I ran over to the Yturria Brush tract of the LRGV NWR west of La Joya to see if stuff was still blooming. It doesn't take many rainless days of 100F to dry stuff out. I was a little late. Plants are wilting and very few flowers till I reached the brushy low spot where things still looked prety good. This Lantana Scrub-Hairsteak was the first I've seen since winter. Not sure why they are in the genus Strymon when they look so different from the other scrub-hairteaks. I bet it has to do with caterpillar or chrysalis similarities.
I like my angle on this Vesta Crescent. I regulary see butterfly watchers just take any old photo they can of a butterfly and seem oblivious to the geometery involved. A little simple reorientation can change a poor angle to a good angle to an interesting angle. I regularly get down on my knees or lower for a better shot. Reorientation can also improve the lighting.
Theona Checkerspot oviposting on cenizo.
It was kind of a slow day so here's a Southern Dogface. They use the kidneywood as a host plant.
I got a couple of shots of this White-patched Skipper and then it shot into the brush.
Maybe we get some rain in a week. Hot and dry till then. But the wind is blowing from the south and both Tailed Cecropian and Blomfild's Beauty have been seen at Oleander Acres so there is hope.
