Vicente Flat 1.) The Hike In

      A few weeks ago my two cousins, uncle and I took a trip to the Coastal Range for an over night hike.

Left to Right

Samuel, Spencer and Michael Wells

Right at the start of the hike I noticed a dark figure in the dead grass. After closer examination I noticed it was a Longhorn (Anastrangalia laetifica). This is a common species, especially along the coast, but it is my first time finding this species so I compromised with a only half decent picture not willing to risk an escape:

Anastrangalia laetifica



With a new species in my vial, I was already feeling pretty good. My excitement, however, was soon boosted when I heard my Michael mention he found a Rattlesnake.

Just on the drive over to the trail I was wondering when I'd get the chance to photograph this fascinating reptile for my photographic catalog of western herps. The thing was, this young individual quickly retreated to a bush on the side of the trail to keep from being bothered. I figured my chances of getting a species name would be more likely if I got a closer picture of the snake, so I knelt down a couple feet away to photograph the exposed side of the snake while the head was out the other end of the bush. (Or so I thought).

Peek-a-Boo with the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus o. oreganus)

It was alarming to see this venomous snake in striking position when I looked through my pictures the next day! I am truly happy to be writing about this story. A bite to the neck or face could have been fatal.

Acmaeodera sp.

Euphydryas chalcedona

There were a couple other cool finds on the hike in, but I'll save those for the future when my list of blog posts gets slim.

The final 2.5 mi stretch of the hike took place on a downhill slope into the canyon Vicente Flat facing the Pacific Ocean. We saw several Alligator Lizards, but they were to cautious of us humans to allow a photograph. The sun was slowly going down, but this did make for an awesome sunset. I also knew I could expect O. c. californicus and Snail-eaters in the subgenus Brennus that night. I was very excited.

Pacific Ocean

Coastal Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens)

Vicente Flat

Pine Creek

     The last place Sam and I collected bugs at on our eastern California trip was northwest of Bishop along Pine Creek. We were in a bit of a hurry to get on the other side of the Sierra Nevada so we only spent a few minutes looking around, but we did manage to find a few things:

Acmaeodera sp.

Trichodes ornatus

Eight Spotted Skimmer - Libellula forensis

Sceloporus occidentalis -Great Basin Fence Lizard

Opuntia sp.

Pine Creek

May, 2013

Zabra-tailed Lizards at the Manzanar Memorial

      Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Manzanar Memorial in the Owens Valley of eastern California. The original intent was to see and photograph the Blister beetle Tegrodera latecincta, but we were not so lucky. Those of you who may have spent time chasing blister beetles understand that is usually hit or miss. We did however see some Acmaeodera (no pictures are worth posting here) and these fascinating lizards:

 Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus) 

 "Before running, a lizard may curl the tail up towards the back, exposing the black

and white bars, and wag it nervously wag, then continue this behavior while

running and after stopping. This tail display tactic concentrates a predator's

attention on the tail, which, if attacked and broken off, can grow back."

-This behavior was especially true for this population.
 
The Manzanar Memorial was a camp used for holding Japanese citizens during WW2. Without going into details, here is a link.

The Memorial for those who spent their remaining time on this earth at the camp is in the background.

Cicindela willistoni pseudosenilis

      While driving through eastern California with Sam earlier this month we stopped at Owens Lake hoping to find some tigers. The weather wasn't ideal with all the wind rushing through the valley, but we each somehow managed to collect a specimen of Cicindela willistoni pseudosenilis.

 Cicindela willistoni pseudosenilis W. Horn

While this species occurs in many places in the west, the subspecies C. w. pseudosenilis is restricted to the desert valleys of southeast California.

Owens Lake

May 2013

Kelso Sand Dunes

During Sam Wells' and my eastern California trip last week, we stopped at the Kelso Sand Dunes for a night of photography. Here are some of the highlights:

A well camouflaged Mantid allows itself to be photographed.



Cysteodemus armatus LeConte

Desert Banded Gecko (Coleonyx v. variegatus)

Polyphylla aeolus La Rue

Some might confuse this nice bug with those pests you can find at your porch light. In reality, this is never the case. This Polyphylla species is restricted to the Kelso Sand Dunes and was recently described in 1998 by Delbert La Rue. You can find his blog "Crooked Beak Workshop" here or under my "Recommended Bug Blogs" list.

"This species is named after Aeolus, keeper of the winds in Greek mythology; in reference to the natural forces which have created and formed Kelso Sand Dunes, the type locality." (1)

I observed this species moments before sun down flying up and down the dunes. I only saw it within a ten minute window.

Little Sahara Sand Dunes

      While in Utah last week, some collage students and I took a night collecting trip to Little Sahara Dunes. This trip was primarily arranged for the Scorpion fauna,  but I went along to find other cool bugs and get good photographs.

Immediately after getting out of the car, I happened to shine my flashlight on the bug I was most hoping to find while in Utah, only this one was not alive... It did have all six tarsi though, so I had no reluctance pickling it. The Label will just have to say: "Found dead". 

 Paracotalpa granicollis Haldeman

We soon found the scorpions we had been searching for. They were in a dune/forest/hilly area running along little slopes of sand. We found them using UV flashlights under which they illuminated a neon green.

Also out wandering around was one of our largest Tenebs:

 Eleodes obscurus (Say)

On our way out of the dunes, we stopped by a bright light perched on the road divider. On the near side we saw over a dozen crushed bugs of various kinds, including many scarabs and two beautiful Hydrophilus triangularis. It was a devastating site to behold for a collector, but my feeling were soon put back in check when I noticed all of the same species on the other side of the divider walking around in perfect health. It was then obvious that rather than cars driving by, it was a person who made a game out of smashing the bugs.

 White-lined Sphinx Moth

Hyles lineata (Fabricius)

 Hydrophilus triangularis Say

 Dynastine scarab in the Pentodontini tribe.

(Orizabus pyriformis?)

 Shield bug from the family Pentatomidae