Two Days of Beach Biking

Pedaling feels like a reasonable totter to our gorging teeter.  Yeah, we're slow-ish and require nourishment along the way BUT it was super chilly (burns more calories, yes?) and we put in two consecutive days.  Great sightseeing as usual, from the fisherman's pit bull friend playing with her still-flopping treat, dolphins, big schools of mackerel and disco dancers on pilings, to a magnificent giant schnauzer, moving lighthouses (up close, they resemble sailboats), tiger moth caterpillar (saved from the perilous bike path) and hang gliders on the bunny hill.  There was also an enormous flock of gulls which caused a hoodie stir.  Oh, and Christmas lights already draping the pier.  Guess we're on to the next holiday.

Pool Buddy

I found this cicada floating in the pool. It may be an annual cicada in the genus Tibicen. Depending on the type of cicada, lifespan is anywhere from 2-17 years (most of it spent underground). If this is a Dog Day Cicada, which I'm guessing, it'll live from 2-5 years. Cicadas are the loudest insects and they actually sweat. Note the 5 eyes (two biggies + 3 oceli).

Silly me, I could've identified it as male or female if I'd simply turned it over to look for an ovipositor or tymbals, but I'm a bit slow on the uptake. No matter, it was so cool to have a cicada chorus daily, starting with the morning heat and going well into the night.

BEAST!

I'm talking about the human who put a felt bonnet on this poor dog and has the gumption to wear navy socks with black flip flops... all while hanging out at and handling a public phone, next to a ripe garbage can. Anyhoo, forget about the beast, check out these cool critters: California long-horned beetle, wild turkey, juvenile black-crowned night heron, adult black-crowned night heron, and a way cooler dog than Sir Felt Bonnet. Not great pics but all spotted in one lovely day.

Camouflage

Bet y'all missed this little guy in the previous post. Wish I had a killer macro lens... one day... then I'll really get all buggy on you.

Sunny-Side Up

Here's the real parade: raindrops, lemons, cranefly. Gently sun-kissed between storms.

Caelifera femur

It's just fun typing that.

Alright Already

I'm finding these on a regular basis. Yesterday we found a huge Black Widow in one of the hives (in the screened-off bottom area -- separated from the bees/honey). She was sitting next to a spiked egg sac -- which strikes me as odd since I think the spiked variety belongs to the Brown Widow (pictured here and populating like crazy). Black trumps Brown? Daaamn! I'm not keen on either.

Residents and Visitors

The top critter has moved in and set up shop (hmmm). The cute little bee (that's my thumbnail) had deformed wings and was only able to scramble along the ground, alas). Don't ask me about the cicada-bee-goliath thing (first time I've seen anything like it). The last one, you tell me. I generically call it a garden spider (kind of like LBJ with birds -- Little Brown Jobs).
Welcoming all insights.

A few of my favorite things

On a recent trip home: wild fennel; rocks+ at Montana de Oro; and a Flame Skimmer dragonfly.

Smiles