Hike, Run or Bike the Backbone Trail to New Etz Meloy

On the Backbone trail, overlooking Yerba Buena

Last Sunday I decided to check out the Etz Meloy – related section of the Backbone trail. Etz Meloy includes a new section that was recently opened up to the public. After covering the actual territory on foot and reading two or three articles about the issue, this is my understanding of how this came to… Continue reading Hike, Run or Bike the Backbone Trail to New Etz Meloy

California Sister

California Sister (Adelpha bredowii californica)

A friend and I were finishing up an early bicycle ride before the heat set in when we noticed a California Sister butterfly. We had just finished our climbing for the day. Our water bottles were empty so we stopped at a water spigot on our way down Stunt Road to refill them. The area around the water spigot was damp.… Continue reading California Sister

Danaus plexippus Larva: Eating Machine

Fourth instar Monarch larva

I found this caterpillar in our garden on Friday July 8. On Sunday I moved it to another Narrow Leaf milkweed plant that is larger than the one on which it hatched, because the original plant was too small and running out of leaves to eat. The Monarch female typically lays only one egg per plant and milkweed… Continue reading Danaus plexippus Larva: Eating Machine