Tagged With: Insect

Firefly

Photograph taken on Thursday, June 20, 2019 by Henry

Firefly

This firefly, a beetle in family Lampyridae, probably in the genus Photinus, was on a weed in the back of our garden this evening. According to BugGuide.net there are 34 described species in this genus and identification of a single specimen by morphology alone is often impossible. So, I’m not even going to try. It’s a firefly and that’s good enough. One interesting fact about fireflies is that females in the genus Photuris are known to lure in males of Photinus species and eat them in order to obtain a defensive, steroid-like compound that they contain.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Beetle, Beetles, Coleoptera, Firefly, Insect, Insecta, Lampyridae, Photinus | Comments Off

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)

Photograph taken on Monday, June 24, 2019 by Henry

Calico Pennant (Celithemis elisa)

I went out to the vacant lot next to my office today. It was quite warm but the weather patterns promise hotter weather ahead. I got a few pictures of an orbweaver spider (Leucauge venusta) but since I posted one of those recently, I’ve decided to go with this pennant, probably a calico pennant (Celithemis elisa). I also got one, not so good photo of a tailed blue, but I’m holding out for a better picture before I post one of those.

Note: I labeled this as a calico pennant (Celithemis elisa) without paying close attention to detail. I’m relabeling it as a Halloween pennant (Celithemis eponina).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Calico Pennant, Celithemis, Celithemis elisa, Celithemis eponina, Halloween Pennant, Insect, Insecta, Insects, Odonata, Pennant | Comments Off

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)

Photograph taken on Monday, July 01, 2019 by Henry

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)

I know I’ve posted a picture of a similar dragonfly recently, but I didn’t get a lot of great pictures today so this is what I have. This is also, I think, a better picture than the one previously posted. I had originally labeled that one as a calico pennant (Celithemis elisa) but I’ve rethought that and have relabeled it as a Halloween pennant (Celithemis eponina), the same as this one. It’s a handsome dragonfly, whatever it is. I had tough time getting close enough for this picture, so I’m relatively pleased with it.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Celithemis, Celithemis eponina, Halloween Pennant, Insect, Insecta, Insects, Odonata, Pennant | Comments Off

Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)

Photograph taken on Sunday, July 14, 2019 by Henry

Papilio glaucus (Eastern Tiger Swallowtail)

This is a dark-morph (and thus a female) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on the buddleia outside our kitchen door. The tiger swallowtails are the most numerous, large butterflies in our garden, followed by monarchs (Danaus plexippus). Otherwise, we only have occasional visitors. There are a lot of smaller butterflies and skippers, particularly small skippers. But the large, gaudy swallowtails are fun to watch and among my favorites.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Buddleia, Butterflies, Butterfly, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Insect, Insects, Lepidoptera, Papilio glaucus, Swallowtail | Comments Off

Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark)

Photograph taken on Monday, July 15, 2019 by Henry

Polygonia interrogationis (Question Mark)

I stopped at Lake Needwood this afternoon to see what I could see. It’s gotten quite hot, with the forecast for hotter still by the end of the week. The butterflies and dragonflies like that sort of weather, and they were out in pretty good numbers. I happened to spot this question mark (Polygonia interrogationis), so called because of a roughly question mark shaped mark on the underside of their hindwings. I got one photo of the butterfly on a shrub and then if flew and landed on my thigh, thus the blue denim of my jeans. I was able to get a few pretty good photos, including this one. I also got one showing the question mark, but I think this is prettier.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Butterflies, Butterfly, Insect, Insects, Lepidoptera, Polygonia, Polygonia interrogationis, Question Mark | Comments Off

Northern Flatid Planthopper (Flatormenis proxima)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 by Henry

Northern Flatid Planthopper (<em>Flatormenis proxima</em>)

Northern Flatid Planthopper (Flatormenis proxima)

I took a few pictures of butterfly weed flowers this evening and I might have posted one of them. A little later I noticed this white leafhopper and got a few pictures of it, including this reasonably sharp image. Getting a good picture was made more difficult by the breeze, which was moving the stem the planthopper was on, but this one turned out pretty well. It was sharp enough for it to be identified as a northern flatid planthopper (Flatormenis proxima), one of our more common planthoppers. They do little damage and I left him alone to get what he needed from this plant.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bugs, Flatormenis, Flatormenis proxima, Hemiptera, Insect, Insects, Macro, Northern Flatid Planthopper, Planthopper, True Bugs, White | Comments Off

Eristalis transversa (Transverse Flower Fly)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, July 24, 2019 by Henry

Eristalis transversa (Transverse Flower Fly)

I was taking photos of the black-eyed Susan flowers this evening when I spotted this little fly, a transverse flower fly (Eristalis transversa) visiting them. It wouldn’t stay still for very long and I had a hard time getting a good picture. Ideally it would be on top of the dark eye in the flower, but I wasn’t able to get that. I like the combination of colors that matches the flowers. These are pretty little flies and easily spotted in the garden. As flies go, I enjoy these about as much as any.

Categories: Creatures, Flowers and Plants | Tags: Diptera, Eristalis, Eristalis transversa, Fly, Insect, Insecta, Transverse Flower Fly | Comments Off

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Photograph taken on Thursday, July 25, 2019 by Henry

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

As I’ve mentioned, the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is the most plentiful, large butterfly in our yard all summer. They are followed by the monarch (Danaus plexippus) in a distant second place. They generally are harder to photograph than the swallowtails but this one let me get close and I’m pretty happy with the results. It’s perched on Verbena bonariensis growing in our front yard, near where the Colorado spruce used to be.

Categories: Miscellaneous | Tags: Butterfly, Danaus, Danaus plexippus, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Monarch, Orange | Comments Off

Junonia coenia (Common Buckeye)

Photograph taken on Sunday, August 04, 2019 by Henry

Junonia coenia (Common Buckeye)

I chased down some butterflies in the back yard today, including this common buckeye (Junonia coenia). They are resident year round in the south as far north as North Carolina and they move north over the course of the summer. Because of that we tend to have them later in the year than other butterflies and I’ve only just started to see them. They are pretty easy to identify and are very different to the other species that we have. This one, obviously was interested in the black-eyed Susan flowers that are in such abundance in our yard right now.

Categories: Creatures, Flowers and Plants | Tags: Black-eyed Susan, Buckeye, Butterfly, Common Buckeye, Insect, Insecta, Junonia, Junonia coenia, Lepidoptera, Orange, Yellow | Comments Off

Atteva aurea (Ailanthus Webworm Moth)

Photograph taken on Saturday, August 10, 2019 by Henry

Atteva aurea (Ailanthus Webworm Moth)

I took some butterfly pictures this afternoon, as well as some flower pictures. While sitting in the chair that Cathy was in when I took the picture for a few days ago I could get pretty close to a few flowers without having to strain my back. Then walking around I saw this prettily colored ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea) on a black-eyed Susan. It took me a while to get down on the ground to get the pictures but I think it was worth the effort. Although it’s named for and feeds on a non-native tree, the Ailanthus webworm moth is actually a North American native from Florida, where its original host was the Simarouba glauca (paradise tree) and Simarouba amara.

Categories: Creatures, Flowers and Plants | Tags: Ailanthus Webworm Moth, Atteva, Atteva aurea, Ermine Moth, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Moth | Comments Off

Caterpillar

Photograph taken on Sunday, August 11, 2019 by Henry

Caterpillar

I was a little worried about sitting through church this morning but my back tolerated sitting for long enough that it wasn’t a problem. We were happy to see some friends that visited the church a few weeks ago come back again today. After church we walked to the Stadtman Preserve next door to see what was going on there. They’ve been renovating the mid-century modern house that the Stadtmans build and lived in and it’s nice to see the progress. There were naked lady’s (Amaryllis belladonna) in bloom and I got a few photos of this little brown and white caterpillar. I have no idea what sort of creature it is. I’m going to guess a moth but I won’t go any farther than that.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Brown, Caterpillar, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera | Comments Off

Megachile mendica (Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, August 13, 2019 by Henry

Megachile mendica (Flat-tailed Leaf-cutter Bee)

I have yet another “insect on a black-eyed Susan” photo today. These are by far the most numerous flowers in our yard this time of year. They aren’t necessarily the insects’ favorite flower but most pollinators are fairly broad minded and visit lots of different plants. The Buddleia bushes are the clear favorites with the butterflies and the mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is probably the most popular with the bees and wasps, but they all visit the black-eyed Susans, as well.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bee, Flat-tailed Leaf-Cutter Bee, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Leaf-cutter Bee, Megachile, Megachile mendica | Comments Off

Dolichovespula maculata (Bald-faced Hornet)

Photograph taken on Monday, August 19, 2019 by Henry

Dolichovespula maculata (Bald-faced Hornet)

The pollinators are quite busy in the yard these days. Especially in the afternoon, when the sun is hammering down on the flowers, the bees, wasps, moths, and butterflies are to be seen in great numbers. The mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is literally a buzz with them. The skippers seem to favor the black-eyed Susans. The butterflies, not surprisingly, go for the butterfly bush (Buddleia). That being said, this large hornet was coming back again and again to the buddleia. I’m not as happy with it as I might be but it’s a decent photo. These wasps are social and build large paper enclosed nests. I’m a little surprised to only see one of them, but there are surely more around the area.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bald-faced Hornet, Dolichovespula, Dolichovespula maculata, Hornet, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Vespidae | Comments Off

Skipper

Photograph taken on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 by Henry

Skipper

I took a few wasp pictures again today but they were too blurry to use. One was clear enough to get a good idea what it was, but nothing to write home about. Then I went out to the middle of the back yard and took some photos of the berries on the American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana). They’re starting to turn pale purple and it’s easy to see where the shrub gets its common name. This skipper landed on the berries and I was able to get close enough for a pretty good portrait before it skipped away. I’ve only occasionally gone to the trouble to identify individual skipper species. With some notable exceptions they are all pretty similar and I just never get around to it.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: American Beautyberry, Beautyberry, Callicarpa, Callicarpa americana, Hesperiidae, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Orange, Skipper | Comments Off

Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary)

Photograph taken on Saturday, August 24, 2019 by Henry

Boloria bellona (Meadow Fritillary)

What an absolutely beautiful day it was today. The high was in the 70s and in August, that’s a rare and joyous thing. I worked on the car today, gluing the rear-view mirror back on in one van and replacing the struts that hold open the rear hatch on the other. Cathy and I also did a fair amount of yard work, pulling up weeds and beginning the process of clearing out some of the central bed in the back yard. There were two trees where that bed is, a medium sized red maple and a fairly large silver maple. They’ve been down since the spring of 2013 and as the roots have rotted, a few holes have opened up and need to be filled. The whole bed needs quite a bit of work, to be honest, including digging out some particularly tenacious weeds. I took a break to take pictures of some of the many butterflies that were out today, including this meadow fritillary (Boloria bellona), a pretty medium sized brush-footed butterfly.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Boloria, Boloria bellona, Fritillary, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Meadow Fritillary, Orange, Orange and Black | Comments Off

Sphex nudus (Katydid Wasp)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 by Henry

Sphex nudus (Katydid Wasp)

The bees and wasps are out in force these days. I spent a little time around the mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) this afternoon and enjoyed the variety of buzzing insects (most of them are basically silent, actually). The most numerous are the bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) and the large but gentle carpenter bees (Xylocopa virginica). The wasps are pretty well represented, though, and today I saw a handful of these katydid wasps (Sphex nudus) as well as some potter wasps (Eumenes fraternus). I got a few photos of that last one, but they weren’t as good as I would have liked. I’ll keep trying.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Black, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Katydid Wasp, Sphex, Sphex nudus, Wasp | Comments Off

Tumbling Flower Beetle

Photograph taken on Thursday, August 29, 2019 by Henry

Tumbling Flower Beetle

I didn’t get any really good pictures today. It was after 6:00 when I went out and there wasn’t much insect activity this evening, for some reason. I did come across this little beetle, about 5mm long, on the petal of a black-eyed Susan. I think it’s a Tumbling Flower Beetle in Family Mordellidae (possibly in Genus Mordellistena, but I am really unsure). It’s a cute little thing and I was only able to get a few pictures before it flew off.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Beetle, Coleoptera, Family Mordellidae, Insect, Insecta, Mordellidae, Tumbling Flower Beetle | Comments Off

Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher)

Photograph taken on Friday, August 30, 2019 by Henry

Pachydiplax longipennis (Blue Dasher)

I’ve been meaning to get out of the office for a short walk to the empty lot next to my building for over a week now. The upper part, where it was mostly mugwort, milkweed, and goldenrod has been mowed and it looks very different. I don’t know if this is a prelude to actual building plans coming to fruition. Plans to develop it started at least 25 years ago and the top soil was scraped up into a large mound that now has mid-size trees on it. There are a few drainage ponds and they are all abuzz with insects and birds. I saw a green heron when I first got there and then photographed a few dragonflies, including this blue dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Blue Dasher, Dragonfly, Insect, Insecta, Odonata, Pachydiplax, Pachydiplax longipennis | Comments Off

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

Photograph taken on Saturday, August 31, 2019 by Henry

Danaus plexippus (Monarch)

The butterfly weed (Asclepias) growing in a container outside our back door is very attractive to insects but particularly so to monarchs (Danaus plexippus). Lately we’ve had two of them on it at once and occasionally three. I got a few pictures of the two today but I think this is a better portrait of this handsome butterfly. I really enjoyed sitting and watching them flutter around the flowers, stopping occasionally at other plants but generally preferring the butterfly weed.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Butterfly, Danus, Danus plexippus, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Milkweed Butterfly, Monarch, Orange, Orange and Black | Comments Off

Eumenes fraternus (Potter Wasp)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, September 03, 2019 by Henry

Eumenes fraternus (Potter Wasp)

This potter wasp (Eumenes fraternus) is one of my favorite wasps (doesn’t everyone have favorite wasps?). There’s fairly common around here. While they are particularly drawn to the mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), they are also found regularly on the black-eyed Susans (Rudbekia) and painter’s palette (a.k.a. knotweed, Persicaria virginiana). I think it’s their clean lines that I like. They’re difficult to photograph well and I’m not really happy with this photo, although it’s the best I was able to get. They don’t really stop moving and unless the light is very strong, it’s hard to get both adequate depth of field and a short enough exposure to stop their motion.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Black and White, Eumenes, Eumenes fraternus, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Potter Wasp, Vespidae, Wasp | Comments Off

Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug)

Photograph taken on Thursday, September 05, 2019 by Henry

Oncopeltus fasciatus (Large Milkweed Bug)

It’s milkweed bug time in the garden. Cathy and I are both big fans of pretty much any species of Asclepias. This one is Asclepias curassavica, often known as scarlet milkweed. It’s growing in a container on our back patio and it really attracts the insects. I had a photo of a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) on it recently and today’s photo is of the aptly named large milkweed bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus). We also have a good colony of oleander aphids (Aphis nerii) and I may publish a photo of those, unless we get around to taking care of them before I do that. Like many insects that feed on milkweed, these bugs accumulate toxins from the plants which can “potentially sicken any predators foolish enough to ignore the bright colors which warn of their toxicity.” (bugguide.net)

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bugs, Hemiptera, Insect, Insecta, Large Milkweed Bug, Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus, Oncopeltus fasciatus, True Bugs | Comments Off

Paper Wasp

Photograph taken on Friday, September 06, 2019 by Henry

Paper Wasp

There are a few paper wasps that are very difficult to distinguish and some that are impossible without examining them at the microscopic level. A number of them are quite variable, as well, adding to the difficulty. I think this is a northern paper wasp (Polistes fuscatus) but I’m nowhere near sure. It’s a beautiful creature, whatever it is. This was taken with my 100mm lens with the addition of a 25mm extension tube in bright evening sunlight. As you can see, I was able to get fairly close and I’m pleased by how sharp this turned out. You might also notice the aphids on the underside of the leaf the wasp is on. I took some photos of those, as well, but haven’t identified them yet (beyond the generic “aphid”).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Macro, Paper Wasp, Polistes, Vespidae, Wasp | Comments Off

Aphids and Lady Beetle Larva

Photograph taken on Monday, September 09, 2019 by Henry

Oleander Aphids (Aphis nerii ) and Lady Beetle Larva

I mentioned the aphids on the Asclepias curassavica (scarlet milkweed) when I posted the photo of the large milkweed bug a few days ago. Here’s a picture of the aphids. It was fairly dark when I took this (7:45 in the evening) and I used a flash to light them, which allowed me to get reasonable depth of field. I used a flashlight give me enough light to focus, with the camera on a tripod (which I definitely should use more often). As I was taking the pictures, I realized the aphids were not alone. There is a larva of a lady beetle of some sort (probably an Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis), feeding on the aphids. Unfortunately, there are too many aphids for this lone predator, and I’m going to need to take care of them myself.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Aphids, Aphis, Aphis nerii, Coccinellidae, Hemiptera, Insect, Insecta, Lady Beetle, Larva, Oleander Aphids, Yellow | Comments Off

Cosmopepla lintneriana (Twice-stabbed Stink Bug)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 by Henry

Cosmopepla lintneriana (Twice-stabbed Stink Bug)

I was out photographing flowers this evening. The light was fading and I didn’t think I could realistically get any photos of bees, wasps, or other flying insects. I was down on the ground to get some pictures of obedient plant, Physostegia virginiana, and I happened to notice this little fellow. I went in and got my flash, so I could get pictures that were worth something and I’m pretty happy with the results. This little bug (a true bug in the Heteroptera suborder) is only two or three millimeters long and if I hadn’t been down on the ground and very close, I never would have seen it. It is a twice-stabbed stink bug, Cosmopepla lintneriana. This one happens to be a nymph (an immature) and when adult will be mostly black with two red patches (the two “stab” marks of its common name).

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bug, Cosmopepla, Cosmopepla lintneriana, Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Insect, Insecta, Macro, Stink Bug, Tiny Bug, Twice-stabbed Stink Bug | Comments Off

Bombus impatiens (Common Eastern Bumble Bee)

Photograph taken on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 by Henry

Bombus impatiens (Common Eastern Bumble Bee)

Who doesn’t love the humble bumble bee? They are everywhere and like many of us, they are not particularly flashy or flamboyant. Nevertheless, they busily go about their business. I like them quite a bit and enjoy watching them move from flower to flower. In this case, a common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) is on wingstem, also known as yellow ironweed (Verbesina alternifolia). There were also honey bees (Apis mellifera) and ailanthus webworm moths (Atteva aurea) on the same group of flowers. It had become quite hot again, with temperatures in the low 90s, and I’m starting to look forward to autumn.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Bee, Bombus, Bombus impatiens, Bumble Bee, Common Eastern Bumble Bee, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta | Comments Off

Carpenter Ant (Camponotus castaneus)

Photograph taken on Saturday, September 14, 2019 by Henry

Carpenter Ant (<em>Camponotus castaneus</em>)

Carpenter Ant (Camponotus castaneus)

I came across this carpenter ant (Camponotus castaneus) in the yard today. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get an identification on this ant. BugGuide.net says, about carpenter ants (Genus Camponotus), “This is one of the most species-rich ant genera, with perhaps 1000 species World-wide.” Nevertheless, it was identified. These are pests, of course, if they get into structures or valuable trees but they are fairly ubiquitous on almost the entire globe (only excluding the polar regions). They’re pretty things, like most insects, however.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Ant, Camponotus, Camponotus castaneus, Carpenter Ant, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta | Comments Off

Harmonia axyridis (Asian Lady Beetle)

Photograph taken on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 by Henry

Harmonia axyridis (Asian Lady Beetle)

This is the “many-named ladybird”. It has been called ‘multicolored’ (or ‘multicoloured’ in Britain), ‘multivariate’, ‘southern’, ‘Japanese’, ‘Asian’, ‘Halloween’, ‘harlequin’ and ‘pumpkin’ ladybird/ladybug/ladybeetle. I’m going with the simple ‘Asian’ and sticking to beetle, because it’s in the order Coleoptera. It’s a largish lady beetle and this particular species is immensely variable. The “standard” is red to red-orange with 18 spots, but as you can see, this one only has 12 (six on each side). The background ranges from a slightly orangy yellow to red and there are even versions with red spots on a black background.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Asian Lady Beetle, Coleoptera, Harmonia, Harmonia axyridis, Insect, Insecta, Lady Beetle, Orange | Comments Off

Insects

Photograph taken on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 by Henry

Danaus plexippus (Monarch) Caterpillar

Murgantia histrionica (Harlequin Bug)

Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail)

Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)

Allograpta obliqua (Common Oblique Syrphid)

Diabrotica undecimpunctata (Spotted Cucumber Beetle)

I went on a short outing this afternoon to the Agricultural Farm Park today and spent a little time wandering around the Master Gardener’s display garden. Mostly I photographed insects (and a few flowers). It was a pretty productive outing as far as insect photos go.

Danaus plexippus (Monarch) Caterpillar
Murgantia histrionica (Harlequin Bug)
Papilio polyxenes asterius (Black Swallowtail)
Euptoieta claudia (Variegated Fritillary)
Allograpta obliqua (Common Oblique Syrphid)
Diabrotica undecimpunctata (Spotted Cucumber Beetle)

I’m particularly happy with the oblique syrphid fly, as that’s the first one I’ve photographed. The black swallowtail is one we don’t see nearly as often as the eastern tiger swallowtail. I’ve seen harlequin bugs on occasion but not all that often. The same is true of the cucumber beetle.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Allograpta, Allograpta obliqua, Beetle, Black Swallowtail, Butterflies, Butterfly, Caterpillar, Coleoptera, Common Oblique Syrphid, Cucumber Beetle, Danaus, Danaus plexippus, Diabrotica, Diabrotica undecimpunctata, Diptera, Euptoieta, Euptoieta claudia, Fly, Fritillary, Harlequin Bug, Hymenoptera, Insect, Insecta, Insects, Lepidoptera, Monarch, Murgantia, Murgantia histrionica, Oblique Syrphid, Papilio, Papilio polyxenes, Papilio polyxenes asterius, Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Stink Bug, Swallowtail, Syrphid, True Bugs, Variegated Fritillary | Comments Off

Stink Bug

Photograph taken on Friday, September 20, 2019 by Henry

Stink Bug

I happened to look out my window this afternoon and saw this stink bug on the outside of the glass. Actually, it’s not unusual to see them inside the building. My guess is that this is a brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) but I’m not entirely sure and I’m not going to bother looking harder at it. The banded antennae are distinctive, along with the mottled color, but again, that’s just a guess and it’s good enough for me. I also took some pictures this evening of a hardy begonia that’s growing outside our front door. Those are probably prettier than this, being pink and yellow instead of tan (and buggy). But they weren’t as good as I’d like and I can always try to get better pictures, when the light is a bit stronger.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Bug, Halyomorpha, Hemiptera, Insect, Insecta, Stink Bug | Comments Off

Blow Fly

Photograph taken on Saturday, September 21, 2019 by Henry

Blow Fly

I took pictures of insects on aster flowers this evening. There was a bumble bee covered with little white dots that I’m pretty sure were eggs of some kind and didn’t bode well for the little critter. There was also a beautiful, metallic green, sweat bee (family Halictidae) and I got a picture of it as it lifted off the flower, which would have been amazing if it had been in better focus. The light was relatively low and I was using a flash with a white reflector for these pictures, which helped considerably. I also had a 25mm extension tube behind my 100mm macro lens, which helped me get that much closer.

Categories: Creatures | Tags: Blow Fly, Calliphoridae, Diptera, Fly, Green, Insect, Insecta, Macro | Comments Off

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