Sipping nectar on a hot day

  

I made a quick stop at Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery in Sebastopol this morning.  There was a lot of butterfly activity at the flowers.

Above is a female Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus).  Male Fiery Skippers look quite different:

 

And there were several duskywings zipping around.  Not a great shot, but here's a Mournful Duskywing (Erynnis tristis):

 

Sipping verbena

 

 

Fiery Skippers (Hylephila phyleus) on Pink Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata)

Signs of spring

 

We took a short walk around our neighborhood this afternoon.  It was pretty warm today, and a few butterflies were taking advantage of the afternoon sun.

Above, a Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) basking on the ground among the leaves and needles.

Below, a Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus communis) on a bare patch along a trail:

 

I hear we might see some rain on Monday/Tuesday.  Although I'm guessing the butterflies would prefer more sun, it would be nice to increase our rainfall season total beyond ~13.5 inches!

Checks and stripes

 

Two-banded Skipper (Pyrgus ruralis), 13 April 2019

 

Soaking up some rays

Air temperatures reached ~58°F (~14.5°C) in Bodega Bay this afternoon, but the sun and calm wind conditions made it feel even warmer.

I happened upon a few insects basking in the sun:

 

Two-banded Skipper (Pyrgus ruralis)

(This is the first time I've seen this butterfly species in Bodega Bay.)

 

California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica) 

And a close-up from the side:

 

 

Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)

It looks like it might be cloudy for the next few days, but the sun might return at the end of the week, bringing more chances for insect sightings.

 

Sipping in the sun

 

Today was a "butterfly day" on Bodega Head — warm (~62°F) and relatively calm — a rarity!

In just a few brief trips out of the office, I saw at least six species of butterflies.  One was a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), the first I've seen on Bodega Head.  Another was an Umber Skipper (Poanes melane), the first time I've photographed this species on Bodega Head.  The skipper is shown above.

Enjoy the weekend!

Let's spend the night together

We pulled into the driveway after work, and I noticed a small, pale butterfly perched up high on a flower:

 

I took a few quick pictures, and then we went inside.  I did a few chores, and then I went outside again and the butterfly was in the same position.  Here's a view in slightly different light:

 

Without my books, it's harder to identify things.  I searched on the Internet, and I'm guessing this is a Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis), but let me know if you think it's something different.

While scanning pictures and information about Common Checkered-Skippers, I ran across this description from butterfliesandmoths.org: "Adults roost exposed on a tall plant beginning in late afternoon." 

This meant that the butterfly might spend the night in that location.  So I went out again after dark, and it was still there!

I liked this head-on view:

 

Perched on a flower seems like a nice way to spend the night!