shxx60's Identifications

Variableleaf Collomia growing in semi-shaded Monterey Pine forest.
Link to confirmed observation (nicer photos) nearby: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117799033

Variableleaf Collomia (Collomia heterophylla) Native, annual plant in the Phlox (Polemoniaceae) family that grows in shaded chaparral and open woodlands. A.k.a. Varied Leaved Collomia. Plant height: 5-20cm. Leaves are glandular-hairy, the lower leaves pinnate or bipinnately lobed and the upper lobed or entire. Flowers are tubular, 10–15 mm long and 5 mm across. They have a yellow to light pink tube (occasionally dark pink-purple), a yellow to white throat and a light pink to white corolla. Peak bloom time: April-May.

Calflora (includes species distribution map in CA): https://www.calflora.org/app/taxon?crn=2301

Jepson eFlora: Plants of California https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/

Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 244, 247.

Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 120.

Coastal California's Living Legacy: The Monterey Pine Forest, 2nd. ed, Nikki Nedeff, et. al. The Monterey Pine Forest Watch, 2018

Leaf Terminology: Simple Diagrams/Definitions: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Leaf_morphology.svg

Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, 2nd ed., by James G. Harris and M. Harris, 2022.

Phlox family flowers are mostly tubular. Instead of distinct petals, they have spreading lobes, fused to the tube at their base. They may be bell-shaped with gradually spreading lobes, or funnel-shaped, with a slender tube and abruptly spreading lobes. Typically, there are 5 lobes, with 5 stamens attached to the tube, and 3 stigmas on the pistil.
Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/polemoniaceae-misc/

Propertius Duskywing (Erynnis propertius) is a butterfly in the Skippers (Hesperiidae) family. It is found in along the west coast of North America from southern British Columbia south along the Pacific Slope to Baja California Norte. It is one of the most commonly seen Skippers in California. It has 1-2 flights, March-July.
Wingspan is 35–45 mm (1.25-1.5 inches). Its wings are mottled brown, the fore wings with white spotting. While other duskywings like the funereal duskywing and the mournful duskywing have white fringe on their hind wings, the Propertius duskywing has brown fringe.
The larvae have a light green body and brown head. They feed on Oak (Quercus) species. Adults feed on a wide variety of flower nectar, including Blue Dicks, Yerba Santa, Ceanothus, and California Buckeye.

Butterflies of Monterey County: A comprehensive guide to finding and identifying 91 species of butterflies in Monterey County, Chris Tenney and Jan Austin, August 2023, pp. 166-167.

eButterfly: https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/species/profile/10

Field Guide to California Insects, by Kip Will, J. Gross, D. Rubinoff , J. Powell, 2nd ed., 2020, p. 402.

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BUTTERFLY and CATERPILLAR (Annotated References):

In California, there are about 240 species of butterflies. There are more than 3,000 species of MOTHS, which represent 4 suborders in about 50 families. Butterflies have clubbed antennae, moths do not. Many moths are nocturnal, but not all.

Field Guide to California Insects, by Kip Will, J. Gross, D. Rubinoff , J. Powell, 2nd ed., 2020 (Lepidoptera, pp. 347-426)

Butterflies of Monterey County: A comprehensive guide to finding and identifying 91 species of butterflies in Monterey County, by Chris Tenney and photograher Jan Austin, August 2023 and companion website: https://www.montereybutterflies.online/

Glossary of Butterfly (and Moth) Terminology: https://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/resources/glossary

eButterfly: (2115+ species) https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/observations/explore

BugGuide: Butterflies and Moths (U.S. and Canada) clickable categories or use search bar: https://bugguide.net/node/view/57

Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West: a field guide to the butterflies of western North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg, 2001

Butterflies and Moths of North America https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species_search

Butterflies of Central and Northern California, a laminated pamphlet (guide to common and notable species) by Jim Brock,, 2023

Caterpillar Anatomy diagram and Butterfly Basics: https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/activities/printouts/caterpillarprintout.shtml Life Cycle of a Butterfly: Egg --> Larva (the caterpillar) --> Pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) --> Adult.

Caterpillars: INaturalist Project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-caterpillars

Wagner's Caterpillars of Western North America (coming soon) "1450+ species accounts in progress" INat thebals 6/6/23.

Mylitta Crescent (Phyciodes mylitta) Crescents are small butterflies, mostly with rounded forewings and orange and black patterns above, named for a crescent-shaped spot near the margin of the hindwing below. Wingspan is 1 -1.5 inches. They have a direct, low flight, with alternating series of flaps and flat winged glides. Adult nectar plants include buckwheats, yellow composites, and aster family plants.

Butterflies of Monterey County: A comprehensive guide to finding and identifying 91 species of butterflies in Monterey County, Chris Tenney and Jan Austin, August 2023, pp. 124-125.

Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West: a field guide to the butterflies of western North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg, 2001, pp. 178-179.

Bug photographs from the U.S/Canada for I.D: https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Phyciodes+mylitta

Butterflies and Moths of North America https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Phyciodes-mylitta

Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America. Brock and Kaufman, 2003, p. 178.

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BUTTERFLY and CATERPILLAR (Annotated References):

In California, there are about 240 species of butterflies. There are more than 3,000 species of MOTHS, which represent 4 suborders in about 50 families. Butterflies have clubbed antennae, moths do not. Many moths are nocturnal, but not all.

Field Guide to California Insects, by Kip Will, J. Gross, D. Rubinoff , J. Powell, 2nd ed., 2020 (Lepidoptera, pp. 347-426)

Butterflies of Monterey County: A comprehensive guide to finding and identifying 91 species of butterflies in Monterey County, by Chris Tenney and photograher Jan Austin, August 2023 and companion website: https://www.montereybutterflies.online/

Glossary of Butterfly (and Moth) Terminology: https://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/resources/glossary

eButterfly: (2115+ species) https://www.e-butterfly.org/ebapp/en/observations/explore

BugGuide: Butterflies and Moths (U.S. and Canada) clickable categories or use search bar: https://bugguide.net/node/view/57

Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West: a field guide to the butterflies of western North America, by Jeffrey Glassberg, 2001

Butterflies and Moths of North America https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species_search

Butterflies of Central and Northern California, a laminated pamphlet (guide to common and notable species) by Jim Brock,, 2023

Caterpillar Anatomy diagram and Butterfly Basics: https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/activities/printouts/caterpillarprintout.shtml Life Cycle of a Butterfly: Egg --> Larva (the caterpillar) --> Pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) --> Adult.

Caterpillars: INaturalist Project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-caterpillars

Wagner's Caterpillars of Western North America (coming soon) "1450+ species accounts in progress" INat thebals 6/6/23.