Yesterday by Gilson Creek, Part 2

 When my guests and I arrived at Gilson Creek yesterday, I only photographed the California Sister Butterfly.  I had already photographed the many species of flowers that were blooming, so I concentrated on chatting with my guests about those flowers, where the creek came from and where it was going among other topics.  But, on the way back to camp, we walked through a field that is a center of bug activity and I couldn't resist being a photographer again.  My guests had their own binoculars, so they were not feeling ignored.  The first stop was a dense patch of Narrow-leafed Milkweeds.  The visitor on the one above is a Spotted Assassin Bug. On the one pictured below there were lots of very active Common Checkered Clerid beetles. There were constant take-offs, landings, and mountings.  There should be plenty of Checkered Clerids again next year.

 The Clerids also land often on the Showy Milkweed, as the next two photos indicate.

 When I came in this close, I was worried they'd accuse me of working for the NSA. 

 On this Ox-eye Daisy, I saw some very tiny black beetles that were scrambling around with some sort of plan.

 Ah, this looks like the plan.  Two's company, three's a crowd.  The one on the left took off right away, realizing he lost his chance.

 I believe this striking bug is the Spotted Assassin Bug.  I saw them on many different plants including the milkweed in the top photo, but I couldn't tell which plants, if any, it was feeding on or just resting.

 Another view of the Assassin Bug, but this time with another flying insect in the upper right hand corner.

I'm hoping that the light rains we got this afternoon and are forecast for tomorrow will extend the time of flowering and bug mating so next week's campers and possibly a few more week's will be able to enjoy these sights.  Living here year 'round, I've come to enjoy all the seasons, but in late summer when most flowers have gone to seed and many insects have laid their eggs and ended their annual cycles, it is more difficult to identify the beauty of nature in a convincing way.  I've led some nature hikes entirely devoted to the subjects of seeds and berries, but people are generally looking for bright colors.  The arrival of "fall colors" is an easy sell, especially when the Indian Rhubarb, AKA Umbrella Plant, turns bright red.  A walk through Oakland Camp and beyond down Spanish Creek in late October can be quite spectacular.