Uploads from GerryQ42, with geodata

Veratrum

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:15:18 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Veratrum californicum, California corn lily. Formerly in Liliaceae, now in a separate family. Large patches grow in the Upper Elk Creek Basin northeast of Elk River, Idaho.

Poisonous to humans and livestock. In sheep it causes birth defects, most notably failure of the embryonic skull to enclose the brain.

Before I knew of its toxicity, I broke off a large stem. Fortunately, I did not taste it, but it has a fragrance of grapefruit rind.

From Wikipedia:
Melanthiaceae is a family of flowering perennial herbs in the Northern Hemisphere.[1] The family has been recognized by relatively few taxonomists, and the circumscription has varied. Early authors considered these plants to belong to the family Liliaceae, in part because both their sepals and petals closely resemble each other and are often large and showy like the flowers of the Lily Family.,[1] while some more recent taxonomists have placed them in a family Trilliaceae. The most authoritative modern treatment, however, the APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, of 1998), does recognize such a family and places it in the order Liliales, in the clade monocots. As circumscribed by APG II it includes 11-16 genera of the plants that sometimes have been treated as family

Sticky Purple Geranium

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:18:42 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

These are pretty abundant at my place now, hence all the shots. Waiting for Cypripedium montanum and some rein orchids to bloom.

Veratrium

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:15:41 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Veratrum californicum, California corn lily. Formerly in Liliaceae, now in a separate family (Melanthiaceae). Large patches grow in the Upper Elk Creek Basin northeast of Elk River, Idaho.

Poisonous to humans and livestock. In sheep it causes birth defects, most notably failure of the embryonic skull to enclose the brain.

Calochortus nitidus

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:47:21 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

From earlier this summer, a better picture than the one posted previously.

Stink bug

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:20:08 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

One of two species working on a sunflower. Earlier they decimated my Shiro plum and have done much damage to my tomatoes. They are pretty easy to flick into a container of soapy water, but it is hard to keep up with the thousands that have arrived. We have not had rain (unusual) since June, and my greenish garden may be a big attractant.

Stink bug, second species

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:19:41 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Calochortus nitidus

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 22:19:57 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

The beetle is working its way towards the base of the anthers. There were several more inside.

Calochortus nitidus

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 22:12:02 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

By popular demand, here is a lighter version of these flowers.

Some nice dew on these. We had a fierce thunderstorm this afternoon, so they may be flattened.

Calochortus nitidus

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:39:35 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

I have been "tending" a small patch of this fairly rare mariposa for about ten years. By protecting the ripening seed pods from deer, I have been able to increase the number of plants from about 8 to the present count of 34. I would guess that many of the seeds I scatter in the fall become rodent food.

Calochortus nitidus

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:39:26 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Interior showing the ever present beetles. I don't know if seed parasites or pollinators or both? See the other photo in this set for a better view.

Purple-eyed Mariposa

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:45:01 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Purple-eyed Mariposa

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:44:49 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

AKA Broad-fruit Mariposa, Calochortus nitidus. Fewer plants in bloom at my place this year, perhaps because of county road crews indiscriminate use of herbicides.

Greenish Blue

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:22:52 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus, the blues are always hard to identify.

Taken on Wapshilla Ridge overlooking Hells Canyon, Idaho side at about 5000'. Lots of butterflies visiting the many wildflowers, but wind pretty much prevented any shots at flowers. I do have some from seeps that I will post later.

This mating pair were on the end of a dead Ponderosa branch that did not move in the wind! Male on the left and female on the right. Here is the dorsal view of the male.

Greenish Blue

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:16:14 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Confirmed ID is Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus, the blues are always hard to identify.

Taken on Wapshilla Ridge overlooking Hells Canyon, Idaho side at about 5000'. Lots of butterflies visiting the many wildflowers, but wind pretty much prevented any shots at flowers. I do have some from seeps that I will post later.

This mating pair were on the end of a dead Ponderosa branch that did not move in the wind! Male on the left and female on the right. Here is the dorsal view of the male.

Greenish Blue

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:00:04 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Greenish Blue, Plebejus saepiolus, but the blues are always hard to identify.

Taken on Wapshilla Ridge overlooking Hells Canyon, Idaho side at about 5000'. Lots of butterflies visiting the many wildflowers, but wind pretty much prevented any shots at flowers. I do have some from seeps that I will post later.

This mating pair were on the end of a dead Ponderosa branch that did not move in the wind! Male on the left and female on the right. I have some ventral views of the male.

Big Jumper

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:18:01 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

I am rebuilding a deck and noticed this jumping spider. Biggest one I've ever seen. The grooves on the wood are .5" wide. Did not have time to get the tripod, so just a few quick shots at f/2.8 and 125th second. Not super sharp, but maybe some one can ID her(?) for me.

Big Jumper

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 22:18:16 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Western Tailed Blue, female

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:38:57 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Resting in the grass and a tangle of vetch.

Lynx spider in Mules-ear sunflower

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:39:29 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

She was munching on a "snake bug" (need to find the genus), but went to the other side of the flower when I arrived. I got about a dozen blurry pics, but this one turned out pretty good.

Sticky Purple Geranium

nobody@flickr.com (GerryQ42) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 19:39:13 -0700

GerryQ42 posted a photo:

Note that some of the anthers are missing. Not sure what 'harvests' them.