Monthly Archives: February 2012

More Snow

Posted on February 25, 2012 by

We had a few days which felt very much like spring. Almost all of our snow melted. Then we got more. Oh, well.  It’s melting already.

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First Insect of the Year

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

We still have snow on the ground in places. I walked around a little bit today, looking for insects.  It is still not warm yet,  just a few degrees above freezing. I hoped to find something–a small fly, perhaps, or … Continue reading →

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Awesome Fly

Posted on February 18, 2012 by

So the last post was a little lame.  I channeled my inner Brundlefly and tried to be funny.  It didn’t work too well. Here is a photograph of the fly Euthycera arcuata. We tend to look at some creatures with … Continue reading →

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Description of a Fly

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

According to Chapter 2 of the Manual of Nearctic Dipteria, “a fly is basically a bilaterally symmetric, horizontally oriented, forwardly progressing animal. So are we, pretty much.  Except for the horizontal part.  We are mostly vertical. Help me.  Help me.

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Little Piles of Mud

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

I looked through some of my old photos today and came across these, taken in late April, 2009.  There were little structures that seemed to be made of mud, sticking out from the forest floor. I don’t think they were … Continue reading →

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I Want to Learn About Flies

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

I know this is an odd goal, but I want to learn more about flies.  As a macro photographer I run across the most magnificant looking creatures, and often times they are flies. The thing is, even the scientists don’t … Continue reading →

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Out the Window

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

I am taking three days off from work this week.  My wife took a ski vacation, the kids are in school, and I thought I would work on a project. The project is to write concisely and succinctly why I consider … Continue reading →

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Previews of Coming Attractions

Posted on February 9, 2012 by

It is cold now. We have several inches of snow.  But spring is just around the corner.  In three weeks, or maybe in as many as eight, we will see our first butterflies. They could be mourning cloaks. Maybe they … Continue reading →

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Another Bug In the House

Posted on February 7, 2012 by

If you plant a lot of evergreen trees in your yard, which we have, you might get some of these guys in your house. This is the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus oppositus.  It is not native to here–neither are … Continue reading →

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Bugs in the House

Posted on February 6, 2012 by

The other day I found this lady beetle in the house. It is the nasty Asian multi-colored lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, imported by someone (who won’t take credit for it) as an aphid predator.  Not so bad during the day … Continue reading →

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