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

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