The Arnica, like their cousins the Ox-Eye Daisies, tend to grow in large numbers along roadsides and are enjoyed by most people while driving by at 55. Both of these species attract a wide variety of attractive insects, a few examples of which are among these photos. I highly recommend getting out of the car and walking around among the Daisies and the Arnicas. Be patient and move slowly and you'll probably discover insects so beautiful that you'll imagine you're in the Rain Forest.
I don't know the name of this brown beetle, but it is not especially shy and is very passive. I've let them crawl on my hand without incident.
The Common Checkered Clerid beetle, one of the most beautiful around here, is landing on just about every species of flower that's blooming. I'm finding them on Daisies, Milkweeds, Gilia, and others.
When there's enough pollen and nectar to go around, you'll often find two or more different species landing together and enjoying the feast.
This Checkerspot Butterfly has landed on a Blue Gilia and stood still long enough for a decent shot.
Finally, a couple of photos of Yerba Santa. The individual blossoms are quite beautiful, the the overall plant and foliage look rather emaciated, probably due to the dry conditions. On a trip down Feather River Canyon yesterday, I saw lots of very lush Yerba Santa plants with crowded clusters of purplish blooms. Worth a drive just for those.
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ReplyDeleteI love the last photo of the Yerba Santa blossom. The light in the blossom and the simplicity of the photo overall are quite pleasing to my eyes. In the 1800's, Yerba Santa was used as a substitute for hops in the brewing of certain beer styles, most commonly porter. I make tea out of the leaves and served some at the CNPS wildflower show in April.
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