Author: Hashi

Catocala cara

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Underwing moths (Catocala spp.) are known for having dull, camouflaging forewings, and brightly colored hindwings which they suddenly flash open if disturbed. It is believed that the patterning of the hindwings resembles the eyes of a predatory animal, such as a cat. A bird or other small predator that is not used to this display is likely to be frightened, allowing the moth to escape.

Of the more than 250 known species, slightly less than half are found in North America—mostly in the United States—while the rest occur in Eurasia.

backbone #1

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Over the next few months, I’ll be hiking the 67-mile/108-km Backbone Trail in easy chunks. Annette and I started with section one on New Years Day, Will Rogers to Trippet Ranch. It was a gorgeous day, and we were tired and happy at the end. A great way to start the year!

mott adobe

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Back in 1910, John G. Mott, a Los Angeles lawyer and member of Crags Country Club, built an adobe hacienda near Malibu Creek in what is now State Park. Mott was buddies with President Herbert Hoover, who reportedly liked to visit his friend and get away from the pressures of national leadership.

Fast forward to 1969, when heavy rains caused serious damage to the hacienda. The following year, a wildfire swept through. Now, all that remains of the Mott Adobe is the stone fireplace. But I like to imagine Johnny and Herb sitting in armchairs in front of the fire, swirling brandy, smoking cigars, and discussing the fish they caught that day.

Stenopelmatini

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We discovered a Jerusalem cricket exoskeleton. Given the opportunity to sketch it from any angle, I decided to draw its ventral (under) side. Thanks to Trisha from Insectopia, I can name a few insect parts!

Jerusalem crickets have hypognathus heads, which means their mouthparts point down. That pointy bit at the bottom of the head is the mouth. The palps are little ‘mouth fingers’ that help push food into their maw.

We’ve been seeing these big guys a LOT of late, in the house, in the yard, and out on the trails. They are not venomous, but they have strong mandibles and can inflict a painful bite. They also emit a foul odour if distressed. For these reasons, I don’t usually handle live ones, so it was a treat to have this molt to examine closely.