Insects
Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly
A vibrant, yellow, Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly works to draw the nectar from a purple thistle, showing off its striking yellow and black wings accented by blue dots on the tail.
I captured this image while photographing a herd of bison on the prairie at Custer State Park in South Dakota. While focused on the buffalo, this flash of color caught my eye and I immediately changed focus. So, in the middle of my strip of large, brown beasts is a few frames of this delicate beauty.
Click on the photo, itself, to see a larger, full-screen version 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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Hanging Tapestry
An owl eye butterfly rests on a branch, displaying the intricate patterns and eye-like spots on its wings. To me, is a beautiful artwork of pattern and color – like a detailed tapestry. This is one of the many varieties of butterflies cultivated and displayed at the Butterfly Palace in Branson, Missouri.
You can get a better, more detailed look at this creature by clicking on the photo. (The pattern in the eyes is pretty of cool!)
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 ([email protected]) for digital purchase and licensing options.
Thick as Thieves
This seems to be an early autumn convention of Boxelder bugs. They’ve congregated at the bottom of a tree.
When it begins to cool down in Wisconsin, these bugs may form large aggregations while sunning themselves in areas near their host plant – usually maple or ash trees. I’ve also seen them gather in other odd places…the corner of a building, around a door way, etc.
They are harmless to humans but considered nuisance pests. When the temperatures begin to cool in the fall, they sometimes invade houses and other man-made structures seeking warmth or a place to overwinter.
People often mistaken them with insects known as Stink Bugs – a different species. However, boxelder bugs will release a pungent and bad-tasting compound upon being disturbed to discourage predation; this allows them to form conspicuous gatherings without being preyed on.
To get a better view, click on the top photo and a larger image will open in a new browser 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.