Monthly Archives: July 2011

Frog Fingers

Posted on July 31, 2011 by

We have a small reconstructed prairie near to our house.  To designate the boundaries we have driven fence posts covered with a PVC pipe for visibility near the corners. While I was walking by one of these posts, I noticed … Continue reading →

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Bugguide Gathering

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

There is a web site out there called bugguide.  There is a three day event going on called the Bugguide Gathering.  I have been attending it and I enjoy it a lot. Here is a photo I took today and posted.  … Continue reading →

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Dog and Butterfly: Photography

Posted on July 28, 2011 by

With apologies to Heart for using the name of one of their famous albums–this post is about how my dog interferes with butterfly photography. This is Mackie.  He runs ahead of me when I walk and pees in my path.  He rolls … Continue reading →

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Same Bug, Different View

Posted on July 27, 2011 by

About a week ago I posted a picture of a twelve-spot skimmer, Libellula pulchella. Here is another view of the same species.  I took this photo on Tuesday. This is a spectacularly beautiful creature.  I may get tired of them … Continue reading →

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Dancing Flies

Posted on July 26, 2011 by

I noticed these flies the other day in our prairie.  They are very small–I think they are a type of fruit fly.  Each fly is about the size of the head of a housefly. I watched them doing a little … Continue reading →

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The Sidewalk Tiger Beetle

Posted on July 25, 2011 by

This is the sidewalk tiger beetle, Cicindela punctulata.  I see them along sidewalks at work quite often.  This is a very capable preditor.

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Up Close and Personal

Posted on July 24, 2011 by

This is a common micromoth whose name I don’t know.  When you look at small things closely sometimes they show a charm you might miss otherwise.

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The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Posted on July 23, 2011 by

We have had some very hot weather here lately.  Monday through Wednesday were awful.  High temperatures were near 100 degrees F.  When I took my camera outside to take pictures the lens would fog over. Finally on Thursday we got … Continue reading →

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The Eastern Pondhawk

Posted on July 22, 2011 by

Another dragonfly that seems to be quite common right now is the eastern pondhawk, Erythemis simplicicollis.  This species, like many dragonflies, is sexually dimorphic.  This is what the mature males look like. And the female is below: I haven’t identified … Continue reading →

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And Speaking of Evil…

Posted on July 21, 2011 by

This is a jagged ambush bug, Phymata americana.  These guys sit on flowers, and wait for butterflies or bees to visit.  They capture them and inject them with poison, then suck the juices out. That’s what they do.  I know … Continue reading →

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