Butterfly activity seemed higher than normal yesterday on Figueroa Mountain. There were many dark orange California tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) butterflies flitting around, always moving out of the way of the car when they were close to the road. There were also lighter-colored orange butterflies that, when flying in the road, occasionally flew under/into the car.

While walking in the “meadow”, I noticed bright yellow butterflies with a somewhat haphazard flight pattern, and light-orange butterflies flying fast and always in the same direction. I wondered what was at the end of that direction. The significance of this only started dawning on my otherwise occupied mind (flying butterflies are swept to the back because they are not photograph-able), when I was on a trail some miles away from the meadow. The flight in the same direction by the light-colored orange butterflies was possibly part of a migration.

On returning home, I googled for more information and came across Art Shapiro’s butterfly site, and saw that there was a painted lady (Vanessa cardui) migration further north. Since I thought my observations were of importance, I sent in the information that the migration had been observed on Figueroa Mountain. In an e-mail reply to a number of people, he stated that other reports had been received on this 5th day of the migration.

(Painted Lady on Zaca Manzanita)

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More than one species of chocolate lily grows in a number of states in the United States. One of these species, Fritillaria biflora, is native to the coastal ranges of California. I have seen it at a number of different places along Figureoa Mountain and Happy Canyon Roads.

Although “biflora” indicates two flowers, there are often up to five flowers on the plant.  It grows mostly in grassy meadows with heavy soils. For this reason it is often difficult to photograph the whole plant, because the leaves are obscured by grasses. This year, I found a plant growing in a rocky area, where the entire plant could be photographed – a plus, since the leaves are also attractive, and the entire plant is a study in graceful lines.

(Figueroa Mountain – Chocolate Lily – February 28, 2009)

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A slideshow of spring flowers photographed on a couple quick trips in the last month or so. The most interesting part were the butterflies, some of which I had not photographed before: California Tortoiseshell and Mylitta Crescent. A couple of moths were also seen and identified, thanks to BugGuide.net. One of them, Pyrausta dapalis, was not close, and since my bird lens was not attached to my camera, a poor photo was obtained. When I was watching it, I thought I was watching a tiny red butterfly – which did not make sense, because the smallest butterfly in the world is Western Pygmy Blue. After looking at the photo, it was obvious that the red color was only on the hind-wing of a moth (photo #8 in slideshow).

The post has to be short with just one photo, because of other time demands. The slideshow has 47 photos.

(Figueroa Mountain – Early spring flowers)

Slideshow

• Click here to view slideshow of early spring

Update note:
The new name of this plant is Toxicoscordion fremontii (Torr.) Rydb. in the MELANTHIACEAE family. Please see links at end of post.

The first large viewing stop along Figueroa Mountain is a serpentine area on the left. I call the it nine-mile-serpentine stop. A little further up the road from this spot, was a rocky hill with scattered plants of one variety of death camas. Mixed amongst these were a few chocolate lilies (lower left of photo), with very dark red flowers in contrast to a chocolate lily seen at the nine-mile-serpentine stop (next post, chocolate lilies).

(Figueroa Mountain – Field of Fremont’s Death Camas – Click image for larger version)

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An early spring flower (March to May) that is very noticeable, is rusty-haired popcorn flower, or Plagiobothrys nothofulvus. It grows mostly below 2500 feet in fields and along hillsides. The popcorn appearance results from the clustering of a few small white flowers in a small coil at the top of the plant. The flower (corolla) is very small, from 3-9 mm wide, and the hairy areas are tinged with a rusty color. There are five white petals, and at the center, a five-lobed “washer” center that varies from white to yellow. It is not a butterfly flower, but is visited by very small insects.

(Figueroa Mountain – Rusty-haired Popcorn Flower – Click image for larger version)

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