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Tag Archives: death
Beautiful Amputee
This red admiral is missing a large portion of its hind wing, likely from some traumatic event involving a near-death experience. It is also missing a portion of an antennae. It turns its good side towards the sun and continues … Continue reading
Death and Lichens
We found the remains of a deer a few years back. We kept its skull and have it on a table outside. I noticed that there were lichens growing on it, and took this photo of some dried lichens in … Continue reading
What Does a Butterfly Know About Death?
I walked past a dead orange sulfur butterfly along the road. It is not such an unusual sight, and who knows what kills them. I would guess it was a victim of traffic. But as I traveled on, I saw … Continue reading
Encounters with Nature are Not Always Pleasant.
Generally I love the encounters I have with nature. Last night, however, we had one that was not very pleasant. A small buck whitetail deer walked up the hill into our yard. We watched it for a while, and it … Continue reading
The End of a Short Life
A Delaware skipper has shortened its already short life in an encounter with a flower crab spider.
Death, Denial, Drinking, and Social Butterflies
Butterflies engage in a behavior called “mudding” or “mud puddling”. They visit areas with wet sand or mud and drink. There seems to be a social element to this activity because the butterflies tend to form small groups that are clustered … Continue reading
Living on Borrowed Time
This butterfly is old and battered. It seems to be Polygonia interrogationis, the question mark butterfly, but at this stage I can’t say for sure. It does seem to be nearing the end of days.
Posted in butterflies, question mark
Tagged aging, death, Polygonia interrogationis, question mark
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In Honor of Prairies
I attended the Iowa Prairie Network Winter Meeting today. Tallgrass prairies are an ecotype that covered a significant part of Iowa prior to the settlement by people of European descent. Less than a fraction of a percent is left. A … Continue reading
The History of the Butterfly, Part 136: The Death of Black Hawk
From Stevens, 1903: “Black Hawk’s cabin stood about one hundred feet from the north bank of the Des Moines River, a few rods from that of Mr. James H. Jordan, the agent. Near it, on the sloping bank, stood two … Continue reading
Posted in American Indians, Black Hawk, The History of the Butterfly
Tagged Black Hawk, death, General Street, Iowa History
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The roused bear 