Absolutely a Perfect Day

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Certainly it was the most perfect weather day for Trinity Forks NPSOT field trip! Ivy, Debra, Sarah, Chuck, Rosie and Jeanne took the three hour two mile tour of our Pollinator Ranch.

Here was the start and everyone was already finding cool stuff.
So I had been lamenting about how few Monarchs I had seen the last few days. However that was about to change as the morning progressed. 🙂
A cool Longhorn Beetle (Sphaenothecus bilineatus) was waiting for a mate. Males position themselves on the highest tips of branches on flowering shrubs or small trees and keep lookout for females. Their long thin antennae wave in the wind. When females arrive, the males are quick to take action and they frequently mate while the females feed. The larval hosts are Mesquite and roses (Rosa). We have both plant species so perhaps I will find them on a host plant someday.

So did I mention we saw a lot Monarchs. In fact I bet there were hundred that flew by! Well, maybe not that many. However every time we looked in a different direction we saw one or two.
After telling the group about the Bleeding Flower Moth, Rosie found its tiny cat on the Narrow-leaf Gayfeather. The Gayfeather is its host plant!

Other butterflies were out as well like the Gulf Fritillary! Additional species included Clouded Sulphurs, Dainty Sulphurs, Sleep Orange, Checkered Skippers, Sachems and that is all I remember now. LOL
There are some really tall gayfeathers this year!
A half dozen of the white form of Gayfeathers dotted the field too!
A sweat bee stopped in at the Flat-flower Gerardia (Agalinis homalantha).

The tree-line of a unit of the LBJ NG can be seen in the distance on the right above Jeanne’s (orange sweat shirt) head.

Did I mentioned there were a lot Monarchs out today? LOL

Indeed it was definitely the perfect day to show off the Pollinator Ranch!

Thanks to all for letting me share our special place today with you.

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Keep looking!

The more you know, the more you see and the more you see, the more you know

6 Comments

  2. Great news about the Monarchs. Guess i will be seeing them in the next week or so, whenever they leave north TX.

    Reply

    1. It will be slower going for the Monarchs as the wind is forecast to be out the south. However on Friday a strong north wind is forecast. Go Monarchs!

      Reply

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