I have been enjoying the heart (and heat) of summer. I went on my regular butterfly count with Irvine Ranch Conservancy and also on one on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Needless to say, I saw lots of butterflies! I also visited the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum for an event in honor of National Moth Week, but I shot more beetles than moths. I enjoy discovering new places and new (to me) species. I particularly like to observe behavior. I caught some usual and unusual insect, spider, and vertebrate behaviors and have lots of photos this month.
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Highlights:
A highlight of the month was a Northern White Skipper trying to mate with a newly eclosed Checkered White. For those less familiar, I often have trouble telling white butterflies apart, but we expect the butterflies to know the difference. Not only are they two different species but they are from different families. The female had newly emerged (eclosed) from the chrysalis which you can see hanging on the stem. Her wings are still a bit shriveled as she is trying to dry them out for flight. Yet this persistent male skipper kept trying, of course to no avail.
Another highlight was watching hooded orioles in the nest in the plantain tree of my next door neighbor. Their were three chicks and I saw the last one leave the nest.
Hooded Oriole- Icterus cucullatus Hooded Oriole- Icterus cucullatus
A White-breasted Nuthatch searches for insects.
A Western fence lizard warms himself in the sun but keeps a watchful eye on me, ready to make a run for it.
Western Fence Lizard - Sceloporus occidentalisGeorge F Canyon, Rolling Hills Estates 07/06/2014
This black and yellow mud dauber builds its nest near the eaves of my house.
Many yellow jackets were excavating a burrow in the ground. Western Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanicaWestern Yellowjacket - Vespula pensylvanica
Bold jumper - Phidippus audaxFamily Salticidae - Jumping spiders
My yard 07/07/2014
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