smvance70's Journal

On my walk through a small portion of Tilden Park, I noticed various plant species in bloom as well as insects roaming about. The insect that I found most interesting was the hover fly, which I noticed as it was flying still right in the middle of the path. The butterfly that I saw at the end of my walk was also interesting, as it was a blue color, almost never landed, and did not display its wings like I frequently see butterflies doing. The flowering tree that I was at the lake was also interesting, as its flowers were long and trumpet-like, and what appeared to be a protruding green stigma. I also saw the rose family bush with red fruit that we observed on our walk around campus. The bracken that I saw was also quite curious, as its leaves (?) were curled up around themselves, almost resembling caterpillars.

Celastrina echo, aka Echo Azure, is a butterfly native to the Pacific Coast range. In researching this butterfly, I discovered that females echo azures lay their eggs on the flower buds of their host plants, which include California buckeye, ceanothus, dogwood, and blackberries. The hatched larvae then feed on the buds and flowering plant. The larvae are also attended to by ants.

On Friday, March 28, I participated in the GGNRA BioBlitz at Giacomini Wetlands in Tomales Bay. I went on two inventories: the first, a nature walk led by Chris Pincetich; the second, a look at the invertebrates of the wetland led by Josh Mackie.