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
Tag: ecoregion
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
November: Hill and Hawk Canyons
The light in autumn has its precise angles. It offers a sharpness, a clarity not encountered in the haze of summer. But fall, when life folds back into itself, to die or become dormant, to rest and rebuild, is a season that may appear to lack complexity, as if some of the depth that was… Continue reading November: Hill and Hawk Canyons
iNaturalist Observations
I am spending much of my time in the field and just outside my door taking photographs of plants, flowers and insects with the occasional bird, reptile and mammal included when our paths intersect. Doing this kind of work requires patience and focus. I find that I must slow down and concentrate on my subject.… Continue reading iNaturalist Observations