Covid-19 pandemic hike #13
Thursday hike with two Mountain Club hikers and a cohousing friend. Navigated from Ellis trailhead to the Crest trail to reach North Sandia Peak. From there, we bushwacked down to the North Crest trail and hiked north to the Del Agua Overlook where we took the 10K trail to the Survey trail and back to the parking lot. In all, ~ 6.5 miles, elevation: ~ 1100 ft.
Notice the haze over Albuquerque: That's smoke from the Tucson, AZ, Catalina Mountains wildfire.
Notice the haze over Albuquerque: That's smoke from the Tucson, AZ, Catalina Mountains wildfire.
Stopped at North Sandia peak for lunch. Sat down on a rock and noticed ladybugs crawling all over my backpack. Looked a little further and noticed clusters of ladybugs all over the ground and on a pine cone. See above.
Looked up and saw hundreds of them on the tree trunk just above me.
Started looking around and saw thousands upon thousands of ladybugs on the shade side of several branches.Who knew that ladybugs congregate in such large colonies!
What a chance discovery! Hands down, the highlight of today's hike.
PS: Looked it up when I got home: every year a new generation (ladybugs live one year) congregates in the same place, mainly to mate.
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