References
— The Audubon Society, Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders. Lorus and Margery Milne. 6th printing. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1989.
— California Insects. Jerry A. Powell and Charles L. Hogue. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979.
— Insects of Western North America. Edward Oliver Essig. New York: Macmillan, 1926.

Photos copyright © 2010-2012 Kat Avila
Camera: Canon SD780 IS
Aphids
aphids
on Western vervain
2010.7.9
Bees
Honey Bee, Apis mellifera, APIDAE FAMILY
honey bee
digging deep
2010.5.14		 honey bee
on California rose
2010.5.14		 honey bee
pollen basket on hind leg
2010.5.14		 honey bee
nearing bladderpod flowers
2010.5.26		 honey bee
on Menzies' goldenbush
2010.7.30
bee on algae
on a bed of algae
2010.7.12		 bee on algae
water cooler break
2010.7.12		 honey bee
2011.3.17		 honey bee
From its frayed wings,
you can tell this bee has
put in a lot of mileage.
2011.3.17		 honey bee
2011.3.17
Yellow-faced Bumblebee, Bombus vosnesenkii; "Rarely stings." — NAS
yellow-faced bumblebee
on California rose
2010.5.26		 yellow-faced bumblebee
close-up
2010.5.26		 yellow-faced bumblebee
dorsal view
2010.5.26
Beetles
convergent lady beetle
convergent lady beetle
on purple sage
2010.4.23		 convergent lady beetle
A convergent lady beetle
with no spots?
2011.3.15		 convergent lady beetle
2011.4.18
lady beetle
2011.4.11		 lady beetle
2011.4.11		 lady beetle
2011.4.11		 lady beetle
2011.4.11		 lady beetle
2011.4.11
Butterflies
spend some time / with me today / before you fly away
K. Avila 2011.4.11
Lorquin's Admiral, Limenitis lorquini, BRUSHFOOT FAMILY
Lorquin's Admiral
2010.7.23		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.7.23		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.7.23		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.7.23		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.7.23
Lorquin's Admiral
2010.8.13		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.8.13		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.8.13		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.8.13		 Lorquin's Admiral
2010.8.13
Monarch Butterfly, Danaus plexippus, BRUSHFOOT FAMILY, on narrow-leafed milkweed
monarch butterfly
2010.7.9
Queen Butterfly, Danaus gilippus, BRUSHFOOT FAMILY, on narrow-leafed milkweed
queen butterfly
2010.7.9		 queen butterfly
2010.7.9		 queen butterfly
2010.7.9		 queen butterfly
2010.7.9
Western Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio rutulus, SWALLOWTAIL FAMILY, on Western vervain
Western tiger swallowtail
2011.3.15		 Western tiger swallowtail
2011.3.15		 Western tiger swallowtail
2011.3.15		 Western tiger swallowtail
2011.3.15		 Western tiger swallowtail
2011.4.11
Western tiger swallowtail
2011.4.11		 Western tiger swallowtail
2011.4.11		 Western tiger swallowtail
Yellow bands extend
from "head to toe."
2011.4.11		 Western tiger swallowtail
weather-beaten butterfly with
bottom left tail missing
2011.4.11		 Western tiger swallowtail
same butterfly from beneath
2011.4.11
Caterpillars
caterpillar
acrea moth caterpillar
(salt marsh moth caterpillar)
Estigmene acraea
TIGER MOTH FAMILY
2010.4.26		 caterpillar
acrea moth caterpillar
(salt marsh moth caterpillar)
Estigmene acraea
TIGER MOTH FAMILY
2010.4.26		 caterpillar
Dying from an infestation?
2011.2.4
Common Pillbug (aka Sowbug), Armadillidium vulgare, Crustacean class
common pillbug
2011.3.15		 common pillbug
2011.4.11		 common pillbug
2011.4.11
Dragonflies
dragonfly
2010.7.9		 dragonfly
2010.7.9		 dragonfly
2010.7.12		 dragonfly
same dragonfly as previous
2010.7.12		 damselfly
damselfly
2010.7.30
dragonfly
2010.7.30		 dragonfly
same dragonfly as previous
2010.7.30		 dragonfly
same dragonfly as previous
2010.7.30		 dragonfly
2011.12.11		 dragonfly
2011.12.11
dragonfly
2012.4.18		 dragonfly
2012.4.18		 dragonfly
2012.4.18
Harlequin [Cabbage] Bug (aka Stink Bug, Calico Bug, Fire Bug), Murgantia histrionica, PENTATOMIDAE FAMILY
"This insect causes white and yellow blotches on the foliage of infested plants, ruining their commercial value." —ASIS
harlequin bugs
mating
on bladderpod buds
2010.4.23		 harlequin bugs
stroking with antennae
2010.6.10		 harlequin bugs
mating
2010.6.10		 harlequin bugs
mating
2010.6.10
harlequin bug
2012.4.18		 harlequin bug
mating
2012.4.18
Pallid-winged Grasshopper, Trimerotropis pallidipennis
pallid-winged grasshopper
2010.4.23		 pallid-winged grasshopper
in boysenberry patch
2011.3.15		 pallid-winged grasshopper
a lovely expression
2011.3.15		 pallid-winged grasshopper
2011.3.15
Spittlebug (aka Froghopper), CERCOPIDAE FAMILY.
spittlebug
The nymphs enclose
themselves within sacs
of foam for protection.
2011.10.11
Spotted Milkweed Bug (aka Large Milkweed Bug), Oncopeltus fasciatus, LYGAEIDAE FAMILY. Their coloring ranges from red to orange with black segmented antennae, legs, and scutellum (rear shield). The red bugs are the older bugs (Milne, 479). Spotted milkweed bugs hibernate, but will come out on warm days (Essig, 347).
spotted milkweed bug
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
orange and black
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
red and black
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
The misty morning has
left the bug covered in dew.
2011.10.11
spotted milkweed bug
a molted exoskeleton
at the bottom of photo
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
lateral close-up
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
a scattered group
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
nymphs
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
adults and nymph
2011.10.11
spotted milkweed bug
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
close-up
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
2011.10.11		 spotted milkweed bug
close-up
2011.10.11