CA) and turned up this Florida Pink Scavenger (Anatrachyntis badia). With any luck I’ll hit 500 species documented in my yard by the end of the year using iNaturalist.
#moths #biodiversity
#moths #biodiversity
August 10, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Ran the moth light in the front yard (San Leandro, CA) and turned up this Florida Pink Scavenger (Anatrachyntis badia). With any luck I’ll hit 500 species documented in my yard by the end of the year using iNaturalist.
#moths #biodiversity
#moths #biodiversity
Hygrophorus goetzei spotted this weekend in what is currently the southernmost portion of its range based upon iNaturalist data. It associates with Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) which continues down to Sequoia National Park, but so far no mushrooms seen there. #rarefungi
June 11, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Hygrophorus goetzei spotted this weekend in what is currently the southernmost portion of its range based upon iNaturalist data. It associates with Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) which continues down to Sequoia National Park, but so far no mushrooms seen there. #rarefungi
Saw my #FavoriteFly today at Lake Tahoe on some Mule’s Ears. The Sunflower Seed Maggot / Neotephritis finalis. It’s the chillest fly you’ll ever meet, all it wants to do is chill on a big soft leaf and maybe lay some eggs in the flowers. #diptera #macro #tahoe
June 2, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Saw my #FavoriteFly today at Lake Tahoe on some Mule’s Ears. The Sunflower Seed Maggot / Neotephritis finalis. It’s the chillest fly you’ll ever meet, all it wants to do is chill on a big soft leaf and maybe lay some eggs in the flowers. #diptera #macro #tahoe
Calochortus luteus also up in the serpentine zones of the Oakland hills right now. Crazy to think of what the serpentine wildflower display must have been like before the Oakalnd hills got developed and homes covered up these highly selective soils #calochortus #oakland #wildflowers
May 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Calochortus luteus also up in the serpentine zones of the Oakland hills right now. Crazy to think of what the serpentine wildflower display must have been like before the Oakalnd hills got developed and homes covered up these highly selective soils #calochortus #oakland #wildflowers
Found 3 previously unrecorded populations of Streptanthus glandulosus today in the Oakland hills by checking google satellite for exposed serpentine outcrops. By far my favorite Brassicaceae (mustard family) of the Bay Area. #Brassicaceae #Streptanthus #oakland #wildflowers
May 21, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Found 3 previously unrecorded populations of Streptanthus glandulosus today in the Oakland hills by checking google satellite for exposed serpentine outcrops. By far my favorite Brassicaceae (mustard family) of the Bay Area. #Brassicaceae #Streptanthus #oakland #wildflowers
Bog beacons and some sundews from Northern California yesterday. Mitrula elegans is a semi aquatic fungus that can break down plant material in low oxygen aquatic environments. In California you mainly find it in the late spring in the mountains
#mushroom #sundew #bogbeacon #Mitrula
#mushroom #sundew #bogbeacon #Mitrula
May 18, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Bog beacons and some sundews from Northern California yesterday. Mitrula elegans is a semi aquatic fungus that can break down plant material in low oxygen aquatic environments. In California you mainly find it in the late spring in the mountains
#mushroom #sundew #bogbeacon #Mitrula
#mushroom #sundew #bogbeacon #Mitrula
Streptanthus polygaloides over the Feather River in California yesterday. Always nice to see a bucket list plant when you’re not expecting it. #Streptanthus #wildflower #flower
15 frame handheld stack on camera: OM1 90 mm macro
15 frame handheld stack on camera: OM1 90 mm macro
May 17, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Streptanthus polygaloides over the Feather River in California yesterday. Always nice to see a bucket list plant when you’re not expecting it. #Streptanthus #wildflower #flower
15 frame handheld stack on camera: OM1 90 mm macro
15 frame handheld stack on camera: OM1 90 mm macro
Finally got to see Pediocactus nigrispinus in habitat and in bloom! This rare cactus also known as the Snowball Cactus has a few populations in OR, WA, and ID. #Pediocactus #cactus #botany
May 6, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Finally got to see Pediocactus nigrispinus in habitat and in bloom! This rare cactus also known as the Snowball Cactus has a few populations in OR, WA, and ID. #Pediocactus #cactus #botany
Incredibly tiny Greeneocharis circumscissa and a good reminder why having a way to scale your tiny plants is important. Seen today near Frenchman Coulee, WA. #Cryptantha #Boraginaceae #wildflowers #TinyFlowers
May 3, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Incredibly tiny Greeneocharis circumscissa and a good reminder why having a way to scale your tiny plants is important. Seen today near Frenchman Coulee, WA. #Cryptantha #Boraginaceae #wildflowers #TinyFlowers
On the BioBlitz this week I think I saw the most impressive fog lichen display of my life. The fog lichen genus Niebla only occurs from Northern California to Baja and only within a short distance of the ocean.
#lichen #fungifriends #FogLichen
#lichen #fungifriends #FogLichen
April 28, 2025 at 7:40 PM
On the BioBlitz this week I think I saw the most impressive fog lichen display of my life. The fog lichen genus Niebla only occurs from Northern California to Baja and only within a short distance of the ocean.
#lichen #fungifriends #FogLichen
#lichen #fungifriends #FogLichen
As part of #CityNatureChallenge I will be running a #BioBlitz at @fibershed.bsky.social on Sunday 4/27
Excited to create a baseline of what is in the cool habit and help people see biodiversity and learn about all of the organisms they share the space with: fibershed.org/event/docume...
#CNC2025
Excited to create a baseline of what is in the cool habit and help people see biodiversity and learn about all of the organisms they share the space with: fibershed.org/event/docume...
#CNC2025
April 25, 2025 at 11:36 PM
As part of #CityNatureChallenge I will be running a #BioBlitz at @fibershed.bsky.social on Sunday 4/27
Excited to create a baseline of what is in the cool habit and help people see biodiversity and learn about all of the organisms they share the space with: fibershed.org/event/docume...
#CNC2025
Excited to create a baseline of what is in the cool habit and help people see biodiversity and learn about all of the organisms they share the space with: fibershed.org/event/docume...
#CNC2025
Lake Merritt BioBlitz tomorrow!
Data will flow into the #CityNatureChallenge with observations made in #iNaturalist
A great way to learn about the biodiversity around you and help contribute to our understanding of species biogeography
#LakeMerritt #Oakland #CNC2025 #communityScience #science
Data will flow into the #CityNatureChallenge with observations made in #iNaturalist
A great way to learn about the biodiversity around you and help contribute to our understanding of species biogeography
#LakeMerritt #Oakland #CNC2025 #communityScience #science
April 25, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Lake Merritt BioBlitz tomorrow!
Data will flow into the #CityNatureChallenge with observations made in #iNaturalist
A great way to learn about the biodiversity around you and help contribute to our understanding of species biogeography
#LakeMerritt #Oakland #CNC2025 #communityScience #science
Data will flow into the #CityNatureChallenge with observations made in #iNaturalist
A great way to learn about the biodiversity around you and help contribute to our understanding of species biogeography
#LakeMerritt #Oakland #CNC2025 #communityScience #science
Streptanthus tortuosus
Mountain Jewel Flower
Part of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) this plant is edible but not worth eating as the blooms are incredible once you get up close.
Seen in Butte County, California this past week
#flowers #Streptanthus #brassicaceae
Mountain Jewel Flower
Part of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) this plant is edible but not worth eating as the blooms are incredible once you get up close.
Seen in Butte County, California this past week
#flowers #Streptanthus #brassicaceae
April 25, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Streptanthus tortuosus
Mountain Jewel Flower
Part of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) this plant is edible but not worth eating as the blooms are incredible once you get up close.
Seen in Butte County, California this past week
#flowers #Streptanthus #brassicaceae
Mountain Jewel Flower
Part of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) this plant is edible but not worth eating as the blooms are incredible once you get up close.
Seen in Butte County, California this past week
#flowers #Streptanthus #brassicaceae
Fringecup flower / Tellima grandiflora from Pt Reyes This week. #wildflower #flower
April 24, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Fringecup flower / Tellima grandiflora from Pt Reyes This week. #wildflower #flower
Juicy Morchella snyderi up at 4300 ft. Got to love those California spring morels
#fungifriends #morchella #morel #mushroom #mycology
#fungifriends #morchella #morel #mushroom #mycology
April 20, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Juicy Morchella snyderi up at 4300 ft. Got to love those California spring morels
#fungifriends #morchella #morel #mushroom #mycology
#fungifriends #morchella #morel #mushroom #mycology