Insect II

Repentance

The lighting and the pose makes for a serene scene, but in reality the mantis waits to ambush unsuspecting prey by hiding amongst the flowers that attract other insects.

Surprised Mantis

A beautiful green praying mantis looks startled to see my camera lens looking back at it when it peeks through some purple flowers. Maybe the mantis was surprised I didn't fall over while contorting to get this image. Powerline Trail, Horsham PA-US

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

This long legged beetle has large eyes to hunt with, and big mandibles to match. It is also a beautiful shade of blue-green. You can't really see the six white spots on its back, which is its namesake.Tyler State Park, Newtown, PA-US.

Snail's Pace

After looking for years, I finally ran into my first tiny snail in the wild. Funny thing is I found about twenty this day, which seems to be the way I always find that thing I have been on the look out for when shooting. Horsham Powerline Trail, Horsham PA-US.

Feeding Time

A hover fly feeds on the nectar of a wild daisy. Many landed to feed, and the small flower had enough to go around for the tiny flies.Tyler State Park, PA-US

Hoverfly Chill

A hoverfly suns itself on the edge of a leaf. They are tiny flies which are great to have in the garden. Tyler State Park, Bucks County, PA.

Hoverfly Plans its Next Move

This hoverfly seems to be rubbing its hands together in anticipation of the next step of its plan coming together. Hoverflies do this in order to clean themselves from dust and pollen. These tiny flies are good to have in the garden as pollinators, and the larva feed on common garden pests such as aphids. Shot in my front garden in Newtown, PA-US

Black Swallowtail Butterfly

A Black Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a wildflower, back lit by the sun. Tyler State Park, Newtown, PA-US

Big Bee on Milkweed Flowers

This carpenter bee feeds on native milkweed flowers. Bumble bees are different, and better to have around as they are great pollinators. Carpenter bees don't have the same amount of 'fuzz' and aren't very good pollinators in comparison, but besides the trouble of them burrowing holes into wood around the house, they aren't too problematic. You see the males hovering near a wooden fence in a backyard, and while they'll follow, chase or even 'bump' you as you pass, its all for show as they can't sting. The females can sting if seriously provoked, but are usually in the burrowed hole and you don't see them much. Newtown, PA-US

Bumblebee Feeding on Salvia

A bumblebee feeds on the nectar of salvia growing in the garden. We are trying to attract bees and butterflies with friendly plants, and at least some bees have discovered it so far. As we approach summer, more visitors should start to show up if last year is any indication. Newtown, PA-US

Long-legged Fly Navigating Spiderwebs

A tiny Long-legged fly has its front legs stuck in the webs of an even smaller spider, but it was able to free itself and fly away, much to the disappointment of the wee arachnid, who is also in the image. Power Line Trail, Horsham, Montgomery County, PA.

Spectral Fly

An extremely small Long-legged fly sits upon a blade of grass, awaiting prey. Love the metallic colors on these little flies. They are tiny but beneficial insects to have in the garden, nature's pest control. Tyler State Park, Newtown, PA-US

Damselfly on Bird's-foot Trefoil

A very small damselfly scans the scene from atop a bird's-foot trefoil flower, a small invasive wildflower. Like their relatives the dragonflies, damselflies perch on something and watch for prey to pick off from midair. They are beneficial predators as mosquitoes are one of the many harmful insects they feed upon. Plus they are just cool bugs to see flying around, sometimes missed if you aren't looking due to their small size and lightning quick flying. Horsham Powerline Trail, Horsham, PA-US.

Solar Powered

An orange shield bug (will update if anyone knows this to be incorrect) navigates its way through some tall grass, which is actually the tiny thin fibers of a seed head of some wild grass. The sunlight lit the bug up with a nice glow, making its orange color really pop. Horsham Powerline Trail, Horsham, PA-US

Mantis Ready for Rio Carnival

This praying mantis looks to be all decked out for Carnival, complete with a fantastic head plume, and ready to dance in the parade. The mantis was actually setting up to ambush any prey that decided to visit the magenta thistle for a drink of nectar. This was shot at the meadow at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, which included an array of bees, wasps, and butterflies feeding on the wildflowers, and of course some predators like the Praying Mantis looking to take advantage of the situation. Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, New Hope, PA-US

Is It Me You're Looking For?

I played hide and seek for about five minutes before this mantis decided to give up a pose. The reflection off of the yellow goldenrod flowers really seemed to light up its eyes. Power Line Trail, Horsham, Montgomery County, PA

Least Skipper Butterfly in Grass

A tiny Least Skipper butterfly, often mistaken for a moth, rest among blades of grass in late spring. They are very active butterflies who don't stay still for long, with a wingspan of about 1 inch total. Power Line Trail, Horsham PA