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
Bluff Woods
Longing to Be Charmed
I’m not an expert, but I believe this is a common black ratsnake. Nearing the end of a hike through the woods, my wife spotted it first and I hurried to grab a photo. I didn’t get much before it quickly retreated into the brush at Bluff Woods Conservation Area in northwestern Missouri.
Black ratsnakes are non-venomous; they kill their prey by constriction. They’re best known for their color combination of a shiny bluish-black body undercoated by a whitish belly. They’re harmless to humans but they can startle you by their stealth and, often, large size.
To get a better, more detailed look at those scales and tongue (mostly a blur) 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 (pops@popsdigital.com) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Spring Maple Sprouts
A cluster of red maple leaves sprout out of the rough bark of the tree’s trunk. Their color gives the impression of fall, but this is new growth in April.
These are leaves that I photographed on a hike through the Bluff Woods Conservation Area, located south of St. Joseph, Missouri.
You can get a better view of the intricate veins of these young leaves by clicking on the photo to see a larger version.
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.