The California Mantis lives from less than nine months up to one year maximum. I found the female mantis in this photograph on a plastic pipe and wire enclosure that sits flush with a sliding screen door at my house. The enclosure allows my cat to go outside when the screen door is open while protecting him from the venerable… Continue reading California Mantis (Stagmomantis californica)
Category: Nature
Danaus plexippus: Fourth of Four Monarchs
Today, November 18, 2016, I released the fourth of the four monarchs that I brought indoors to raise. That makes four in November and five total adults released since I started planting milkweed in early spring. Four males, one female. At least six or seven caterpillars that I left on the plants disappeared, presumably they… Continue reading Danaus plexippus: Fourth of Four Monarchs
Danaus plexippus: Four Monarchs
Three of the butterflies, two males and one female, emerged on November 16. the fourth, a male, emerged the following day. The fourth was about one day behind the first three in its development. In the video, the fourth Monarch’s chrysalis is still opaque green. I kept the first three butterflies in their enclosure overnight… Continue reading Danaus plexippus: Four Monarchs
A Dragonfly Hitches a Ride: The Blue-Eyed Darner
Cyclist Jon Scott was cruising along at 25 miles per hour (mph) when he noticed that there was something itchy on his head. He decided to stop and investigate. When he removed his shiny black helmet he found that a Blue-eyed darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor, syn. Aeshna multicolor) dragonfly had been hitching a ride. The Blue-eyed darner… Continue reading A Dragonfly Hitches a Ride: The Blue-Eyed Darner