I went to Sonoma Valley mostly for the wine. But I captured my first turtle and dragonfly. I have yet to catch a hummingbird!
A male flame skimmer (Libellula saturata) usually feeds on moths, flies, ants, or any other soft-bodied insect while waiting perched on a thick blade of grass, twig, rock or while flying through the air.
Dragonflies symbolize change and change in the perspective of self-realization; and the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life, according to The Internets.
Captured in Sonoma Valley about 45 minutes from San Francisco, California.
Did you know female rattlesnakes secrete small amount of sex pheromones, which leave a trail for the males to follow? Once a receptive female is found, the male often spends several days stalking her, going to her work, sending her flowers, frequently touching and rubbing her in an attempt to stimulate her. Like a good sperm bank, females can store semen for months with internal recesses known as spermathecae.
Captured in the Stanislaus National Forest about a 2-3 hour drive from San Francisco, California.
Vanessa atalanta or the red admiral, previously known as the red admirable, is well-characterized as being territorial. Females will not sleep with their male counterparts unless they prove themselves able to hold territory with superior flying capabilities. Imagine the bedroom chatter: You must fly for me and claim land or no sex!!
Captured in the Castro on Market Street in San Francisco, California.
A giant swarm of bees building a nest on Lafayette Street in San Francisco, California.