They’re done! I’ve been working on a deck of playing cards for the last two or three years. All 54 insects (56 if you count the praying mantis on the back and the beetle on the bonus card) were photographed at Mount Pisgah Arboretum near Eugene, Oregon. Each card includes an interesting fact or two and the scientific name of the creature.
So far, they’re available to buy at Mount Pisgah and a local True Value store. They’re also on a square site here. *Update in May, 2024: The cards are also available at Tsunami Books, Radar Toys, the Eugene Science Center, and Down to Earth.
Meanwhile, I’ve continued to see new and intriguing insects recently. Above is the beetle I featured in my last post. I’ve since learned it’s a Gambrinus genus click beetle. If you search for “Gambrinus,” you’ll find a Czech beer, named for a European King known to be a brewer. Is there something kingly or yeasty about this beetle?
We travelled to southern Oregon last week, and I found this rather large and long-snouted weevil. I need to ask the folks at BugGuide.net to help with an i.d., but it looks to me like it might be a Yucca Weevil, a species that’s seen in California.
It was very friendly. Here it is on my index finger.
It’s insect season–time to get out on a treasure hunt!
Cheers!
Ticklehead 
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