Monthly Archives: May 2012

Self Portrait with Bug

Posted on May 30, 2012 by the roused bear

I took this photo a few days ago.  Damselflies are always tough to identify.  This one is a teneral, meaning it has emerged from its aquatic stage fairly recently and has not reached its full adult coloration.  At this stage … Continue reading →

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Yesterday’s Butterflies

Posted on May 29, 2012 by the roused bear

Yesterday was a pretty good day and I got a little bit of time to photograph butterflies (as well as a number of other insects). This least skipper,  Ancyloxypha numitor, was restless and I chased it a while before I finally … Continue reading →

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Eyes With Red Goggles

Posted on May 28, 2012 by the roused bear

I photographed insects in the hostas this morning.  This jumping spider hung out there, looking for a meal.  He probably got one, but I didn’t witness it.  

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Bugs on Blue

Posted on May 27, 2012 by the roused bear

I photographed a number of insects on spiderwort the other day.  I photographed them at a fairly high magnification.  I loved the blue/purple background. This is some kind of geometer (inchworm) caterpillar. An immature froghopper. And a beetle–probably some kind … Continue reading →

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The Flower that Becomes a Puddle

Posted on May 26, 2012 by the roused bear

I spent some time photographing insects on spiderwort today.  I found myself distracted a little by the flower itself. Here is a photograph I took some time ago of spiderwort.   We have three species of spiderwort here in Iowa.  … Continue reading →

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Long Legged Fly

Posted on May 24, 2012 by the roused bear

When I wonder around on our property and look at the leaves of trees and bushes I often see these long-legged flies.  I think this is Condylostylus patibulatus.  It belongs to a bigger group, the family Dolichopodidae.  Bugguide says there … Continue reading →

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The Head Shot

Posted on May 23, 2012 by the roused bear

Here is a face view of the same syrphid fly I posted the other day.  I think it is Toxomerus marginatus.

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A Gathering Storm

Posted on May 22, 2012 by the roused bear

Earlier this season we saw huge numbers–irruptions–of butterflies.  Will we see similar irruptions of their predators? A group of tachinid flies can be seen on this wild parsnip umbel.  Tachinid flies lay eggs on or near other insects, often caterpillars, … Continue reading →

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Syrphid Fly

Posted on May 21, 2012 by the roused bear

I was playing around with some of my photography techniques this morning and got this photograph of a syrphid fly.  It is on a spiderwort flower. That’s a keeper.

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Out There

Posted on May 20, 2012 by the roused bear

We have one of those finch feeders–a cylinder of wire screen in which we put thistle seed to attract small seed-eating birds.  I saw a small green egg on the end of a stalk, attached to that feeder. I believe … Continue reading →

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