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
Bug
Tiny Surprise
Danger lurks here! When I took this photo on a walk through the woods, I saw only a nice collection of wild violets. It wasn’t until I viewed this image on my computer that I noticed the tiny crab spider hiding in the bloom on the left.
Crab spiders don’t make webs. They hide, often in flowers, waiting for unsuspecting insects to be drawn by the flower’s nectar or pollen.
I’ve posted photos of crab spiders before – even with a short video of one trying grab lunch – that can be viewed HERE.
To view a larger image of this photo, click on it.
Blind Side Attack
While working over a purple thistle, this bumble bee was attacked from behind by another competitor. The skirmish was short and seemed pretty insignificant. After bouncing off the backside of the busy bee, the aggressor simply flew away. I’m guessing, it flew off to look for someone more its own size to pick on.
To view more of the detail in a larger version, simply click on the image.
Simple Butterfly
I was able to catch this butterfly resting for a brief moment on the purple coneflowers near our home. Butterflies have been scarce this year – at least around our place – so I was glad to capture this one digitally.
To see a larger version, simply click on the image.
On a Mission
I’m always taking photos of bugs – and bees are some of my favorites. I usually catch bees busy about their business, working on flowers. It’s rare when I can capture one in flight, and even rarer to catch them in focus. This was one of those rare moments.
A couple of other images where I was able to catch bees in flight are Popular Spot and The Beeline.
To get a closer view, click on the image.
High-Tech Armour
I don’t know what kind of bug this is. It happened to see it while photographing some flowers in our yard. About half the size of my thumbnail, I would have missed it had it not been perched on some dried foliage. It’s color, contrasting against the dull brown, caught my eye.
I think it looks like the creation of some sci-fi movie maker – a futuristic, warrior bug clad with high-tech armour that can withstand any attack from earth’s conventional weapons. But don’t panic. Some unlikely hero will discover a weakness we can exploit to vanquish this foe and save the world. I’m sure peace and tranquility will be restored before you reach the bottom of that huge tub of buttered popcorn. Just sit back and enjoy the show.
You can get a closer look at this other-worldly menace by clicking on the photo.
Watchful Eye
Here’s a little touch of nature for you. I stopped to take some photos around the harbor at Algoma, Wisconsin. It wasn’t a foggy day elsewhere, but conditions were right to create a foggy area around the piers and lighthouse. I took a few photos (some I’ll be posting later) of the pier and a fisherman in the fog, and the lighthouse and boats.
As I finished and headed back to my vehicle, I noticed a few wildflowers growing near the water. I stopped to take a few random shots. Then I noticed a few bees – always a favorite photographic subject of mine – so I stopped to take a few photos of them. Then, as I started to leave again, I noticed a flash of yellow. An American Goldfinch landed in a nearby patch of thistles to enjoy a meal. It didn’t seem bothered by my presence, so I started taking photos. (Some I’ll post later.)
While concentrating on the Goldfinch, I happened to notice a bee in the foreground and refocused on the bee for awhile…as the bird continued to feast in the background.
The one thing I don’t like about this image (and others in the batch) is the background. I think it looks unnatural and fake. The background is simply the water of the harbor. I would have preferred something that had a little more color variation, instead of the flat blue, but I wasn’t able to change my position to create a different look. The thistles were only a foot or two from the water and I was shooting from a position higher than the bird.
If you’d like to see a larger version, just click on the photo.
This photo, and another cropped version, is available for sale. To see pricing, click on the blue bar below.
Covering the Cosmos
We planted a patch of wildflowers next to our vegetable garden. Unfortunately, the weeds are out performing the flowers. Out of the several varieties that made up the wildflower mix we planted, the cosmos did best. This is one that attracted some of the local wildlife.
If you have a large monitor and would like to get an even closer look, click on the image and it will open in another tab.
Garden Variety Nymphs
I found these cute little bugs hanging around on the zucchini in our garden. These are squash bugs…still in the nymph stage. This photo makes them look larger than they really are.
To see the nymphs even larger, click on the photo.
Three’s a Crowd
A couple of bees were working on this Sunflower when an ant decided to enter the picture. This is a flower in my wife’s flower bed. Not a flower she planted. One that was added by the birds dropping seeds from the feeders.
To see it larger, click on the image and it will open up in a new browser tab.
Garden Svengali
This butterfly struck a perfect pose for this portrait shot. He was a handsome specimen. Still, I’m not sure which I find more interesting, the butterfly or the flower he is perched on.