The Bison of Catalina

Perhaps the only place in the world where you can find an American bison (vs. buffalo) standing near a beach next to a palm tree. The week on Santa Catalina was an wonderful one, and despite a cool spring with a few unseasonable frosts, some decent collecting was done. Here are just . . . → לייענען מער: The Bison of Catalina

The Monarchs Are All Right

Shockingly, stunningly, amazingly; the monarchs are back (but not co-staring Julianne Moore). קעשורע, it’s not that amazing; I pretty much predicted this would be the case last March when everyone was running around terrified because the butterflies hit an all time low (since counting started in 1993). Actually I believe I saidI will . . . → לייענען מער: The Monarchs Are All Right

ענטאָמאָפאַגי: מאָטס פֿאַר מיטאָג

I have always known that in many places of the world, especially off the beaten track, caterpillars of moths and butterflies are on the menu. From Africa to Australia there are dozens of species that might taste good enough to be reasonably edible or even delicious. But here in the US insects rarely if . . . → לייענען מער: ענטאָמאָפאַגי: מאָטס פֿאַר מיטאָג

ברענען הימל

טשעק אויס דעם טריילער פֿאַר דעם פילם “ברענען הימל” – “דער הימל איז בורנינג”. א דאַקיומענטערי וועגן די ריכאַבילאַטיישאַן פון די גואַנקאַסטע ריינפאָראַסץ אין צפון מערב קאָסטאַ ריקאַ. עס קוקט ווי אַ שיין פילם…איצט איך נאָר האָבן צו געפינען אַ קאָפּיע.

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מאָנאַרטש מאַדנעסס

פֿאַר רעגולער לייענער פון מיין בלאָג איר זאל שוין וויסן מיין סטאַנס אויף די מאָנאַרטש, but catch up here if you’d like to. Yesterday I came across this article in the LA times – וועגן די אָווערווינטערינג קאָלאָניעס פון מאַנאַרקס אין פּאַסיפיק גראָווע, CA. אויס דאָ, מערב פון די קאָנטינענטאַל טיילן, there are quite a . . . → לייענען מער: מאָנאַרטש מאַדנעסס

A Disturbing New Trend?

Pictured is a black-veined white (Aporia crataegi ssp), and it is currently being returned to the Korean Institute of Biological Resources. Loans get returned, as they should be, every dayand can even number in the thousands of specimens. I myself have a few hundred moths out on loan from a handful of . . . → לייענען מער: A Disturbing New Trend?

Butterfly Porn

Here is a hill-topping male Papilio zeliacon, or Anise swallowtail. This butterfly is widespread in the western Pacific states and is probably much more common than it once was. After the introduction of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and subsequent escape from horticulture, the anise swallowtail took hold as a common California butterfly. Perhaps before this . . . → לייענען מער: Butterfly Porn

The only bar in town

In eastern Lassen county, on the vast high juniper hills of the California-Nevada border, there are herds ofwildhorses, sheep and cattle. Par for the course, the only flowering plant around was horehound (Marrubium vulgare). Despite the non-native flora and (semi)mega-fauna, the insects were still at home. Being the only nectar source, the small . . . → לייענען מער: The only bar in town

Genius of the Press VIII

Welcome to volume eight of the inconsistently reoccurring series, זשעני פון די דרוק. I came across this article recently regarding an endemic Puerto Rican butterfly. Who can tell me exactly why this report is misleading? It may be a little trickier than the standard GOP (I suggest discarding any previously associated acronyms with those letters). . . . → לייענען מער: Genius of the Press VIII

Landscape Cover Map

I’ve always wondered how to find the correct terminology for land cover in a given area. Usually, I just ballpark something along the lines ofoak chaparral”. But now I can use this awesome new map brought to us by the USGS/National Biological Information Infrastructure. The level of detail is amazing, and you can . . . → לייענען מער: Landscape Cover Map