heat

Love is in the air as the insects are already preparing for fall. Here, red shouldered seed bugs mate on a soapberry fruit.

Other insects are preparing to migrate in response to the days gradually getting shorter again. This is not a monarch, as far as I can tell it's a viceroy, less titled.

This butterfly is enjoying the heat from the sun. Even though the days temps have begun soaring to a high today of 113 degrees!

 The moths are still out in the cooler mornings and hide under plants and other shade during the day. There is a wide variety of them.

These moths are sheltering from daylight birds, but at risk from morning lizards. They meet up and lay eggs in the tree canopies and are attacked relentless by small birds.

The flowers have many styles of attracting pollinators, they use color, scent, shape, location, abundant of nectar, and time of year.

Insects use flowers as a food source, but also as locations to hunt other insects, or places to mate, like in the first photo.

Small lizards seem to have an edge on the big guys, like this spiny lizard. The big ones need a few minutes of sunbathing first. But being big means that occasionally it eats the smaller lizards.

that probably explains why the smaller lizards like this one are so nervous. This one is hiding on the edge of a drainage ditch, but keeping an eye on me, just in case. This one gives a good view of the unusual feet that climbing lizards can have.

Many houses use solar lights to prevent house guests tripping over steps at night. This toad, and also a vinagaroo, use these bug attractors to feast on insects all night. There are many swarms of flying ants and moths attracted to the faintest lights.