Category Archives: insects

Hiding in Plain Sight–Big Year Update 13

Posted on August 4, 2022 by the roused bear

One of the things I have found surprising about my butterfly big year is the difficulty I have had finding and photographing some normally common species. I got quick glimpses of a red admiral on a couple of occasions, but … Continue reading →

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More Insects

Posted on July 27, 2021 by the roused bear

Summer allows me to get out, sometimes for just a few minutes a day and sometimes for much longer. The critters that are out are not too rare, but can be quite spectacular never the less. These cabbage white butterflies … Continue reading →

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A Tiny Moth

Posted on July 14, 2021 by the roused bear

Yesterday I found this tiny moth on the yarrow flowers in my back yard. It seems to be a clearwing moth, possibly in the genus Carmenta. Moths in that genus are typically leaf miners. It seemed very wasp-like in flight.

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Photos from Yesterday and Today

Posted on June 14, 2020 by the roused bear

I was able to spend a few hours out in nature this weekend and pretty much enjoyed myself. First I went to Marietta Sand Prairie in Marshall County, looking for butterflies.  I saw a few.  Nothing rare–meadow fritillaries, viceroy, orange … Continue reading →

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What you might have seen at Day of Insects…

Posted on March 28, 2020 by the roused bear

Every year for over a decade Nathan Brockman, M.J. Hatfield, Anita Westphal, and a host of other people have worked really hard to put on an event at Reiman Gardens called Day of Insects.  It is a great event for … Continue reading →

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Charismatic Flies that Didn’t Make the Cut

Posted on March 1, 2020 by the roused bear

I have been going to an event called Day of Insects for several years now, and I just love it.  Some years I have participated as a speaker, and this year is one of those years.  I am talking about … Continue reading →

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Best of the Year

Posted on December 31, 2019 by the roused bear

I sorted through some of the photos I took this year and here are the ten that I think are best. Have a happy new year.  (Oops–I got eleven)

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This Morning Before the Rain…

Posted on September 7, 2019 by the roused bear

I went on a prairie walk at Tipton Prairie in Greene County, Iowa.  The prairie was quite spectacular today.  The vegetation that is found there is quite rare. This is a fiery skipper. I think this flower fly is Toxomerus … Continue reading →

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Be Very Afraid…

Posted on August 26, 2019 by the roused bear

Saturday I went to The Ledges State Park and chased some bugs.  I am happy to report that the canyon road was finally open and people were enjoying themselves immensely. I saw a bug that was new to me, although … Continue reading →

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Some Common Butterflies

Posted on August 17, 2019 by the roused bear

I spent a little time today and on Tuesday taking photographs of butterflies.  I was not in any special habitat, and the butterflies I saw were pretty common.  Still, I had fun doing it. This was a common buckeye. This … Continue reading →

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