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Category Archives: insects
Everything Gets More Colorful
I love the way the trees are getting flowers and the grass is getting greener. Every thing is more colorful than it was a few weeks ago. Even the bugs are more colorful. This small fly is probably a chironomid.
Posted in Biological diversity, diptera, insects
Tagged chironomid, color, macro photography, spring
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Making More Buckeyes
The buckeye tree has an unusual flower arrangement. The flowers aren’t too showy, and seem to be in a configuration that makes landing on them difficult for bees. Yet they must have pretty good nectar and pollen rewards, because the … Continue reading
Posted in insects, plants
Tagged buckeye trees, Honey bee, macro photography, nectar, pollen
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Flies and Peony Buds
Peony flower buds secrete a sugary fluid this time of year, and that fluid attracts a number of insects, especially flies and ants. I have not heard an explanation that seems very likely to me. I have been thinking about it and … Continue reading
A Face Full of Pollen
It’s easy to see why honeybees are such good pollinators from this dandelion photo. Last week I was out of state on a training trip. The accommodations were really good, and the class and people in it were top notch. Still, I felt out … Continue reading
Posted in insects, photography, plants, rural scenics
Tagged apple tree, change of seasons, dandelion, Honey bee, macro photography, pollen, pollinators, spring
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A Red-eyed Fly
I was feeling a little uninspired tonight, but I wondered around with the camera anyway. I found this small red-eyed fly. I find flies pretty cool–I am sure that puts me in a minority within the human race. I have … Continue reading
First Dragonfly
I saw an Anax junius for the first time this year on April 25th. I am pretty sure this is the same one–I took the photo today. The common green darner migrates in a manner similar to the monarch. This … Continue reading
Waltzing Flies
This winter, our dog Mackey discovered a dead deer (or maybe more than one) in the fields. He brought pieces of it up to the yard. It was pretty gross, and we tried to take these things away from him. … Continue reading
Social Bug People
There have always been people who are interested in insects, and I have always counted myself as one of them. It seems to me, though, that over the course of my life the social nature of activities related to insects … Continue reading
Posted in insects
Tagged conservation, Insect, Outdoors, Reiman Gardens, social events
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More on Infrastructure
I looked at some land use data for Iowa. Iowa State University Outreach and Extension publishes it here. Calculating the numbers a little bit shows 74% of the land in Iowa as “cropland.” Apparently there are several different types of cropland, … Continue reading
Posted in butterflies, insects
Tagged Agriculture, butterfly conservation, infrastructure, land use
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