Earwig taking wing from Trask's Yerba Santa
I believe this is a common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia, Dermaptera) taking wing from a new flower head of Trask's Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon traskiae) in the Boraginaceae plant family. I say "common" - but these insects are not at all common up here in the mountains. I think of them as household pests, though I occasionally find them in the woods too - see this photo. Its wing is quite beautiful, fan-folded to tuck into the small space under its short wing covers - see this photo series to appreciate the fold. HWW! (East Camino Cielo, Santa Ynez Mountains, 29 May 2018)
I went up into the higher mountains today mostly to find Copper butterflies - see this photo and this photo. I saw one male Gorgon Copper (Lycaena gorgon) butterfly in a place where I've found dozens in years past. *Sigh* It's been that kind of year. It was a few degrees cooler today, but still close to 80°. The marine layer is expected to come back tonight bringing cooler temperatures, then back into the 80s next weekend.
Earwig taking wing from Trask's Yerba Santa
I believe this is a common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia, Dermaptera) taking wing from a new flower head of Trask's Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon traskiae) in the Boraginaceae plant family. I say "common" - but these insects are not at all common up here in the mountains. I think of them as household pests, though I occasionally find them in the woods too - see this photo. Its wing is quite beautiful, fan-folded to tuck into the small space under its short wing covers - see this photo series to appreciate the fold. HWW! (East Camino Cielo, Santa Ynez Mountains, 29 May 2018)
I went up into the higher mountains today mostly to find Copper butterflies - see this photo and this photo. I saw one male Gorgon Copper (Lycaena gorgon) butterfly in a place where I've found dozens in years past. *Sigh* It's been that kind of year. It was a few degrees cooler today, but still close to 80°. The marine layer is expected to come back tonight bringing cooler temperatures, then back into the 80s next weekend.