Flame Skimmer

Libellula saturata




We need to start putting more Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) up on this site.
Dragonfly diversity has been picking up.
However, this species has been flying for awhile in the Marathon Basin and southward.

Beautiful bug.

Darth Buckeye

The Junonia ("buckeye") genus has become a complex all of its own.  There seem to be intermediates everywhere.  Sure some clear-cut examples, at least superficially, exist everywhere too.

Let us briefly go to Junonia evarete "Tropical Buckeye".  We do get this species out here.  However it is the "dark" form.  Here are some pics from Maravillas Ranch, 5 June 2012:


Junonia evarete nigrosuffusa "dark Tropical Buckeye"

This is typical of the "dark" Tropical Buckeye way out here.  However, the immediate difference between "our" dark tropical and the darks in portions of South Texas is on the upperside of the forewings.

The largest "eyespot" has basically zero color outlining around it.  The thin orange/pink fades then terminates below it.



The Junonia-complex is one that needs much further study, though recent research shows that Junonia species have likely been inter-breeding for a long time.

Personal communication with certain authorities have pretty much been "we don't know where to put that dark buckeye that occurs in the trans-Pecos.."

So, dark Tropical Buckeye, (Junonia evarete nigrosuffusa) ?  Really?



Alright then.
If we must hold onto an ancient common name at the moment, then "'dark' Tropical Buckeye."



Beautiful bug with an unknown taxonomical  future.

Come out and see for yourself. This property will be accessible through guided tours and hikes during the "Birds and Butterflies of Big Bend" event.  Click there or scroll up the main page.

Apodemia ______ ?

A funny thing happened on the way up a rocky outcropping slope beyond several soapberry trees, all whilst chasing a Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor).

Well, not all was funny.  Tasajillo (Opuntia leptocaulis) and Catclaw Acacia (Acacia greggii) aren't always funny.

But this:


Mexican Metalmark ?? (Apodemia mejicanus) ? ?



The Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia spp.) - complex is a conversation and confrontation revolving around several species and subspecies, subspecies and species, blown up from a single ... species.

This post will likely be updated, but I needed a link of images to throw the way of some lepidopterists in the state, and region, more familiar with the current conversation of this/these bugs out here in the trans-Pecos of far-West TX.

My more recent dealings with the complex are in San Diego County, CA.



Apodemia mejicanus
or
A. duryi
or
A. mejicanus duryi
or ...




Krameria glandulosa, looked to be in the immediate area, see below:



**Addendum**

This species is Apodemia duryi.


I am happy to be reacquainted.
Maybe it will be in flight, in that little corner of private land, for the Bird and Butterfly Festival..
...
along with that Varied Bunting.

Pygarctia. There is another.

This individual was flying up the wall.  Up the wall  Up the wall...



Pygarctia murina




Range map from Moth Photographers Group.

From Big Bend - Texas Nature

We have had great luck with species in this genus so far this year at the lights!
This particular species looks a lot like Pygarctia neomexicana.  Click this link back to that species.

Notice the difference?




Nine Pygarctia species occur in North America, north of Mexico.




Four down.

A favorite returned to the blacklights

And it is also the first adult representatives of the family Saturniidae, or the Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths' family. for the year..... for us.

Syssphinx hubbardi - Hubbard's Small Silkmoth

This beautiful southwestern "Saturniid" made its first freshly adult-staged appearance at the blacklights last night; well, early this morning actually.

This species' larvae feed on Wright's Acacia, Catclaw Acacia, and mequite.  Some of those great plants that cause us to wear long sleeves and pants out here.



This species generally ranges from western TX to AZ and extreme SE California.  Below is a map from Moth Photographer's Group.




In these first photos we can tell the individual is a male, the fan-antennae (all the better to detect pheromones with) giving that away.




It seems one is out of view in that photo above.

A second Hubbard's Small Silkmoth was discovered on the "moth wall" soon there after by Heidi.



She (hopefully a female) was higher up on the wall and these photos don't show a view of the antennae.
She'll have plenty of mesquite and acacia spp out back to deposit eggs upon.  We've no shortage of that.




You may recall this species and its larvae from last year.  Click on this link.

Time for a vote, dear readers

It seems only fair that we ask the people who read the blog.

To advertise, or not to advertise?

Putting ads on the page is certainly not our preference. AdSense or something like it would be the blogger route for ads, matching keywords in our blog with advertising. Or there's the button... we're also not keen on PayPal's donation button for a variety of reasons (mostly on PayPal's end). For folks who think the Gage Hotel / Marathon Motel references in the blog are "ads," I only wish we were compensated in proportion to the time and effort we've put into promoting both locations. We have received paychecks from both; for grounds and housekeeping and other such unglamorous deeds.

To seek sponsors or not to seek sponsors?

This might be the more easily controlled option; businesses or people or anyone interested in having a presence on our blog could have a picture/link/blurb... anything really, on the sidebar. It would be less annoying and targeting than the "adsense" ads that Google would magically assign to the blog. But we'd also have to hope that folks would want to sponsor the blog.

To market photography or...?

We're thrilled that people love our photography. We just don't want to turn this blog into a "BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY, PLEASE BUY IT" type site - also because we're proud of our moths, too. But we also don't know which photos are most appealing, anyway, so unless folks told us which ones they liked, we'd be offering our favorites (which are pretty awesome anyway, but we could be biased).

All of the above would be drops in a bucket.

Basically, it boils down to this:
My part-time job at Sul Ross State University had been tutoring English, reading and writing. Graduation meant that I'd no longer be able to tutor. And two days before graduation, Matt and I were both laid off from our more significant part-time jobs. To the tune of half of our income. And things were already tight due to school; but it's better to finish a degree than transfer again!

We desperately want to stay in this region and are looking for jobs across the board, specialized or not. But we need to figure things out sooner than later.