Yesterday, on the last day of 2024, one of my favorite authors, Jeff VanderMeer, posted a question on the social media platform Bluesky. His question was: What are you grateful for from the past year? (Yes, there are lots of terrible things to be un-thankful for, but that’s not this thread.) I am a grumpy… Continue reading Gratitude
Category: Nature
Lotus Hairstreak
Crotch’s Bumble Bee
Prologue The first time I observed a Crotch’s Bumble Bee, Bombus crotchii (B. crotchii) was in June of 2019, during the first summer after the Woolsey Fire. Prior to that sighting, nature had already demonstrated its remarkable power: Higher than average rain in the desert and surrounding areas had spiked a spring wildflower super-bloom. An… Continue reading Crotch’s Bumble Bee
Small Habitat in Suburbia
The Marine Blue Leptotes marina, the Marine Blue, is a petite, gossamer-winged butterfly whose territory includes southern California. As with many butterfly species, L. marina’s random and unpredictable flight trajectory is an example of an evolved strategy intended to confound predators. A butterfly will encounter many mortal challenges during its lifespan. Most do not make… Continue reading Small Habitat in Suburbia