Monthly Archives: July 2014

Another Cool Bug to Watch For

Posted on July 30, 2014 by the roused bear

Sometimes to find a cool bug you have to look at another.  Case in point: This is a planthopper, probably Acanalonia conica.  It’s pretty cool itself.  But there is another critter I would like to find that is sometimes associated … Continue reading →

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My Home is my Castle

Posted on July 23, 2014 by the roused bear

I saw these dogbane moth caterpillars the other day. They use silk to bind some leaves together in a loose structure, then surround that area by a nearly invisible network of silk.  While I was watching, I saw a parasitic … Continue reading →

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An Aging Butterfly

Posted on July 20, 2014 by the roused bear

I was surprised to run across this coral hairstreak, Satyrium titus, on butterfly milkweed in my prairie.  Actually, I was surprised to find the butterfly milkweed also–I had searched for it earlier in the year but had not found it. … Continue reading →

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A Mouthful of Moth

Posted on July 16, 2014 by the roused bear

This familiar bluet, Enallagma civile, had no trouble flying, even with a mouthful of moth. I think the prey was one of these:   Crambus agitatellus. I guess cuteness does not prevent you  from becoming a meal.

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The Spider and the Fly

Posted on July 13, 2014 by the roused bear

A lynx spider is consuming its prey, which is some kind of fly. I took the photo at a little bit of an angle in order to get all of the spider in the photo.  It was mostly vertical with … Continue reading →

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Milkweed Pollinia

Posted on July 12, 2014 by the roused bear

I took some photos of insects on milkweed, and got a shot of this bee with the little pollen sacks that milkweeds use for pollination. Look on the tips of the legs.

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Royalty, Just Above the Mud

Posted on July 7, 2014 by the roused bear

Yesterday I went to Medora Prairie, which is owned by The Nature Conservancy, in search of the magnificent regal fritillary,  Speyeria idalia.  I did find some, but most were where I had not expected to see them.  The limited access … Continue reading →

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Why I Live Here

Posted on July 6, 2014 by the roused bear

There are a lot of places a person could live.  I was born in Iowa.  I have lived most of my life here.  At times I have thought about leaving–living my life elsewhere.  There are lots of nice places. But … Continue reading →

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Life on a Burr Oak

Posted on July 5, 2014 by the roused bear

Today was a very rainy day.  I was on my own and I wanted to make the most of it.  My plan was to chase butterflies, but because of the rain and overcast conditions I thought I wouldn’t happen.  But … Continue reading →

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The Gray Copper

Posted on July 4, 2014 by the roused bear

A butterfly named after two colors, the gray copper, Lycaena dione, has been more common this year than previously. It is quite large for a copper–in fact, it is large for the group of butterflies called “gossamer-winged butterflies.”  There are … Continue reading →

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