Southern Spreadwing
Southern Spreadwing (Lestes australis) I discovered this tiny damselfly while taking a walk around Potter’s Lake last night. If there hadn’t been light reflecting off the wings I would have missed … Continued
Unicorn Clubtail
Unicorn Clubtail, Arigomphus villosipes I like naming plants and animals. I believe that by knowing something you see more. To be able to name it means you have an awareness that … Continued
Wild Banana Bloom
Pawpaw, Asimina triloba Today at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis I photographed this wild banana tree; the Pawpaw. It is a native tree here and it occurs in … Continued
Not Much Nectar
Honey Bee feeding on Compass Plant With the drought there aren’t many sources of nectar for bees and butterflies right now. This morning the only plants I saw bees feeding … Continued
Silent Summer
Bumblebees feeding on Swamp Loosestrife (Decodon verticillatus) Where are all the bugs this year? Normally this is the time of year when you would hear insects singing day and night. … Continued
Bumblebee on Buttonbush
Bumblebee feeding on Buttonbush Buttonbush is a wonderful flowering shrub that is great for attracting butterflies. It also attracts different kinds of bees. Today I photographed this bumblebee foraging for … Continued
Honeybees on Wild Hyacinth
Wild Hyacinth, Camassia scilloide Yesterday we found a patch of Wild Hyacinth blooming just east of Beaver Lake. The bees were actively working the flowers.
Bumble Bee
Bumble Bee, (Bombus sp) I don’t understand the behavior of this Bumble Bee. It was rubbing it’s entire body into the center of the Prairie Rose. It would slowly lean … Continued
Butterfly Catcher
Garden Spider, (Argiope aurantia) Butterflies are abundant on the Prairie Blazing Star. One of the predators for the butterflies is this large showy spider; the Garden Spider. Most people find … Continued
Creepy Wheel Bug
Wheel bug, (Arilus cristatus) Today while I was enjoying looking at the first blossoms on an annual sunflower I noticed a Wheel bug. The name comes from the cog-like structure … Continued