Dragonflies remembered Sometimes it takes a little excursion to get back home. A fond memory from childhood was watching eight spotted skimmer dragonflies (Libellula forensis) over the little creek at my great aunt’s and imagining them as World War I fighter planes in dogfights high overhead. I didn’t know their names or what their aerobatics […]
Anthony Westkamper
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Spider Eyes
When my wife asked if I wanted to take a midnight stroll I was delighted. I was even more delighted when we saw a couple of unexpected predators. Not wishing to get into a conflict with the bear, we turned around and headed homeward, frequently looking over our shoulders. On the road home, we saw […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Dragonflies Remembered
Sometimes it takes a little excursion to get back home. A fond memory from childhood was watching eight spotted skimmer dragonflies (Libellula forensis) over the little creek at my great aunt’s and imagining them as World War I fighter planes in dogfights high overhead. I didn’t know their names or what their aerobatics were about, […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Bugs While You Wait
When the lady at the tire store said it would be 45 minutes before my car was ready, I said, “Thank-you,” and headed for the door. On the way into the parking lot, I ‘d spied a drainage ditch that meanders through Fortuna. It was choked with willows, Himalaya berry vines, Queen Anne’s lace, and […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Who’s Hungry?
Deadly Darlingtonias About two hours north of Eureka on State Route 199, a few miles past Gasquet, a small sign announces, “Botanical Trail.” It’s a very short drive on a good gravel road to the parking area. A little walk on the well-marked trail puts you in the middle of a Darlingtonia Bog. Here, where […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Deadly Darlingtonias
About two hours north of Eureka on State Route 199, a few miles past Gasquet, a small sign announces “Botanical Trail.” It’s a very short drive on a good gravel road to the parking area. A little walk on the well-marked trail puts you in the middle of a Darlingtonia Bog. Here, where soggy conditions […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Dining Out in June
The fifth of June invited me to take my favorite stroll along the Van Duzen River. Things are at last heating up in the insect world. While I was checking out some daisies, a shadow flitted past me. It was member of the well-known migratory dragonfly species, the common green darner (Anax junius). This is […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: A Walk in the Woods
When I looked out today the sun was shining and the bugs were out. I set my computer and camera to acquire a stack of photos of a snail hunting beetle I’d collected on a late night walk, and out the door I went. I managed to identify four different species of butterfly and the […]
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HumBug: A Patch of Daisies
Driving along U.S. Highway 101 lately, you see patches of newly emerging ox-eye daisies (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). As idyllic as they might seem from a distance, there’s a lot going on up close. This European species was introduced to North America in the 1800s and has become widely naturalized. Although considered an invasive weed by some, their […]
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Bald Faced Fliers and Beetle Mania
The bald faced truth I decided to devote this week’s contribution to a single unpopular species. Known for its large size, aggressive behavior and powerful sting, the bald faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) is liked by few people. They’re neither completely bald faced nor technically hornets. Their white faces are sparsely covered with setae (hairs) and […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: School Days
I was recently invited to give a slide show and talk to the second graders at a local school. Everytime I do this, we have fun. This time I think everyone had a question or story to share. Both good and bad, insects are something they could relate to, serving as a gateway to the […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: The Bald Faced Truth
I decided to devote this week’s contribution to a single unpopular species. Known for its large size, aggressive behavior and powerful sting, the bald faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) is liked by few people. They’re neither completely bald faced nor technically hornets. Their white faces are sparsely covered with setae (hairs) and they are, in fact, […]