October 12, 2020 Santa Ynez Canyon Park

With the hot weather back, I decided to stop by this natural park, hoping there wouldn't be too many people around. I was right and during my 2 hours there I only saw one off leash dog---usually there are many. I can't say I found anything super special, but this place is never short of insects. It was just a bit too hot and windy to really find and photograph many very well.

Surprising for this time of year I found an anise swallowtail caterpillar. I also found two jumping type spiders (one is actually a paradise spider) and many flies. And it was great to once again see a California spreadwing--a species that isn't always easy to find.

On another note, one of my observations from Las Virgenes canyon from the other day is being cited by a researcher, Rick West, who is writing a paper on the wasp species Aporus hirsutus. (This particular species is a spider hawk and specializes in trapdoor spiders.) He and his colleague are not actually using the photo but rather noting the flower the species is feeding on. I've been trading emails with him to learn more about these wasps and it's prompted me to want to go out and see if I can witness any additional behavior. Unfortunately with the hot weather this week I'm not sure I will be able to do so.

It's great to know that our observations are playing a role in furthering scientific knowledge in sometimes small ways and also in bigger ways as both Laura and Kim have done.

Posted on October 13, 2020 03:59 AM by naturephotosuze