PlanktonPunkt

Go back

Your message has been sent

PlanktonPunkt Designs puzzles available in CreateJigsawPuzzles

link to order print on demand PlanktonPunkt Designs jigsaw puzzles (printed in China)

PlanktonPunkt Designs POD products in Printify

link to order PlanktonPunkt Designs print on demand wares from the source

PlanktonPunkt Designs POD products in Etsy

A link to order from a selection of PlanktonPunkt Designs print on demand wares from Etsy

Tag: butterflies

  • Hummingbirds

    Today, while walking with my mobile ready to snap a picture or even a video, I noticed a number of hummingbirds, not as a flock but a hummingbird or two every now and then. More than I could photograph. Aside from being fast, the little birds are well camouflaged when sitting among the green leaves of a tree. Also, they are small, which means my camera’s resolution will not be sufficient for a good picture or a video. Hummingbirds are migratory, moving south for winter and flowers. I don’t know if they stay here in Berkeley for winter, maybe they are just passing through, but some were singing.

    A photo of a hummingbird and a bottle brush plant, October 19th, 2025, Berkeley, CA

    Monday’s rain had apparently inspired little green shoots to peek from the ground. Hopefully this was not a false start. The best part of the winter is the greenery as the rainy season ushers new growth.

    Skipper butterflies were still around, though this time I did not see a swarm. There were also occasional Monarchs and smaller white butterflies.

    I was lucky enough to be aiming for a red bottle brush flower, when a hummingbird flew to feed. Quick switch to video mode captured a few seconds of hummingbird and red flower.

    A short video of a hummingbird and a bottle brush plant, October 19th, 2025, Berkeley, CA

  • Skipper Butterfly

    Sometimes you need to take a break and appreciate the small things

    So, I got a temp job as a scientist starting late September and have been busy. But I am planning on keeping posting, even if the intervals between content get lengthy.

    About a week ago I was walking around taking snapshot and videos, and was impressed at the amount of butterflies fluttering around, multiple species of them, multiple places. I am still trying to process my videoclips (I have quite a few of them taken this year) into YouTube videos, but here is a little sample at lower resolution.

    There was a bush (or a cluster of them) with yellow and pink flowers, which seemed to be very popular with small brown and quick butterflies. I had seen them occasionally around, but their numbers had been increasing towards autumn. They look like online photos of skippers, which are common in California and North America, and though I would not presume to identify the exact species with 100% certainty, an Umber Skipper or a Fiery Skipper seems a possibility.

    I think this swarm was from the latest brood that had eclosed and was preparing for winter and / or having a mating season. I have some earlier clips of similar-looking butterflies, but those were difficult to obtain because the insects were skittish and quick to fly. The butterflies in this swarm seemed to be more interested in feeding, occasionally chasing each other, but I could get close to this specimen without it flying away. Maybe they were preparing for winter or for laying eggs.

    Pure speculation, since Winter in California is the rainy season, with new green shoots, so it may be a good time for new caterpillars to hatch. On the other hand, maybe the adults were preparing to hibernate through the wet and cold.

    A skipper butterfly in pink inflorescence, October 04, 2025