Earlier this month we took a detour to check out the Kelso Dunes (SE of Baker, California).
We got there as the sun was going down and found several interesting insects. Jon spotted this impressive blister beetle (Cysteodemus armatus) walking around in the sand among the vegetation along with several other beetles.
I was a bit surprised to find a June beetle feeding (and probably pollinating?) a primrose. I’ve never seen this before. Here's a shot of a Western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus) that we found out hunting as soon as the stars came out. It's a bit blanched from the flash.
It was a fun evening (although I did get stung in the lip by a tiphiid wasp). In the morning as we were driving away, we spotted a kit fox pup (Vulpes macrotis - the "big-eared fox") emerging from its den to enjoy the early sun. It sure was a cute thing.
