One of five monarch caterpillars surviving in a showy milkweed patch. Three of which began forming chrysalis today. The remaining two are 5th instar.
Saw a total of 3 and got about 50 pics of all 3. This was the only one worthy of keeping.
Eight days after the last one, I made it back to poke around some more and found this female hovering around and roosting in the lodgepoles south of the pond. Eventually she came down within netting distance, so I scooped her up for some close-ups before releasing.
Fished this gal out of a slick of congealed pollen and was stunned to see what it actually was. To the best of my knowledge, this species hasn't been refound at Donner since 1914
in this photo, my biology teacher is pouring water on it while displaying it.
This was an eight to ten inch juvenile seen as it crossed the trail and into the safety of the brush.
I was amazed to find this Sierran Treefrog trying to make a meal of a juvenile Taricha.
When I flipped the log the newt was upside down and in the frog's mouth, but was soon let go. The frog's tongue stuck out for a few seconds afterwards, I'd like to think due to awesome tetrodotoxin.
Pepperwood Preserve. Santa Rosa, California.
Rio Tuito, Yelapa
One of the few native inverts we get in the yard, sadly. Native plants as native insect habitat isn't really working out.
the pygmy's appearance here at mississippi bar has seemed to coincide with coyote bush flowering.
Shown to me by Chris Thayer.
coyote bush is flowering and is abuzz with insects
on california buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum
Great day for larvae on the creek trail: most of the stages(or instars if you will) were easily found.
I've always better luck finding these lovely caterpillars at the end of the season; a nice reminder that the fading California summer will soon brighten into our long spring.
Enjoying the sea view...
Ash-throated Flycatcher