Wednesday, May 28, 2014

oreas comma ~ 05/28/14 ~ Hatton Canyon


posted 06/30/14 - I only knew which anglewing this was (the other one found at Hatton is the lighter satyr comma), because Chris Tenney told me.  I think he's proud of the oreas being here.  For some reason, outside of our local area the hoary comma, aka zephyr anglewing (Polygonia gracilis zephyrus) is reported.  During the Monterey Butterfly Count on June 7, Paul Johnson took a picture of the first reported hoary comma in recent memory, and it's also lighter than shown above.  There was much trading of photographs and opinions.  I think telling them apart is quite confusing, and the flux of taxonomy shows it confuses the experts, too.

satyr comma ~ 05/28/14 ~ Carmel Valley Road


posted 06/13/14 - We found this in a small canyon behind the table rock horse stables on the north side of Carmel Valley Road.  The location is in the general vicinity as Hatton Canyon (satyr and oreas) and Santa Lucia Preserve (oreas and zephyr).  Note overall light appearance and 4 pairs of spots closest to the body on both the fore and hindwings on this individual.  Too bad I didn't also get a picture of its comma mark, but that's the way it usually happens for me.  I don't have a whole lot of patience waiting to take perfect pictures.

wordless Wednesday