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What
Common Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis)Observer
sorsor_7Description
These beautiful pinkish-purple flowers were seen at the scenic lookout.
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Grasshoppers (Infraorder Acrididea)Observer
sorsor_7Description
While regrettably the images of this observation are not the greatestI found this grasshopper’s unique, orange coloring to be too interesting not to post here. Does anyone know why it has such a strong orange coloration?
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Observer
sorsor_7Description
I was surprised that at this time of year I saw what looked like a mosquito. Turns out it may be some form of midge.
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Western Paper Wasp (Mischocyttarus flavitarsis)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Looks like there was a nest here in the crack between these Fountain Formation rocks!
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Genus HesperotettixObserver
sorsor_7Description
This green grasshopper with white stripes was relaxing on a raspberry bush for a while
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What
Formica aservaObserver
sorsor_7Description
These red and black ants were all over this piece of wood! They were moving so fast it was tough to take pictures of them, but I got a couple that could be good enough for an ID.
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Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Quite a few of these small little spiky puffballs were scattered on this forest floor.
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Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Very beautifully colored mushroom!
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Red Oaks (Section Lobatae)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Beautiful, large tree I believe is an oak tree
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Western Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Poison ivy was lining the trails where we were hiking!
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Rock Tripes (Genus Umbilicaria)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Big pieces of lichen encrusting some conglomeratic sandstone along Amphitheater Trail (near the contact between the Lyons and Fountain Formations)
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Donkey Tail (Euphorbia myrsinites)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Seen on the side of Flagstaff Road on Flagstaff Mountain, beneath a large outcrop of rock that reveals granodiorite and pegmatite
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What
Grassland Pricklypear (Opuntia cymochila)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Pretty fruiting cactus seen while hiking at the Six-Mile Fold Area
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What
Missouri Foxtail Cactus (Escobaria missouriensis ssp. missouriensis)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Very cool globular cactus!
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Prickly Pears (Genus Opuntia)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Nice fruiting prickly pear cactus
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What
Ragweeds (Genus Ambrosia)Observer
sorsor_7Description
These are some interesting plants along Mount Sanitas Trail. Perhaps a type of Ragweed?
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Western Chipmunks (Genus Neotamias)Observer
sorsor_7Description
This chipmunk was crawling around a rock outcrop we were observing! This is at the contact between the Boulder Creek Granodiorite and the Fountain Formation. Evidence of a fault was seen as slicken lines on the Fountain Formation beds.
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What
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)Observer
sorsor_7Description
This jay was atop a large boulder of Fountain Formation float in the Rocky Flats Alluvium atop Kohler Mesa
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Two-striped Planthopper (Acanalonia bivittata)Observer
sorsor_7Description
This planthopper appeared to be playing dead while I was trying to photograph it! I have never known about this kind of behavior, which I found really interesting! The last photo is after the first three and shows it was in fact alive, and therefore it seems to have been playing dead. Very interesting. Seen along the Skunk Canyon Trail.
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Observer
sorsor_7Description
This small little weevil landed on my shoulder during marching band practice before the football game vs. CSU that evening!
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Black Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Another weevil! A bit better lighting on this one.
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Rocky Mountain Billbug (Sphenophorus cicatristriatus)Observer
sorsor_7Description
The bright, midday sun made it hard to get the right lighting to image this weevil, but hopefully enough is visible to identify it!
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European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula)Observer
sorsor_7Description
This wasp was crawling in the grass and then walked onto the sidewalk while I was trying to photograph it
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Front Range Twinpod (Physaria bellii)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Saw this little, succulent-like, cute plant growing out of a crack in some limestone we were observing (Fort Hayes Member of the Niobrara Formation) at the Six-Mile Fold Area
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What
Colorado Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus basalis)Observer
sorsor_7Description
Saw this pair of soldier beetles on this yellow flower on East Ridge Trail
