Had a wonderful day hike with folks from Feather River Camp. Exotic insects, interesting flowrs, dippers frolicking, a surplus of box lunches, healthy poison oak, interesting insects, bridge repair, scenic vistas...more photos and text later today.I'm back. On the way to camp mornings I've been following the life history of the Hooker's Evening Primrose which is growing in the damp ditch just east of the one-way bridge on Chandler Road. Beautiful, large blossoms on 3-4' tall stems. They open and close every day. Closer to camp I check the large Elderberry Bush daily, hoping to see the huge, red Elderberry Beetle. The first and only time I saw one, I didn't have my camera. But I did see a nice big, black beetle which I think was a Cerambycid. I left camp around 10:00 a.m. with 6 campers and we hiked the Keddie Cascades Trail from the west side near highway 70 off Old Highway. Great views down on Spanish Creek from heights of 50 to 100 feet. Then, on a sun-drenched stretch of trail I stopped to photograph my guests on the trail and a patch of narrow-Leaf Milkweed. Then I was the lucky witness of three! Checkered Clerid Beetles engaged in intimate behavior. At least that's what I thought was going on. I also stopped to photograph an attractive cluster of Interior Live Oak and catch a little shade. My friends had a nice swim near where the single-lane bridge is being replaced, and I roamed around photographing more bugs. We also saw a lot of Dipper activity. This drab little bird makes up in interesting behavior what it lacks in color.
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