A last minute decision to hike a ways up Boyle Ravine with Bib and Emma was rewarded by seeing some bugs on Tansy beside the Ambush Bug and Skippers I've been posting so often lately. Both of those last summer insects were still there, but they were not the only show. Another show was discovering a number of piles of fresh bear poop and trying to prevent our dog from rolling in it. Success!
Below the big green water tank there is a large patch of Tansy, and the most noticeable visitor was the relatively large Pine White butterfly, shown above and in the fourth and fifth photos from the top.
A saw a smaller butterfly, which I couldn't identify, about fifty feet away. Got a not very sharp image of it resting on a tansy, and another of it just as it took off. Maybe Hairstreak?
Then I found in one area the Tansy were covered by lots of these bee-like flies. My field guide has a whole page of these and I'm not patient enough to key out the exact species. I was just in the mood to enjoy watching them feed and fly around, and maybe get caught by an Ambush Bug.
THere were a few Bumblebees around, too.
When we emerged from the ravine and got on pavement again, I had to stop to photograph the Snowberry. There's a large patch of them at the foot of my driveway.
On the corner of Boyle and Coburn, there's a great pear tree in a neighbor's yard. Looks ike a great crop coming this year. No partridges yet.
And, finally, my signature plant, the California Black Oak, is producing a good crop of acorns this year. Probably a response to the extremely hot and dry year. I'm already inspecting every twig on the lower branches in anticipation of the return of the Oak Treehoppers. If you can't wait, scroll through my September photos from 2012.
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