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
Macro
Wild and Woolly
This is one hungry, little dust-mop! Look at how much of that leaf it’s already consumed. It is a Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar.
When I took this picture, I didn’t notice the interesting, synchronized curl to those orange and white tufts of hair. It just looked like your run-of-the-mill fuzzy caterpillar. Enlarging the image, often reveals surprising aspects of the insect world.
By the way, the head is that shiny black part on the edge of the leaf, mostly covered by hair. (He needs to trim his bangs.)
This was actually in a very difficult spot to photograph due to other vegetation being in the way. To try and get a better shot, I slowly, gently bent the leaf he was on. They must not have sticky feet because, at the slightest angel, it immediately slid off the leaf and into the dense weeds below…never to be seen again.
To really see the detail of this creature, click on the photo and a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
Sun and Stars
These are wildflowers found on our property. They are in an area where I scattered a bunch of wildflower seeds last year. We never saw any of these last year, so it was a pleasant surprise to see these big, bright blooms among the weeds this year. The white dandelion-like seeds in the center of the flower blew over from some nearby weeds.
To see more of the detail in this image, click on it and a larger version will open in an new browser tab.
Beadwork
Form, flowing lines and color make this an interesting image for me. A simple hostas leaf retains the remnants of a spring shower.
To view a larger version of this image, simply click on the photo.
Earth Mover
This tiny mushroom shows extraordinary determination and strength, pushing up a comparatively large chunk of the forest floor to make it’s debut.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Flourish of Gray
This is a close-up look at the center of a poppy. The tissue-paper-like texture of the poppy petals make an interesting frame for the flower’s center.
This bloom started as a very bright red. I decided to take a different turn and make it a black and white image.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Garden Cafe
On a walk though the woods I came upon this crab spider enjoying his freshly caught lunch.
The crab spider will just sit still near the center of the flower, doing it’s best to blend in. When an unsuspecting insect lands to gather pollen, the snatches it and lunch is served.
You can get even closer to the action by clicking on the photo. A larger version will open in a new browser tab.
Hummingbird Moth Caterpillar
This monster caterpillar was found decimating the primrose patch in our flowerbed. It is a Hummingbird Moth Caterpillar.
This bad boy, complete with dangerious looking spike on his tail, was about 4-inches long.
It took a bit of research online by my wife, Sara, to identify this particular species. The hummingbird moth is a large moth that is often mistaken for hummingbirds because they are about the same size and flit from flower to flower like hummingbirds.
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
In Praise of Yellow
On a recent hike through the woods, I was delighted to find a variety of wildflowers. These are some of my favorites from that day.
The one flower seems to be raising a hand in praise of the creator. (Or, maybe just hoping to get noticed.)
To view a larger version of this image, click on the photo.
Bodacious!
My wife’s flowerbeds add a variety of shapes and colors to our yard. These bold, red lilies seem to be in their prime and showing off.
It pays to view this image in the larger size. To do so, simply click on the photo.
Plum Rose
A floral beauty. The delicate placement of petals and the plum color captured my eye.
To see a larger version of this image, click on it.