Wildlife Spotting

http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/FP03118.htm

anthocyanins have been shown to act as a "sunscreen", protecting cells from high-light damage by absorbing blue-green and UV light, thereby protecting the tissues from photo inhibition, or high-light stress. The anthocyanins work as light attenuators

Haha, looks like studying photosynthetic organisms has its uses sometimes! ;D

Yeah, I didn't think it was changing for fall color yet. Laura's provided some great info.

The red can also be caused by excess glucose stores, which is more what happens in autumn, so I would imagine this is the defence response!

Laura could be right. Seems much to early to be changing to fall colors. Have you had many cool nights there lately?

Ooh what a beautiful shade of red! The red colour is caused by a group of chemicals called anthocyanins, which is produced when leaves stop making chlorophyll. Obviously we see this effect a lot in autumn, but anthocyanins are also toxic, meaning that this same reaction sometimes occurs to protect the leaf from insect grazing! I think that is possibly what you've captured here :) Pretty neat!

Interesting....