Sunday, June 21, 2020 Father’s Day
This will be short, for today I’ll going horseback riding with dear friends who seriously target early haul-outs to beat the heat. They’ve a right plan, for now, at 5 a.m. it’s very warm outside.
Yesterday, while tramping with my dogs in the forest, I spotted this beautiful caterpillar, a big, fat, very colorful variety. In this morning’s hurry and trying to identify its type, the closest I come is that it’s a Monarch butterfly or a Pandora moth. Not long ago, Central Oregon had a huge infestation of Pandoras, and maybe this is one. A Monarch would be likely, too, as now is their season and they’re plentiful.
This has pushed me to seek a resource for identifying caterpillars, butterflies, and moths. A book is on its way. What on earth or from among the stars is happening in my old lady’s brain? Why’s it taking on such as mushrooms, caterpillars, and King Philip’s War? Could anyone so much as venture a guess as to what’s maybe ahead?
I’ll keep you posted.
Dear Friends: Today’s horseback ride with mushroomer-friends will be brain-tickling. Diana
Diana's Morning Blog 
Hi Diana! It’s not a monarch, as we have a lot of them here in MN and they don’t look like that! Very cool, would love to hear what you learn about it!
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I’ve a book coming to help identify this area’s caterpillars, moths, butterflies. Meanwhile, my mushroom mentor (who also lectures on monarchs and pandoras) says my caterpillar is a pandora. He explains that pandora moths always are active in the Cascades, and in alternate years are either larvae or mature-flyers. Last year, Central Oregon became infested with flying pandoras, so this year they’d be infants in the Cascades. Next year, they will be mature and flying (or resting on door-screens and building-sides). I’ll keep trying to learn more about my caterpillar’s type and story, and will share with you if it evolves differently.
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