A different Dance Fly (Empididae) on a staminate willow catkin
This is a different mosquito-like Dance Fly in the family Empididae on a male staminate catkin of Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis, Salicaceae) by the creek. This one is visibly different from the ones I show in this photo, smaller and blacker. It's dusted with pollen from the flowers. These tiny flies do a great job of transporting pollen as they go back and forth between the separate male and female plants of this dioecious tree. HFDF! (San Marcos Pass, 16 February 2017)
We've had more than 8-1/2 inches of rain since last night, and it's still coming as I type this! It was raining so hard today that I never got out, and the highway was closed from both ends anyway. I'll get out tomorrow to inspect the damage, but the creeks drop fast after the rain stops. I would like to see the lake. The river peaked today at 13,200 cfs - a lot of water under the bridge! I can't find any news, but the lake must be filling after being down below ten percent capacity during the drought - just a month ago. Sounds crazy, but it's happened before. It's nice how San Marcos Pass was the target for this storm - just as the NWS forecast.
(Hah - three of us foolish friends carried a raft down to Gibraltor Dam and rafted down the Santa Ynez River to the first crossing after the "March Miracle" rains of 1991 when we got almost 20 inches of rain in one week. We got to the end after dark to be greeted by the Search & Rescue people that Julie had called who were wondering what to do about us. I'm glad I did it, but never again!)
A different Dance Fly (Empididae) on a staminate willow catkin
This is a different mosquito-like Dance Fly in the family Empididae on a male staminate catkin of Arroyo Willow (Salix lasiolepis, Salicaceae) by the creek. This one is visibly different from the ones I show in this photo, smaller and blacker. It's dusted with pollen from the flowers. These tiny flies do a great job of transporting pollen as they go back and forth between the separate male and female plants of this dioecious tree. HFDF! (San Marcos Pass, 16 February 2017)
We've had more than 8-1/2 inches of rain since last night, and it's still coming as I type this! It was raining so hard today that I never got out, and the highway was closed from both ends anyway. I'll get out tomorrow to inspect the damage, but the creeks drop fast after the rain stops. I would like to see the lake. The river peaked today at 13,200 cfs - a lot of water under the bridge! I can't find any news, but the lake must be filling after being down below ten percent capacity during the drought - just a month ago. Sounds crazy, but it's happened before. It's nice how San Marcos Pass was the target for this storm - just as the NWS forecast.
(Hah - three of us foolish friends carried a raft down to Gibraltor Dam and rafted down the Santa Ynez River to the first crossing after the "March Miracle" rains of 1991 when we got almost 20 inches of rain in one week. We got to the end after dark to be greeted by the Search & Rescue people that Julie had called who were wondering what to do about us. I'm glad I did it, but never again!)