Tuliptree Blossom with Guest
Another Day at Work
Apis Workers' Party
Predator
Some of Your Beeswax
Sedum Bumbler
Look of Defiance
Chicory Bee
Bumbling Bees
Garden Cafe
Buzz By Here - To Infinity and Beyond
Pick Your Poison
Blind Side Attack
On a Mission
Honey Bee on Sedum
Covering the Cosmos
Center of the Cosmos
Three's a Crowd
Popular Spot
On A Pedestal
Big Harry Fireworks Display
To Impress the Girl
Different Perspective
Sweet Ride
Perfect Little Piggies B&W
Flipping the Light Fantastic
Festival of Flights
To the Crowd's Delight
Amish Go Round
Wondersome One
The Stars In Her Eyes
Tuesday's Child
Sleeper Hold
Considering the Next Move
Sugar and Spice
Front Porch Portrait
Caged Competitor
Early Adoration
Child In the Ligtht
Stroll Through the Weeds
Attention Grabbing
Eye Contact
On the Line
Eyes of Wonder
Rounding the Curve
Troubadours of Basin Spring Park
Down by the Creek
Sun Day
Catching Some Light
EAA Fireworks
Hear Me Roar
Bugs
Web Wide World
On a hike through the forest of Tippecanoe River State Park in Indiana, I came across this spider web suspended in mid-air; a little above head height. The sun was lighting it up and, in very tiny lines, creating a prism effect giving it some interesting color.
I could look at this image for a long time. I like following the lines of web like a maze, from the center outward. You have to enlarge this image to get very far. It was just an interesting glimpse of nature in very fortunate, natural, lighting.
To get a better view of the detail in this web and also see the chubby spider in the center, click on the image.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
The Damsel Be Dazzled
The light danced on the wings of the damselfly while it rested on a leaf.
I saw a few of these damselflies flitting around an area along a trail we often hike. Every time they landed they were facing the sun. (Notice the shadow.) I spent a good deal of time snapping pictures, hoping to catch one sideways to the sun, to see more of the wing.
Well, as it turned out, the hint of sunlight on the ridges of the wings made a rather interesting view as well.
Damselflies are often mistaken for dragonflies. To help you know the difference, here’s some info I found at ReconnectWithNature.org.
Both dragonflies and damselflies are typically found near fresh water and are commonly seen during warm, sunny days. And while they share some physical characteristics, there are four ways you can differentiate between the two, according to Mother Nature Network.
EYES
Dragonflies have much larger eyes than damselflies. A dragonfly’s eyes take up most of the insect’s head, wrapping around to the sides of its head. Damselflies also have large eyes, but they are smaller than a dragonfly’s and there is always a space between their eyes.
BODIES
Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies, with bodies that typically range between 1 1/2 inches and 2 inches, while dragonfly bodies are typically longer than 2 inches, Wisconsin Public Radio reports. Dragonflies also have thicker, bulkier bodies, while damselfly bodies are thin like a twig.
WINGS
Both dragonflies and damselflies have two sets of wings, but there are some distinct differences in their wings that can help differentiate between the two. Dragonflies have two sets of similar-sized wings, but the hind wings become more broad at the base, where they attach to the body. Damselfly wings, on the other hand, are more slender and taper toward they base, where they attach to the body.
AT REST
While the wings of dragonflies and damselflies are a key distinction between the two, how they position their wings while not in flight further helps tell them apart. When not in flight, a dragonfly’s wings stick straight out, perpendicular to their body like an airplane’s wings. A damselfly’s wings fold back so they are in line with their body, giving them a more sleek, slender appearance at rest.
To get the best view and all the colorful details, click on the photo and a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Lunch Time
The dragonfly may seem like a dainty flying insect, but don’t let that fool you. Dragonflies are fierce predators. As you can see, this dragonfly is munching on a yellow bug he captured for lunch.
I found and photographed this dragonfly during an outing to pick blackberries in the middle of a Missouri prairie. Actually, I wasn’t picking, I was taking photos while the others picked.
I am always intrigued by the detail found in the transparent wings of dragonflies. If you want to get a better look of the detail, and of the bug being consumed, click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Apis Workers’ Party
This group of honey bees were busy gathering the small amount of honey that remained in some old honeycomb.
This is a “composite” image. To create this image I focused my camera on an area where the bees were working and locked down the position on my tripod. Then, I snapped a number of photos when bees were in the frame. Then I combined several of the images – with bees in various positions – in Photoshop. All of the bees you see in the image were exactly where you see them…but not all at the same moment in time.
I had it in my mind to create this image since the day I snapped the photos last June. I finally got around to taking the time to combine the bunch. There were four separate shots used to make the image you see here.
This is one you should view full screen. You can see some great detail in the in the bees. To bring up a full-screen image, just click on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Beauty and a Beast
The delicate beauty of these sedum blossoms provide a stark contrast to the uninviting demeanor of a grasshopper who found a late summer resting spot.
My photography typically focuses on the beauty of nature. I’m sure many would not find the grasshopper to be “beautiful,” but I think it is. I find the structure and patterns in the design of this creature a work of beauty. Again, a contrast to the “pretty” of the flowers but a very cool and interesting subject.
Grasshoppers are insects and are probably the oldest living group of chewing herbivorous. I imagine this one has found a pleasant, final resting place.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Predator
This bee was persistent in his attack of this dandelion. My getting close didn’t seem to dissuade it. As I approached, it would leave the flower, hovering a few inches above, and then settle back down for the work. That made it easy for me to get a good shot. The tiny butterflies I was trying to capture were considerably more shy. They vacated the blooms anytime I got within range.
This scene was captured on my own front lawn. I titled this one, “Predator,” because I think the bees face makes an ominous impression. I know I wouldn’t want to meet one in a dark alley.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this photo by clicking on it.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Some of Your Beeswax
I was able to capture a close-up of couple of honey bees as they feasted on some old honeycomb.
One of our sons has become a beekeeper. On a recent visit to his homestead in Ohio, I snapped a number of photos of his bees working over some old honeycomb he had set out for them. It was a great opportunity to grab some macro views as they were docile, content and, seemingly, oblivious to my presence. I will post another image or two from this shoot sometime in the future.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Mini Metallic Magnificence
As tiny as it was, this beetle’s iridescent, metallic green color helped me spot it among the plant life in a farm field.
Funny how things often take a different path than you planned. I was standing in a field not far from our home, taking photos of bright, beautiful sunflowers a neighbor has planted. While looking around for another vantage point a glint of green caught my eye. I was able to snap of a couple of quick shots before this tiny beetle flew away in the breeze.
The breeze created a bit of a challenge, too. It was moving the beetle’s perch back and forth, making it difficult to catch it in focus. Out of the three shots I took, only this one is sharp enough to keep. The little guy was so small, I had to crop the image to get him large enough to really notice.
You can get a better, larger view of the beetle by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Dark Damsel
The dainty damselfly is a predator by nature. Damselflies catch and eat flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects. Often they hover among grasses and low vegetation, picking prey off stems and leaves with their spiny legs.
I think the best part of this image is the detailed pattern and color in the wings. I also like the tiny spines on the legs.
This dark damsel paused just long enough for me to catch a good photo. They tend to zip to and fro and make focusing a challenge. I saw this one on a walk through some woods in Missouri. I had to shoot through the leaves to grab this image. I would have preferred the leaf in the foreground wasn’t there so you could see the structure of all the legs, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.
To enjoy the details available in this image, click on the photo and a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Dripping with Passion
On a foggy morning, moisture clings to a spider web. I love how the tiniest drops can form on the thinnest of web fibers.
This is a companion to another image taken the same morning that I posted earlier. (Connect the Dots) The first one was photographed with a black background. This one had a maroon background because this spider web was draped from the door to the side mirror of my old van.
This is some of my first work with extension tubes – a lens attachment used in macro photography. I need to work on sharpness. This image is not quite as sharp as I want it to be, but it was interesting enough to share.
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.