Today, I worked with Nat, Jared, John, Aimee, Judy, and Angella in the Coronado Forest along the Crest Trail. We set up two plots, each ten in diameter and collected caterpillars from their target species which included Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and , lupine. We collected all stages of development and did a leaf count. The site was about 1 hour south up into the mountains at about 8000 feet elevation. The air was cool and sweet, rich in the aroma of pine. We had the afternoon off. Karen Judy, Kathy, Junko, and I went for a hike up to Silver peak. Along the road we found a shrub covered with insects. A little further along we saw a tree covered with curious fruit. Junko suggested that it was pomegranate and sure enough it was. We all shared one. At the trail head, I caught a few glimpses of a bobcat. The trail took us up to a high grassland with fabulous views of the cliff walls that surround the canyon below. That evening, we had a party as we watched the Perseid meter showers.
Carpe diem
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