hunting from nearby tree, about 10:30am, looking intently down at snow, then landed and mantled for a couple of minutes, burying its head into the snow several times before flying off in the opposite direction

One of the best field ID characteristics for this species is the extent to which the front angles of the pronotoum extend past the mesal portion. Once you can get a really good look under a scope, the inner hook of the fifth abdominal segment has around six setae. These two characteristics together should separate this one from other larvae in its range.

Okanagana arctostaphylae was first described in 1915 and has not been collected since. These are the first photos ever taken of it in its natural habitat, and the second photos ever of a live individual.

After a great trip with Darrell in Tennessee, I headed back down home...and made a few more stops... :)

This was at Stuart Springs Park in Arkansas -- it'd be a great park to visit if it wasn't so sketchy... :-/ There were some folks that looked like they were up to suspicious activity. :-/

I watched this ermine catch 5 pika on trips up and down the slopes of Cracked Crag. Chipmunk-sized with a short tail (there are no perspective tricks going on in this picture, but if needed, I can upload others with a more side-on perspective. Pika observation recorded separately here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14002186

Dia 82, un individuo.

Day 82, one individual.

Relacionado con // Related to:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667158
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667199
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667420

Experts - What is going on here? This male American Kestrel sure did seem to have the hots for this female Merlin. He kept trying to get close to her and even brought her a few treats (insects?) from the grass beneath the fence. She accepted the treats but didn't seem thrilled with the attention. However, when he flew off, she followed him...

This mariposa lily was near several C. leichtlinii, and there were others like this one nearby, too. Doesn't seem to match any species listed on Calflora. Located in Meiss Meadows at the Carson Pass. It may be a hybrid with another species and leichtlinii or just a leichtlinii that doesn't have purple spots.

Went to Rockport to see some of the damage from Hurricane Harvey... It was pretty devastating down here -- lots of damage and debris and garbage still everywhere.

Nonetheless, this was an AMAZING spot with really deep sand and spectacular plants.