Creature Feature
Seeing and Hearing Summer
By Gary Winans
Yipes. Have you noticed that life can come in big bunches?
I've lived alongside Longfellow Creek for over 20 years watching and
observing nature. But this year, in early summer, I am seeing and hearing nature
like never before. There seems to be an explosion of two insects.
The first surprise is a butterfly called Lorquin's Admiral. They are medium
sized butterflies (about 3") that are predominantly black on the inside of the
wings. Both wings have white bands and the tip of the forewing (the wing closest
to the head) is orange tipped. When they fly overhead the light seems to come
through the white bands as if they were windows. I don't remember ever seeing
any Admirals in the neighborhood, but this year they are everywhere.
Photo courtesy of Woodland Park Zoo
This particular species is the Lorquin's Admiral. It was first discovered almost 200 years ago by a naturalist who wandered California on foot and by stage coach. How cool is that? In his honor, the species is named after him.
I've recently read that male Lorquin's Admirals stake out territories and "perch" in certain spots waiting for a female. I've seen an Admiral do exactly that: he has set up its territory around a flower bed by my backdoor. It is serious about this space, too. He will chase a yellow and black tiger swallowtail out of his space, even though the swallowtail was almost twice his size.
I am also excited that another critter is making a big statement in the area
this summer. Have you heard all the singing going on up in the trees? Those are
tree crickets, relatives to grasshoppers, that inhabit trees and bushes in the
summer weather. We hear from them starting in June when the temperature rises
above 70 degrees. A cool sound: this is summer they are saying. Well, actually,
these are male tree crickets trying to attract females. Their song is a long
continuous trill, like eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
It was always a thrill just to hear one or two in the early summer. But this
year I have heard them everywhere, and I have heard several of them singing
synchronously. What a treat.
Why is there such a big bunch of Admirals and tree crickets this year? I don't know. The weather was just right last winter or spring? Fewer predators? Maybe by paying attention to nature we will find out. Whatever the explanation, I think that all of us who live alongside this rich streamside community who see and hear so much summertime life are very lucky.