But it’s really a neat looking one on the salvia. Note that on its tail, there’s an eye shape/pattern. When I look at it, even though I’ve seen this one many times, my first thought is that the head is on the tail. Good adaptation, I guess, to fool the predators. And the photographer…
Tag: Bonus
Bonus: Hummingbird Tongue
Shot yesterday in my neighbor, Jackie’s, yard. That construction seems messy with the posessive. Let’s agree to ignore that and look at this neat bird!
Bonus: Hummingbird at Dusk
The hummingbirds are swarming my neighbor’s feeder. Started shooting way late and everything was dark and grainy. Will try a bit earlier today. But here’s a cute guy doing his thing. Was hard not to get the feeder in the shots…especially acquiring focus in that light. But this one isn’t terrible. And it’s been a while since I’ve bonused.
Bonus – Big Beetle on Something Weird
I was mowing the lawn yesterday late in the day and felt something on my arm. Turns out it was a ladybug-looking beetle. Was about four times the size of a normal ladybug, though. Neat looking thing. Seemed to be content riding around on the inside of my forearm. So I grabbed a camera and tried to shoot. Had a hard time getting her all in the shot as you can see – full frame there. A little gross with the freckles and the hair (yes, a gray or two you notice). But a really neat bug. Deposited her in the sedum angelina and she wandered off. Hope she’s full of aphids. They’re having a very, very good year around here.
Bonus: Robber Fly and Hail Damage
Inadvertant pollinator and that hail damage. All of the larger irises are shredded. But it’s a neat fly.
If you’re missing it, that hole in the lower-right corner was made by a hailstone.
Bonus – First Dragonfly of the Season
Followed this one around the yard for a while hoping it would land and let me get a shot. Kept spooking it – it was really skittish. Finally it landed on the sidewalk – and let me crawl on my belly until I was really, really close. Only cropped about 10pct off the right side on this shot so it prettymuch filled the frame. Trouble is, it’s on the sidewalk. But you really get a good look at the compound eye. And the sidewalk. And the shadow (again). And the very narrow depth-of-focus.
But it is the first dragonfly of the year. And that matters.
Bonus – Another Look at a Hummingbird on an Agastache
Well, another look for me. Different edit/crop. Was organizing pics the other day and came across this one and had a re-look. They sure love the agastaches. They nest in a bald cypress nearby. The cats…well…don’t have the notion of coexistence in their heads, though. So there are fewer hummingbirds around than I think there should be. But this is a neat one – all the way in!
Bonus – Neat Fly on a Boulder
No idea what kind of fly that this is. But it’s a neat one. I also like the detail of the boulder. Never looked that closely. But the detail and the color are beautiful.
Bonus – Paper Wasp on a Penstemmon
From yesterday. Nice look at both the wasp and the flower.
Bonus – Everyone Loves the Squills
Including this black, thread-waisted wasp. Maybe not everyone. I learned that some say that the Siberian Squill is invasive and that it will take over a garden. So there’s that. Guess it depends some on the climate. They have kind of set up an autonomous zone under a cherry tree here…have to keep an eye ;).
