Bugs Bugs and more Bugs...

Wow, my second blog in 24 hours! Holy! Anyways, enjoy!

In the summer, as nesting season ends for the birds, and the leaves fill in the trees... it really is difficult to have a great day of "birding". I discovered a couple years ago how cool it is to photograph insects during the warmer months. It's mind blowing to what many of these tiny creatures look like when their images are blown up on a computer screen. Mother Nature is one for detail!

Today I found a Black and Yellow Argiope (Garden Spider) in Whitby. A big beautiful Spider for sure.

It's funny because a friend of mine sent me an image of one over my phone that he photo'd the day before at his in-laws. I had some envy as I am always hoping to see different creatures of the wild in my travels. It's been years since I have seen a Spider as big and interesting looking as this one. How funny is it to have one sent to me over e-mail and then I find one the very next day.

About two weeks ago something similar happened with me and the Praying Mantis. Someone was talking with me about having a number of them in her backyard. I made mention of not seeing a Mantis in probably twenty years or more and how I had hoped to see one again soon (since I love photoing insects). And what happens? Soon after I find myself in the company of one Praying Mantis! I did get the bonus package as this one had in it's clutches a Cicada, and he wasn't letting go, no matter how much the Cicada fought to free itself.

You can see in this close up now that the Mantis had chewed it's way through the exterior of the Cicada to get to the good meaty stuff inside.

The Mantis blends in so well. I only noticed this because the Cicada was flying hard to get out of it's grasp. I heard the loud buzzing of wings. And then I saw the Cicada, which looked like it was stuck to a piece of grass. Of course this really got me interested in what was really going on; because how could a large bug like a Cicada be stuck to a blade of grass? Man was I surprised and delighted! I thought about breaking up the battle at first, but this is nature, and the Mantis has to eat. The Cicada was at the end of it's life cycle anyways so why not feed another over rotting on the ground?

Dragonflies were in abundance this summer.  I saw many species.  But the White-faced Meadowhawk has to be one of my faves now.  The red and black body is stunning!  Dragonflies eat Mosquitoes...  so let's give a cheer to the Dragonflies!

Not sure of this species.

And yet another insect that started with someone sending me a picture of one they saw around their home.  We learned this is called a "Bee Fly".  And what a large fly it is!  Once again I was envious of their find; but within days I had myself finding one in a field near home.  Funny how this has worked out for me with the insects.  If only it worked as so with the Red Fox.  I have been looking for Fox to photo all year but with no luck.  There's even one who walks my street from time to time, in broad daylight, but I have never been ready for it.  Ah well...

Japanese Beetles.  An introduced pest of a species...  so I have been told.  Yes, you are seeing double here, actually quadruple!  Interesting looking creatures, eh.

A cool accidental shot I got of a Bumble Bee flying into the Bee Balm plant I have out back.

This could be another Meadowhawk if I am not mistaken.

A Red Lily-Leaf Beetle.  A new one for me!  And one last odd ball story to go with it.  The day before I found this guy in my garden, and yes, he was eating my Lillies...  I had heard about them on the morning news radio (680 News).  I thought "wow, what the heck does this bug look like?"  And lo and behold, one day later, I find one feasting on my plants!  Mixed emotions about the whole thing really.  You know, cool to see, but darn it all to hell for eating my plants!

So, for a lover of nature and photography, there is always something out there to see and photograph. Sure bugs are just that... bugs... and nuisances to say the least. But they are interesting. They are certainly detailed. And they all serve some kind of purpose on Earth.