Yesterday was such a cool morning! I just had to go for a hike at the grasslands. It was perfect weather.
The ponds are full!
Since the temperature was around 65 degrees when we started, Gracie got to go. She had a great time! So she is the dog part. I wish I had seen a Dogfaced butterfly but no.
Two hoppers on the Bull Nettle leaf.; grasshopper and the tiny planthopper.
It was too early in the day for the Lazy Daisies (white flowers) to be open. The Dayflowers were there too!
Snack found early in the hike!
A minute later. Yum!
We headed into the shade and the bottomland.
First cat I found was head-first down on an ash tree. It is a Owlet Moth (Noctuidae). I brought this one home so hopefully I can it narrow down later.
Close up of the head.
Cup fungus was tiny and brown.
A glob of sap on the grapevine.
Cottonwood Leaf Beetle (Chrysomela scripta) was on a grapevine leaf. Go figure LOL. There were plenty of cottonwoods in the bottoms.
A tangle of grapevine!
Something lined their entry way!
I wondered if this wasn’t some cottonwood fluff. It was everywhere including the spider webs.
Second cat on a fallen bare log.
He didn’t want to lift his head up for me to get a better shot. I think it is an early instar of an Ilia Underwing (Catocala ilia ).
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Two cats and Gracie! What fun!
Keep looking!
Love the cats. Will they make moths?
Yes, they are moth cats. The greenish one buried itself in the dirt so hopefully it making a cocoon.
What a beautiful day and a happy Gracie. You know I haven’t seems dogface butterfly in a long time but not sure if I’m out in the right places anymore.
I have only seen one Dogfaced myself this year.