Tag Archives: biological diversity

A Long Trip to Photograph Bugs

Posted on June 1, 2019 by the roused bear

Yesterday I drove most of the way across the state to visit Bixby State Preserve.  I did it mostly because I wanted some time outside, which I feel like I haven’t had enough of lately.  Plus, this preserve is a … Continue reading →

Posted in diptera, insects, invertebrates, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Late Summer Prairie Walk

Posted on September 8, 2018 by the roused bear

I went on a nature walk today, organized by the Iowa Prairie Network, at the property of Bill and Sibylla Brown.  They have land in southern Iowa, and have done a lot of work to restore the biological function of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biological diversity, butterflies, eastern tailed-blue, gray hairstreak, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

On Bugshot Alabama

Posted on August 14, 2018 by the roused bear

I just got back from a macro photography workshop called Bugshot Alabama.  These workshops have been going on for several years and are named after their locations–typically some place with high biological diversity. This is from the outside a pretty … Continue reading →

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World Robber Fly Day

Posted on April 30, 2017 by the roused bear

Don’t ask me why, but apparently today is “world robberfly day.” This one is Laphria flavicollis. And this is Holcocephala fusca. Just another reason to drink beer.

Posted in insects | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Eighth Annual Day of Insects

Posted on April 10, 2016 by the roused bear

Yesterday and Friday I was able to attend events associated with the Eighth Annual Day of Insects, put on by Reiman Gardens, which is a public garden associated with Iowa State University. The event has gotten to be pretty big–there … Continue reading →

Posted in insects, invertebrates, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A Biodiversity “Big Year”

Posted on November 16, 2014 by the roused bear

Birders have something they call a “Big Year.”  As I understand the concept, a birder sets a challenge to him or herself, to identify as many birds as they can within a particular geographical area within a year.  Sometimes they … Continue reading →

Posted in insects, photography | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in ants, insects, invertebrates, snails | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Prophylactic use of Pesticides

Posted on March 12, 2014 by the roused bear

Many decades ago I went to college at Iowa State University.  One of the issues we talked about in my biology classes was “the prophylactic use of antibiotics.”  Back in the late 1970’s there were professors at this agricultural school … Continue reading →

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A Life List of Life (of a sort)

Posted on January 8, 2013 by the roused bear

This Autumn I went to the Texas Butterfly Festival.  It was a pretty unique event and I had a lot of fun.  I had a little bit of a culture shock when I went down there, though.  A lot of … Continue reading →

Posted in invertebrates, plants, snails | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

That’s Just Wrong

Posted on December 3, 2012 by the roused bear

I am on a listserve that discusses insects in Iowa.  Recently someone brought up a topic about cornfields.  A blog on the National Public Radio webpage mentioned a photographer who went around the world photographing all of the living things he … Continue reading →

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