Recently Asked
Learn what the community is asking about this season, with answers by Museum experts.
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- Recently Asked
“Good morning,
I found a rock near where I live in Santa Barbara, and I polished it, please help identify what kind of rock it is.
Thank you.”
Maria, Santa Barbara - May 2, 2023
“Hello!
Can you tell what type of bumblebee this is? It's the largest yellow one I've ever seen. It dwarfed the honey bees, but is not as large as a carpenter bee. I watched it for about 2...”
Kevin, UCSB - April 18, 2023
“On the 15th of this month, I went to the hummingbird feeders and saw a dead hummer underneath the feeder. It looked muddy and while it didn't look like an Annas Hummingbird, it seemed similar in...”
Janine, Ojai,CA - March 21, 2023
“I found , see pics, boon teeth look jawline to me but I have no clue what animal, if it's old, if it new etc. can you help me identify? My research has me guess seal”
Lorraine, Pa - March 18, 2023
“Dear experts,I photographed these amazingly colorful red and yellow things growing in the leaf litter near my home in Solvang. Never seen anything quite like this before. What are they?”
Pat, Solvang, CA - March 16, 2023
“I would like to know if this basket is Native American made, or is a tourist trade knock-off. If my pictures are not adequate, or you need more information, please let me know.”
Roger, Arroyo Grande - March 15, 2023
“During the recent wind storm, this nest fell out of a tree in our backyard. It fell out of either an Ash or a California Pepper Tree that grow side by side. The nest is quite large. Can we&...”
Cayce, Goleta - March 1, 2023
“Hello!
What type of bee is this? And are those two yellow balls pollen? This was taken at SBMNH on Sunday.
Thanks!”
Kevin, UCSB - February 27, 2023
“I found this stone bowl shortly after the recent storms near Haskells Beach area. The bowl was among several large rocks that are not normally seen.
The bowl perfectly balanc...”
Emma, Montecito - February 1, 2023
“Hello!
Do you know what type of fungus this is? They have a very unique and pretty purple shade, and pop-up around this time of year (presumably due to the weather/rain?). I took this pho...”
Kevin, UCSB - December 29, 2022
