After all the monsters I’ve laid down, it’s just a little scotch broom plant, tossed aside on my way to a much-needed water break, that scares up the find of the day: a butterfly that flashes orange and white as it escapes the flying broom. This is something special; I know it and stumble after it. Luckily it lands not far away with wings spread wide in full sun. I drink in the black-and-white wingtips on either side of a jaguar-pelt pattern, a body gray-green with hues like moss, the whole package a little faded and worn. It is a painted lady. A butterfly I see far too seldom.
The Oregon coast range is crisscrossed with these mile-square clearcuts where industrial timberland is interspersed in a checkerboard pattern with public forests. The timber companies sometimes go back in and do some invasive remediation, but not usually. Thus, at the right time of year, you can catch a view of a giant green and yellow checkerboard across the land, the green squares being uncut forest, and the yellow squares being solid scotch broom. It's pretty grim. Anyway, thank you for your work on your adopted patch of clearcut land up there. I know the bees and butterflies and other little things thank you.
The Oregon coast range is crisscrossed with these mile-square clearcuts where industrial timberland is interspersed in a checkerboard pattern with public forests. The timber companies sometimes go back in and do some invasive remediation, but not usually. Thus, at the right time of year, you can catch a view of a giant green and yellow checkerboard across the land, the green squares being uncut forest, and the yellow squares being solid scotch broom. It's pretty grim. Anyway, thank you for your work on your adopted patch of clearcut land up there. I know the bees and butterflies and other little things thank you.
Excellent post, from painted lady, to Berry, to plants and the bramble green hairstreak. Thank you for sharing.