Summer Hemileuca

[James J. Kruse]

Hello,

A trip to Monitor Pass, Alpine County (right near the Mono County line)
California on 15 August yielded:

Hemileuca hera (2)
Hemileuca eglanterina (2-3) really beat up
Hemileuca nuttalli (~50+)

2 hours on station.

I caught 6 of the H. nuttalli, including a female. I nearly pitched myself
down a ravine chasing one, so I decided to swing only at close passers-by.
Rugged habitat, if you have had the ankle-twisting, leg-slashing pleasure.
I love it, really!

Rumor has it there were butterflies there too.
Cercyonis oetus and tailed coppers and such. Ran into a Japanese fellow
looking for Parnassius phoebus, but he was too late.

Cheers!
Jim Kruse
University of California at Berkeley
Dept. of Environ Sci, Policy and Mgmt.
Div. of Insect Biology
201 Wellman Hall
Berkeley, California, 94720-3112
Voice: (510) 642-7410    Fax: (510) 642-7428
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/sperlinglab/kruse.html