Rivers of Gold

A few images from my weekend mothing trip down to Shell Creek, San Luis Obispo County. Early spring along the central coast is stunning, and the back roads were packed with flower watchers. There were dozens of cars occupied by families out for a weekend drive, many had packed lunches and sat to watch the flowers grow. While I am happy to see people enjoying the natural beauty, it is difficult to see the damage their trampling can cause. עם זאת, if more people could get out to appreciate nature, perhaps it would be easier to protect. The flowers were so bright and dense it was difficult to focus on moths, and after a few hours I started to go a little snow-blind (or as it shall forever be now known, flower-blind). Here are a few feeble attempts to capture the beauty.

(more images after the break)

Most likely a Schinia species feeding here.

Heliothodes diminutiva

Heliolonche joaquinensis

Xantothrix neumoegeni

זה Adela thorpella, or a fairy moth. Note the incredibly long antennae.

The full list of Lepidoptera seen for the day:

עש

Heliothodes diminutiva(תנשמיתיים)

Heliolonche joaquinensis (תנשמיתיים)

Heliolonche modicella (תנשמיתיים)

Schinia crotchii (תנשמיתיים)

Schinia amaryllis (תנשמיתיים)

Schinia pulchripennis (תנשמיתיים)

Xantothrix neumoegeni (תנשמיתיים)

Axenus arvalis (תנשמיתיים)

Achyra occidentalis (Crambidae)

Adela thorpella (Adelidae)

פרפרים

Danaus plexippus

ונסה אטאלנטה

Coenonympha tullia

Anthocharis sara

Colias eurytheme

Everes amyntula

Glaucopsyche lygdamus

Plebejus acmon