Clever Orchids Today I was discouraged that there were a lot of people down along “my” stretch of the river. They stir up the bugs, making getting good shots difficult. Sure enough, although I saw several dragonflies, none seemed in the mood to pose, so I walked near the outer edge of the riverbed where […]
Anthony Westkamper
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Clever Orchids
Today I was discouraged that there were a lot of people down along “my” stretch of the river. They stir up the bugs, making getting good shots difficult. Sure enough, although I saw several dragonflies, none seemed in the mood to pose, so I walked near the outer edge of the riverbed where the trees […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Dragon Hunting
On a recent stroll along my favorite section of the Van Duzen River, I saw about a dozen dragonflies of at least five species. I was able to get close enough to get photos of three individuals. Two of those were species I’d never seen before, the spot winged glider and the grappletail. The latter […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Still in the Dark
Going out late at night allows me to see things many people might prefer not to. Lately, I’ve discovered several dwellers in the dark of which I was unaware. What appeared to be several good sized caterpillars munching on wild honeysuckle turned out to not be future moths at all, but sawfly larvae. Closely allied with […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Shades of Green
Finally, it seems spring has sprung and from the pale rattlesnake grass (Briza maxima) to the deep Crayola blue-green of the firs, the old logging road was lined with a thousand shades of green. My eye caught movement at the edge of a little clearing so I followed it. At first I thought it might […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Glowworms and Fireflies
This time of year, if you’re out and about in the late afternoon and a small black beetle trimmed in orange, sporting an ostentatious set of ferny antennae lands on your arm, don’t be alarmed. It’s only a male Douglas fir glowworm (Pterotus obscuripinnes) looking for love. They land and fan the air with that […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Getting the Jump on Pests
Saturday was sunny, windy and cold. I was feeling a little under the weather, so I bundled up and went outside, camera in hand. Even on a gray day my spirits are lifted when I am greeted by my favgorite species of spider: the red backed jumping spider, Phidippus johnsoni. I’ve written about them before […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Darth Omus
On Wednesday, I was delighted to see some of my favorite tiny moths milling around the tips of tall bushes along the road. Our local fairy moths (Adela sepentrionella) are remarkable for their extravagantly long antennae and the fact that they are the only member of their family to feed on a perennial flowering plant, […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Going Kamado
Two years with my kamado grill and I’m still in love. For those not familiar with the kamado style grill, it’s usually ceramic and shaped like a big egg standing on end. In fact, the leading brand is aptly named “The Big Green Egg.” I opted for an oval Primo model, which gives me more […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Look What the Sun Brought Out
I for one have had enough rain to last me a while. Many insects don’t have very long to get down to the business of procreation and continually postponing it due to rain can be worse than deadly. In nature, insects only live for one purpose: reproduce, that’s it. So, now the weather has turned, […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Bugs on Bugs
Hitching a Ride Hoping to attract one of the huge and impressive Ceanothus or Polyphemus moths that live hereabouts, I’ve been running a light trap when it isn’t raining too hard — so far without luck. You never really know what might show up and last night was no exception. Among the expected looper moths, […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Mystery Markings
I can’t say how long it’s been since I first noticed many of the honeybees in my backyard appeared to have been marked. Their thoraxes looked white and dusty on top. At first I thought they might have been branded by the owner of their hive. A tiny brush near the entrance to the hive […]