June 20, 2009
Additional Photos from Macon County
I decided to add photos of 2 more butterfly species from that day.
Banded Hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)
Gray Copper (Lycaena dione)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
June 20, 2009
Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
Last year I got a brief glimpse of a hairstreak in Macon County, but did something I usually remember to avoid – I tried to get a closer look without using my camera. When it flushed, I had missed getting both a good look and a photograph taken from a distance. As a result, I had no idea what I had seen. I still don't, even though I got a lifer hairstreak in Macon County this week when we returned to look for hairstreaks.
Last weekend, I came home with good images of an Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii). But from what I remember from the glimpse I got last year, this isn't the species I saw on June 22, 2008.
I also saw a Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum), which was kind of a surprise.
When I got home, I managed to succeed at something I failed at last year – a photo of a firefly in flight.
June 19, 2009
Springtails (Collembola Entomobryidae)
Decided to take photos of an ant nest in our yard, but immediately got distracted by the springtails crawling over the stone / sand patio.
Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii)
Last year I got a brief glimpse of a hairstreak in Macon County, but did something I usually remember to avoid – I tried to get a closer look without using my camera. When it flushed, I had missed getting both a good look and a photograph taken from a distance. As a result, I had no idea what I had seen. I still don't, even though I got a lifer hairstreak in Macon County this week when we returned to look for hairstreaks.
Last weekend, I came home with good images of an Edward's Hairstreak (Satyrium edwardsii). But from what I remember from the glimpse I got last year, this isn't the species I saw on June 22, 2008.
I also saw a Swamp Metalmark (Calephelis muticum), which was kind of a surprise.
When I got home, I managed to succeed at something I failed at last year – a photo of a firefly in flight.
June 19, 2009
Springtails (Collembola Entomobryidae)
Decided to take photos of an ant nest in our yard, but immediately got distracted by the springtails crawling over the stone / sand patio.
Monday, June 15, 2009
June 13, 2009
Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria cybele)
Headed toward the western part of Missouri for the day in search of Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria idalia). I'll have to try again sometime, because I couldn't find a female today. I did get photos of both the dorsal and ventral side of males – there were quite a few today in Pettis County.
I also found a Robber Fly (Asilidae) ovipositing into a coneflower.
We headed south into Benton County in the morning because when we arrived at the prairie, it was cool and completely overcast despite a forecast of sunny weather which has been very scarce this year. We hiked a trail through a glade and found both Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis) and Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta). Fortunately, the sun broke through around noon.
Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria cybele)
Headed toward the western part of Missouri for the day in search of Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria idalia). I'll have to try again sometime, because I couldn't find a female today. I did get photos of both the dorsal and ventral side of males – there were quite a few today in Pettis County.
I also found a Robber Fly (Asilidae) ovipositing into a coneflower.
We headed south into Benton County in the morning because when we arrived at the prairie, it was cool and completely overcast despite a forecast of sunny weather which has been very scarce this year. We hiked a trail through a glade and found both Blue-fronted Dancer (Argia apicalis) and Powdered Dancer (Argia moesta). Fortunately, the sun broke through around noon.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Wow! I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I updated my blog. I've been meaning to, but there was always something with a higher priority.
Some highlights of the last 2 months were:
May 28, 2009
I watched a fly ovipositing on an American Giant Millipede (Narceus americanus). I didn't realize this, but when I looked up the scientific name on http://bugguide.net, I read the following comment posted by Rattlebox Photography “When threatened, it secretes a brown liquid capable of causing long-lasting stains on bare skin or clothing. It also secretes a defense of very pungent chemicals that causes severe eye irritation from up to three feet away and which can cause temporary blindness if they get into the eye. Should not be handled, especially not without appropriate protection.”
May 18, 2009
A Gray Scoopwing (Uraniidae Callizzia amorata) came to a light in our yard.
May 12, 2009
For several days, I watched a carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) dig a nest hole in our deck.
May 4, 2009
I got my camera muddy taking photographs of springtails (Collembola Podura aquatica) at the edge of a pond in Cole County.
April 11, 2009
There were tons of Forest Tent Caterpillars (Malocosoma disstria) swarming over the railings on the boardwalk at Tickfaw State Park, Livingston Parish, Louisiana. These tent caterpillars don't construct tents, but are gregarious.
April 8, 2009
A group of juvenile Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers (Romalea microptera) were at the edge of the trail in Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.
Some highlights of the last 2 months were:
May 28, 2009
I watched a fly ovipositing on an American Giant Millipede (Narceus americanus). I didn't realize this, but when I looked up the scientific name on http://bugguide.net, I read the following comment posted by Rattlebox Photography “When threatened, it secretes a brown liquid capable of causing long-lasting stains on bare skin or clothing. It also secretes a defense of very pungent chemicals that causes severe eye irritation from up to three feet away and which can cause temporary blindness if they get into the eye. Should not be handled, especially not without appropriate protection.”
May 18, 2009
A Gray Scoopwing (Uraniidae Callizzia amorata) came to a light in our yard.
May 12, 2009
For several days, I watched a carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) dig a nest hole in our deck.
May 4, 2009
I got my camera muddy taking photographs of springtails (Collembola Podura aquatica) at the edge of a pond in Cole County.
April 11, 2009
There were tons of Forest Tent Caterpillars (Malocosoma disstria) swarming over the railings on the boardwalk at Tickfaw State Park, Livingston Parish, Louisiana. These tent caterpillars don't construct tents, but are gregarious.
April 8, 2009
A group of juvenile Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers (Romalea microptera) were at the edge of the trail in Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
March 20, 2009
Plasterer Bees
Back to take photos of the ground-nesting bees I saw yesterday. Identified as plasterer bees (Colletidae Colletes), named for their habit of lining their nests with a secretion that dries into a thin clear sheet. When a male found a female, they were pounced on by what I assumed were other males attempting to dislodge the original male so they could mate with the female.
Plasterer Bees
Back to take photos of the ground-nesting bees I saw yesterday. Identified as plasterer bees (Colletidae Colletes), named for their habit of lining their nests with a secretion that dries into a thin clear sheet. When a male found a female, they were pounced on by what I assumed were other males attempting to dislodge the original male so they could mate with the female.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
March 19, 2009
Striders!!
Finally saw a couple of water striders in a downtown creek. I also saw ground-nesting bees swarming at a colony along the creek bank. I'll go back tomorrow with my camera. Forsythias are also blooming around town, although I didn't check them for insects.
I haven't looked for insects for a couple of days even though it's been really warm (70s). I have a fast-approaching April 1st deadline for text passages for a butterfly and moth field guide. I'm also providing the photographs for the book which will be published by the Missouri Department of Conservation sometime in 2011.
Striders!!
Finally saw a couple of water striders in a downtown creek. I also saw ground-nesting bees swarming at a colony along the creek bank. I'll go back tomorrow with my camera. Forsythias are also blooming around town, although I didn't check them for insects.
I haven't looked for insects for a couple of days even though it's been really warm (70s). I have a fast-approaching April 1st deadline for text passages for a butterfly and moth field guide. I'm also providing the photographs for the book which will be published by the Missouri Department of Conservation sometime in 2011.
Friday, March 06, 2009
March 6, 2009
First insect bite of the year – minute pirate bug (Orius sp. Anthocoridae). Although it doesn't hurt that much when they bite, they have a pretty painful bite considering their small size. I guess that makes sense, true bugs don't often bite, but when they do – it hurts. At least with these, I wasn't wondering whether people could actually die from just pain, like when the Black Corsair bit me on April 2, 2007.
Two new 2009 butterflies – Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) and Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria). I've had bait on several trees in the yard yesterday and today. Getting mostly tons of flies. I should have made a videotape of them, but I'm not accustomed to that feature on my new camera, yet. There were so many of them on the tree trunk, that as I stepped closer and they all flew off, their wings made a fairly loud roar. Pretty cool!
I spent most of my time photographing these tiny flies about 2-3mm long. They would walk on the tree trunk with their wings lifted straight up and vibrating. Twice I saw two of them fight. Once, one appeared to chase after one of the larger flies. After reviewing my photos and deciding I had a good image, I decided to collect one to key it out, but by then it was getting late and I couldn't find one. Maybe tomorrow. As of right now, I have them tentatively identified as black scavenger flies (Sepsidae). The larvae live in decaying material – maybe like what's in our compost bin. The adults were at the bait.
Put on the deck light to see what was attracted. A few moths and lacewings. Highlight of the night – an Ophion Ichneumonid wasp.
A couple of moths that are unidentified are sitting in the refrigerator right now, but they were collected at bait, not the light.
March 5, 2009
First Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis ) of 2009 – seen at bait in our yard. First Missouri butterfly this year.
Still no water striders in the downtown creeks.
First insect bite of the year – minute pirate bug (Orius sp. Anthocoridae). Although it doesn't hurt that much when they bite, they have a pretty painful bite considering their small size. I guess that makes sense, true bugs don't often bite, but when they do – it hurts. At least with these, I wasn't wondering whether people could actually die from just pain, like when the Black Corsair bit me on April 2, 2007.
Two new 2009 butterflies – Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma) and Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria). I've had bait on several trees in the yard yesterday and today. Getting mostly tons of flies. I should have made a videotape of them, but I'm not accustomed to that feature on my new camera, yet. There were so many of them on the tree trunk, that as I stepped closer and they all flew off, their wings made a fairly loud roar. Pretty cool!
I spent most of my time photographing these tiny flies about 2-3mm long. They would walk on the tree trunk with their wings lifted straight up and vibrating. Twice I saw two of them fight. Once, one appeared to chase after one of the larger flies. After reviewing my photos and deciding I had a good image, I decided to collect one to key it out, but by then it was getting late and I couldn't find one. Maybe tomorrow. As of right now, I have them tentatively identified as black scavenger flies (Sepsidae). The larvae live in decaying material – maybe like what's in our compost bin. The adults were at the bait.
Put on the deck light to see what was attracted. A few moths and lacewings. Highlight of the night – an Ophion Ichneumonid wasp.
A couple of moths that are unidentified are sitting in the refrigerator right now, but they were collected at bait, not the light.
March 5, 2009
First Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis ) of 2009 – seen at bait in our yard. First Missouri butterfly this year.
Still no water striders in the downtown creeks.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
February 25, 2009
With a high in the upper 60s today, I took a walk to see signs of spring. One of the antlions in our front yard colony dug a pit today. I found a few blooming chickweeds. Despite a careful search of two creeks, I was unable to find a water strider. Some of my previous early water strider sightings were February 29, 2004, March 7, 2007, and March 21, 2008.
As the sun set, I turned on the deck light. It attracted about a dozen lacewings and four moths. The moths scattered as I opened the back door. One disappeared and two landed too high for me to reach. I collected the one that resettled close to the light fixture on the wall. At this point, it's been tentatively identified as Hypena sp. (Erebidae).
New Mexico:
North American Nature Photography Association Summit Meeting, February 18-21
February 17, 2009
Albuquerque Botanic Garden
Two more butterflies – a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and a white that had to remain unidentified when it flew over the wall before I could get close enough to really see it.
February 15, 2009
Bosque del Apache NWR
Another early spring butterfly – Checkered White (Pontia protodice).
February 14, 2009
Rio Grande Nature Center
First butterfly of the year, and I only saw a blur when someone else in our group shouted “Mourning Cloak!” (Nymphalis antiopa) Despite a diligent search, we couldn't find it again.
With a high in the upper 60s today, I took a walk to see signs of spring. One of the antlions in our front yard colony dug a pit today. I found a few blooming chickweeds. Despite a careful search of two creeks, I was unable to find a water strider. Some of my previous early water strider sightings were February 29, 2004, March 7, 2007, and March 21, 2008.
As the sun set, I turned on the deck light. It attracted about a dozen lacewings and four moths. The moths scattered as I opened the back door. One disappeared and two landed too high for me to reach. I collected the one that resettled close to the light fixture on the wall. At this point, it's been tentatively identified as Hypena sp. (Erebidae).
New Mexico:
North American Nature Photography Association Summit Meeting, February 18-21
February 17, 2009
Albuquerque Botanic Garden
Two more butterflies – a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and a white that had to remain unidentified when it flew over the wall before I could get close enough to really see it.
February 15, 2009
Bosque del Apache NWR
Another early spring butterfly – Checkered White (Pontia protodice).
February 14, 2009
Rio Grande Nature Center
First butterfly of the year, and I only saw a blur when someone else in our group shouted “Mourning Cloak!” (Nymphalis antiopa) Despite a diligent search, we couldn't find it again.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
January 21, 2009
Temperatures in the 60s again today – but not for long. I went out in search of Eastern Tent Caterpillar egg cases, but couldn't find one. I did find 2 flies – a blow fly, but the other one had to remain unidentified. I also kicked up a small overwintering grasshopper (Caelifera) and a small moth. I had hoped to photograph the moth, which almost landed on a small shrub. But after fluttering through the shrub, it disappeared into the top of an adjacent tree.
Temperatures in the 60s again today – but not for long. I went out in search of Eastern Tent Caterpillar egg cases, but couldn't find one. I did find 2 flies – a blow fly, but the other one had to remain unidentified. I also kicked up a small overwintering grasshopper (Caelifera) and a small moth. I had hoped to photograph the moth, which almost landed on a small shrub. But after fluttering through the shrub, it disappeared into the top of an adjacent tree.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
January 9, 2009
Back into the high 60s today. While out on a walk to enjoy the warm, sunny day, I stopped under a Goldenrain Tree (Sapindaceae Koelrueteria paniculata) where I found 2 Red-shouldered Bugs (Jadera sp.). Here's a photo of a Red-shouldered Bug on a seed pod under a Goldenrain Tree taken November 2005.
Back into the high 60s today. While out on a walk to enjoy the warm, sunny day, I stopped under a Goldenrain Tree (Sapindaceae Koelrueteria paniculata) where I found 2 Red-shouldered Bugs (Jadera sp.). Here's a photo of a Red-shouldered Bug on a seed pod under a Goldenrain Tree taken November 2005.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
January 3, 2009
Wow, a high of 67 F today! Almost hard to remember it's winter and not early spring.
I didn't take my camera along on our bike ride today, figuring I wouldn't need it – after all it's early January. But I'd have used it if I had it.
When we got to our turn-around point, we sat at a bench along the creek. After a few minutes, we noticed our orange and red bikes and helmets had attracted a honey bee. A little while later, I saw what I thought was a Polygonia sp. flutter through the woods. Unfortunately not a good enough look to rule out Goatweed Leafwing.
Before we left the bench, a 4 mm long rove beetle landed on Jim's shirt. And then we noticed a tiny weevil crawling along the trail.
Wow, a high of 67 F today! Almost hard to remember it's winter and not early spring.
I didn't take my camera along on our bike ride today, figuring I wouldn't need it – after all it's early January. But I'd have used it if I had it.
When we got to our turn-around point, we sat at a bench along the creek. After a few minutes, we noticed our orange and red bikes and helmets had attracted a honey bee. A little while later, I saw what I thought was a Polygonia sp. flutter through the woods. Unfortunately not a good enough look to rule out Goatweed Leafwing.
Before we left the bench, a 4 mm long rove beetle landed on Jim's shirt. And then we noticed a tiny weevil crawling along the trail.
Friday, January 02, 2009
January 2, 2009
A sunny and relatively warm (47 F) day prompted me to take a short break from working on the butterfly and moth field guide to go for a walk. I searched a pipevine (Aristolochia sp.) for chrysalids; the vine fed dozens of Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillars during the summer. No luck with the butterflies, but I did find 2 praying mantis egg cases. Unfortunately, they both appeared to be Chinese mantids instead of native species.
Highlight of the day was a swarm of what appeared to be winter crane flies (Diptera Trichoceridae). I tried to catch one for a firm id, but the flies were much quicker than my hands. They look like small crane flies, but can be separated by the presence of ocelli on the winter crane flies. Larvae overwinter in decaying plant matter. Here are a couple of photos from a previous post.
A sunny and relatively warm (47 F) day prompted me to take a short break from working on the butterfly and moth field guide to go for a walk. I searched a pipevine (Aristolochia sp.) for chrysalids; the vine fed dozens of Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillars during the summer. No luck with the butterflies, but I did find 2 praying mantis egg cases. Unfortunately, they both appeared to be Chinese mantids instead of native species.
Highlight of the day was a swarm of what appeared to be winter crane flies (Diptera Trichoceridae). I tried to catch one for a firm id, but the flies were much quicker than my hands. They look like small crane flies, but can be separated by the presence of ocelli on the winter crane flies. Larvae overwinter in decaying plant matter. Here are a couple of photos from a previous post.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
December 30, 2008
Just thought I'd pass along something interesting from the Fall 2008 issue of Wings (a publication of the Xerces Society). The Miller Moth (Euxoa auxiliaris) is found in Missouri, but the individuals living on the western edge of the Great Plains migrate into the Rocky Mountains during the summer. Most likely because nectar is more available there than on the hot dry prairie.
These migrating moths are an important food for grizzly bears which can eat an astounding 10,000 to 20,000 moths each day! In a 4-week period, this immense number of small prey items can combine to provide 300,000 calories. The moths are crucial for the bears as they pack on weight for survival during hibernation.
Source: Small Animals That Pack a Big Punch by Scott Hoffman Black and Matthew Shepard. Wings, Fall 2008, p 4-8.
Just thought I'd pass along something interesting from the Fall 2008 issue of Wings (a publication of the Xerces Society). The Miller Moth (Euxoa auxiliaris) is found in Missouri, but the individuals living on the western edge of the Great Plains migrate into the Rocky Mountains during the summer. Most likely because nectar is more available there than on the hot dry prairie.
These migrating moths are an important food for grizzly bears which can eat an astounding 10,000 to 20,000 moths each day! In a 4-week period, this immense number of small prey items can combine to provide 300,000 calories. The moths are crucial for the bears as they pack on weight for survival during hibernation.
Source: Small Animals That Pack a Big Punch by Scott Hoffman Black and Matthew Shepard. Wings, Fall 2008, p 4-8.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Fall 2008
After a busy October and November with 2 due dates for a work project, I'm finally getting around to updating my blog with my last recorded sightings of a few insects.
November 4, 2008
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Polygonia sp.
While walking downtown, I noticed a praying mantis sitting on a building. I can't imagine that there were many prey items on the building, although in September, I collected a moth from a downtown building wall. It was only 2 blocks from Flat Branch Park and the trail, though.
November 3, 2008
Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus)
November 2, 2008
I haven't seen a dragonfly or damselfly for a while. Today I saw a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) flying through the parking lot at a grocery store. I also saw a Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) briefly stop in our yard.
November 1, 2008
Chrysalis – first seen on October 30th. Collected.
October 31, 2008
A Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis) was nectaring at a dandelion in our yard today. I saw another one somewhere else in town nectaring at Aromatic Asters.
October 30, 2008
Saw quite a few butterflies on a bike ride today. It's still really warm, although most of the leaves have turned. The Asian ladybugs were out in force swarming around looking for overwintering spots. I was bitten by one and took my revenge on about a dozen of this exotic species. Too bad stomping on a few won't even make the smallest dent in the population. Saw a green chironomid and an ichneumonid wasp near Perche Creek. Cicadas are still calling.
Butterflies:
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
Polygonia spp.
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
October 29, 2008
Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus)
October 27, 2008
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
October 26, 2008
A Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) was in our yard. Saw a few insects on a bike ride – a distant unidentified dark swallowtail, an unidentified anglewing (Polygonia sp.) and Cabbage White (Pieris rapae). Highlight of the day were 3 Wandering Gliders (Pantala flavescens).
After a busy October and November with 2 due dates for a work project, I'm finally getting around to updating my blog with my last recorded sightings of a few insects.
November 4, 2008
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Polygonia sp.
While walking downtown, I noticed a praying mantis sitting on a building. I can't imagine that there were many prey items on the building, although in September, I collected a moth from a downtown building wall. It was only 2 blocks from Flat Branch Park and the trail, though.
November 3, 2008
Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus)
November 2, 2008
I haven't seen a dragonfly or damselfly for a while. Today I saw a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) flying through the parking lot at a grocery store. I also saw a Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) briefly stop in our yard.
November 1, 2008
Chrysalis – first seen on October 30th. Collected.
October 31, 2008
A Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis) was nectaring at a dandelion in our yard today. I saw another one somewhere else in town nectaring at Aromatic Asters.
October 30, 2008
Saw quite a few butterflies on a bike ride today. It's still really warm, although most of the leaves have turned. The Asian ladybugs were out in force swarming around looking for overwintering spots. I was bitten by one and took my revenge on about a dozen of this exotic species. Too bad stomping on a few won't even make the smallest dent in the population. Saw a green chironomid and an ichneumonid wasp near Perche Creek. Cicadas are still calling.
Butterflies:
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
Goatweed Leafwing (Anaea andria)
Polygonia spp.
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice)
Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
October 29, 2008
Wheel bug (Arilus cristatus)
October 27, 2008
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
October 26, 2008
A Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) was in our yard. Saw a few insects on a bike ride – a distant unidentified dark swallowtail, an unidentified anglewing (Polygonia sp.) and Cabbage White (Pieris rapae). Highlight of the day were 3 Wandering Gliders (Pantala flavescens).
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
October 21, 2008
Few butterflies and moths around, but I found several in a small area with native plants. Most of the blooms were aromatic asters.
Butterflies:
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris)
Corn Earworm Moth (Helicoverpa zea)
Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)
I also saw lots of Syrphid flies.
Herald Moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix)
October 17, 2008
I photographed this Herald Moth about 25' inside of a Boone County cave; this moth overwinters as an adult inside of caves.
Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum)
October 16, 2008
I'm going to try to keep track of the last day I see some things this year, although I find that much more difficult than mentioning the first time I see something for the year. In addition to being more tedious to keep track of, it's also somewhat depressing.
Several Blue-faced Meadowhawks were in a downtown park along with numerous mating pairs of Great Spreadwings (Archilestes grandis). I couldn't find any water striders.
Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris)
October 11, 2008
We went to a Horseshoe Lake State Park in Illinois to find Bronze Coppers (Lycaena hyllus). We did find several coppers, along with a variety of other butterflies.
Tiger beetles are pretty high on my list of favorite insects, and we found plenty of them. While I haven't put names on all of them, I did identify a gorgeous maroon tiger beetle as a Festive Tiger Beetle. A lifer. In eastern Missouri on the 10th, I also found a Cow Path Tiger Beetle, which I saw for the first time this spring.
Also saw 2 moths:
Chickweed Geometer (Haematopis grataria)
Hawaiian Beet Webworm (Spoladea recurvalis)
Few butterflies and moths around, but I found several in a small area with native plants. Most of the blooms were aromatic asters.
Butterflies:
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris)
Corn Earworm Moth (Helicoverpa zea)
Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)
I also saw lots of Syrphid flies.
Herald Moth (Scoliopteryx libatrix)
October 17, 2008
I photographed this Herald Moth about 25' inside of a Boone County cave; this moth overwinters as an adult inside of caves.
Blue-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum ambiguum)
October 16, 2008
I'm going to try to keep track of the last day I see some things this year, although I find that much more difficult than mentioning the first time I see something for the year. In addition to being more tedious to keep track of, it's also somewhat depressing.
Several Blue-faced Meadowhawks were in a downtown park along with numerous mating pairs of Great Spreadwings (Archilestes grandis). I couldn't find any water striders.
Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris)
October 11, 2008
We went to a Horseshoe Lake State Park in Illinois to find Bronze Coppers (Lycaena hyllus). We did find several coppers, along with a variety of other butterflies.
Tiger beetles are pretty high on my list of favorite insects, and we found plenty of them. While I haven't put names on all of them, I did identify a gorgeous maroon tiger beetle as a Festive Tiger Beetle. A lifer. In eastern Missouri on the 10th, I also found a Cow Path Tiger Beetle, which I saw for the first time this spring.
Also saw 2 moths:
Chickweed Geometer (Haematopis grataria)
Hawaiian Beet Webworm (Spoladea recurvalis)
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
October 10, 2008
I frequently see bees plow into butterflies at flowers, chasing the butterfly from the flower so they can feed at it themselves. Today I finally managed to get a shot of this, even though it happens in a fraction of a second. My first thought was to be annoyed at the bee for chasing away the Monarch I was photographing, then I realized that unlike other times when I ended up with the insects either blurred from flight or moving out of the frame, I actually had a cool image.
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
October 5, 2008
Couldn't find many butterflies today, so I resorted to photographing honey bees. This one had its mouthparts extended as it flew away from the flowers.
Dagger Moth caterpillar (Acronicta sp.)
September 30, 2008
Found this gorgeous caterpillar crawling along a bridge railing crossing a stream on a wooded trail. No idea what it had been feeding on, but it shows only minimal differences with the Interrupted Dagger Moth caterpillar (Acronicta interrupta) pictured in David L. Wagner's Caterpillars of Eastern North America.
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
September 18, 2008
I always think of Cloudless Sulphurs as fairly obvious, but when this one landed late in the afternoon on the underside of a leaf, I realized how cryptic they can be. The faint spots and overall color blended in perfectly with the underside of these leaves with the fading sunlight shining through.
October 10, 2008
I frequently see bees plow into butterflies at flowers, chasing the butterfly from the flower so they can feed at it themselves. Today I finally managed to get a shot of this, even though it happens in a fraction of a second. My first thought was to be annoyed at the bee for chasing away the Monarch I was photographing, then I realized that unlike other times when I ended up with the insects either blurred from flight or moving out of the frame, I actually had a cool image.
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
October 5, 2008
Couldn't find many butterflies today, so I resorted to photographing honey bees. This one had its mouthparts extended as it flew away from the flowers.
Dagger Moth caterpillar (Acronicta sp.)
September 30, 2008
Found this gorgeous caterpillar crawling along a bridge railing crossing a stream on a wooded trail. No idea what it had been feeding on, but it shows only minimal differences with the Interrupted Dagger Moth caterpillar (Acronicta interrupta) pictured in David L. Wagner's Caterpillars of Eastern North America.
Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)
September 18, 2008
I always think of Cloudless Sulphurs as fairly obvious, but when this one landed late in the afternoon on the underside of a leaf, I realized how cryptic they can be. The faint spots and overall color blended in perfectly with the underside of these leaves with the fading sunlight shining through.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Common Spragueia (Spragueia leo)
September 8, 2008
Have I just been overlooking these guys or is their population up this year? At any rate, I started taking insect photos in May 2003 and I saw one in August 2003 and then none until this year. I photographed one in captivity that had been collected at a mercury vapor light on August 15th, I saw one in Callaway County on September 6th but it flew off before I could take a photo, and then I saw a Common Spragueia nectaring at sedum today.
I'm glad I headed out for photographs, the forecast was for rain so I was working inside at the entomology museum. I noticed the sun was out and didn't want to waste a day at the end of the flight season, so I headed out. By the time I was out, it was cloudy and windy, but there were quite a few skippers feeding at the clump of sedum along with a Corn Earworm Moth (Helicoverpa zea). And then I noticed the Spragueia!
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
September 7, 2008
We have so many Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars on our pipevines that we can hear them chewing the leaves when we walk by.
Cicada (Cicadidae)
September 6, 2008
We spent a cloudy morning at a central Missouri prairie, but didn't see much, I'm sure the weather didn't help. The highlight was finding a cicada being eaten by a praying mantis – unfortunately, it was an introduced species – a Chinese preying mantis. I didn't have a collecting permit for the area, otherwise I would have liked to have collected them – partly to be able to key out the cicada (hopefully I'll have an id to add to this page in a day or so) but mostly to kill an introduced species – even though that would obviously have no real effect on the population.
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
August 27, 2008
Lots of Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars around this week. I slightly disturbed this one and it extruded its osmeterium – a defensive organ that expels chemicals to repel predators.
Pipevine caterpillars ingest plant chemicals that make them inedible to some predators, but they are still preyed upon by others, including ladybug larvae. Pipevines frequently defend themselves by biting the ladybugs, they are more likely to successfully defend themselves if they are bigger than the ladybugs. Caterpillars preparing to pupate are more likely to extrude their osmeterium than feeding caterpillars. Other defensive actions include thrashing around and regurgitating. (Stamp. 1986. Physical constraints of defense and response to invertebrate predators by pipevine caterpillars (Battus philenor: Papilionidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 40: 191-205)
September 8, 2008
Have I just been overlooking these guys or is their population up this year? At any rate, I started taking insect photos in May 2003 and I saw one in August 2003 and then none until this year. I photographed one in captivity that had been collected at a mercury vapor light on August 15th, I saw one in Callaway County on September 6th but it flew off before I could take a photo, and then I saw a Common Spragueia nectaring at sedum today.
I'm glad I headed out for photographs, the forecast was for rain so I was working inside at the entomology museum. I noticed the sun was out and didn't want to waste a day at the end of the flight season, so I headed out. By the time I was out, it was cloudy and windy, but there were quite a few skippers feeding at the clump of sedum along with a Corn Earworm Moth (Helicoverpa zea). And then I noticed the Spragueia!
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
September 7, 2008
We have so many Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars on our pipevines that we can hear them chewing the leaves when we walk by.
Cicada (Cicadidae)
September 6, 2008
We spent a cloudy morning at a central Missouri prairie, but didn't see much, I'm sure the weather didn't help. The highlight was finding a cicada being eaten by a praying mantis – unfortunately, it was an introduced species – a Chinese preying mantis. I didn't have a collecting permit for the area, otherwise I would have liked to have collected them – partly to be able to key out the cicada (hopefully I'll have an id to add to this page in a day or so) but mostly to kill an introduced species – even though that would obviously have no real effect on the population.
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
August 27, 2008
Lots of Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars around this week. I slightly disturbed this one and it extruded its osmeterium – a defensive organ that expels chemicals to repel predators.
Pipevine caterpillars ingest plant chemicals that make them inedible to some predators, but they are still preyed upon by others, including ladybug larvae. Pipevines frequently defend themselves by biting the ladybugs, they are more likely to successfully defend themselves if they are bigger than the ladybugs. Caterpillars preparing to pupate are more likely to extrude their osmeterium than feeding caterpillars. Other defensive actions include thrashing around and regurgitating. (Stamp. 1986. Physical constraints of defense and response to invertebrate predators by pipevine caterpillars (Battus philenor: Papilionidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 40: 191-205)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Common Spragueia (Spragueia leo)
August 15, 2008
I tagged along with a Master Naturalist program to collect moths at lights at Overton Bottoms in the Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge. I was really excited to catch this brightly colored Common Spragueia and am still trying to shake the disappointment of having a Eumarozia malachitana land on my right hand and then fly off while I was trying to figure out how to collect it.
Other highlights of the evening were a Short-lined Chocolate (Argyrostrotis anilis), Basswood Leafroller (Pantographa limata), and quite a few Honey Locust moths (Syssyphinx bicolor).
Grasshopper
August 9, 2008
I found this grasshopper with a white head and body while we finished up a butterfly count at the Prairie Garden Trust. I'm still working on an identification.
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
August 2, 2008
As I got out of the car when we returned home from eastern Missouri, I noticed this chrysalis which a caterpillar had formed on my car tire. I'm really glad I noticed it, since it obviously would have been smashed as soon as I moved my car. About a week earlier we had counted 33 caterpillars feeding on the pipevines (Aristolochia tomentosa) we planted in our yards to attract the butterflies. It worked great – we have adult Pipevine Swallowtails in our yard almost every day, especially at the end of the summer.
The chrysalis had to have been formed sometime between July 31st and August 2nd
-- days I didn't drive my car. The female emerged mid-morning on August 25th. I cut the silk holding the chrysalis to my tire tread and used a dot of Elmer's glue to fasten it to a stick which I placed in a plastic aquarium with a screen lid. When I noticed her, I brought the container outside and removed the lid at about 10:15 am. (I had checked the cage sometime within the previous hour and she hadn't emerged yet.) When we went onto our deck for lunch, she flew off and landed on shagbark hickory leaves about 10' away and 15' high and remained there for about 20 minutes before flying off again.
Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar (Euchaetes egle)
August 1, 2008
This Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar feeding on milkweed leaves shows off bright colors warning that it stores toxic chemicals from feeding on milkweeds and is inedible.
This twirler moth (Gelechiidae Anacampsis sp.) is tiny, with a wingspan of about 10mm. While we watched and photographed it, occasionally it would spin in a circle.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
July 31, 2008
While at the Cape Girardeau Nature Center taking down my July photo exhibit, I took a few photos of a black form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
In addition to the swallowtail, I was really excited to find this Reticulated Sparganothis moth (Sparganothis reticulatana) while we hiked one of the wooded trails.
August 15, 2008
I tagged along with a Master Naturalist program to collect moths at lights at Overton Bottoms in the Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge. I was really excited to catch this brightly colored Common Spragueia and am still trying to shake the disappointment of having a Eumarozia malachitana land on my right hand and then fly off while I was trying to figure out how to collect it.
Other highlights of the evening were a Short-lined Chocolate (Argyrostrotis anilis), Basswood Leafroller (Pantographa limata), and quite a few Honey Locust moths (Syssyphinx bicolor).
Grasshopper
August 9, 2008
I found this grasshopper with a white head and body while we finished up a butterfly count at the Prairie Garden Trust. I'm still working on an identification.
Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
August 2, 2008
As I got out of the car when we returned home from eastern Missouri, I noticed this chrysalis which a caterpillar had formed on my car tire. I'm really glad I noticed it, since it obviously would have been smashed as soon as I moved my car. About a week earlier we had counted 33 caterpillars feeding on the pipevines (Aristolochia tomentosa) we planted in our yards to attract the butterflies. It worked great – we have adult Pipevine Swallowtails in our yard almost every day, especially at the end of the summer.
The chrysalis had to have been formed sometime between July 31st and August 2nd
-- days I didn't drive my car. The female emerged mid-morning on August 25th. I cut the silk holding the chrysalis to my tire tread and used a dot of Elmer's glue to fasten it to a stick which I placed in a plastic aquarium with a screen lid. When I noticed her, I brought the container outside and removed the lid at about 10:15 am. (I had checked the cage sometime within the previous hour and she hadn't emerged yet.) When we went onto our deck for lunch, she flew off and landed on shagbark hickory leaves about 10' away and 15' high and remained there for about 20 minutes before flying off again.
Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar (Euchaetes egle)
August 1, 2008
This Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillar feeding on milkweed leaves shows off bright colors warning that it stores toxic chemicals from feeding on milkweeds and is inedible.
This twirler moth (Gelechiidae Anacampsis sp.) is tiny, with a wingspan of about 10mm. While we watched and photographed it, occasionally it would spin in a circle.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)
July 31, 2008
While at the Cape Girardeau Nature Center taking down my July photo exhibit, I took a few photos of a black form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
In addition to the swallowtail, I was really excited to find this Reticulated Sparganothis moth (Sparganothis reticulatana) while we hiked one of the wooded trails.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Mydas Fly (Mydas sp.)
July 18, 2008
Highlight of the day was finding a group of 3 Mydas flies (guessing from size, 2 females and 1 male). The 2 females were seen laying eggs in a mulch pile along the edge of the trail. Later, one of the adults was observed feeding at Rattlesnake Master (Apiaceae Eryngium yuccifolium) flowers.
Barton County
July 11 - 13, 2008
Went to Prairie State Park hoping for good shots of Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria idalia) but came home without them. We did see a few male Regals flying back and forth over the prairie searching for females, but by this time of year, most of the females were no longer interested in the remaining males. One chase, however, was very interesting, since the male basically flew circles, similar to the path of a ferris wheel, around the female as she flew about 30' high. Several passing males were so close I almost could have reached out to touch them, and just before we reached our car when we were leaving the park, a final male passed close enough to brush its wings against the side of my head as I heard the sound made by the wings! Really frustrating not to be able to get a photo, but it's almost impossible to get a really great image of a butterfly in flight.
We did manage to find a few cool moths, the highlights were a Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth (Crambidae Pyrausta tyralis) and a Black-bordered Lemon Moth (Noctuidae Thioptera nigrofimbria).
The highlight of the trip, though, were the fireflies. The most awesome firefly show I've seen since we went to Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the synchronized fireflies at Elkmont. We were in the campground, which is wooded, not prairie. When it started getting dark, just looking forward, there were about 50 flashes visible at any given moment. And it was the same in all directions! We were also seeing different species of fireflies in the group – the flashes were different. During the day, we were able to find resting fireflies in two different genera – Photinus and Photuris. Photinus spp. have defensive chemicals that provide protection from predators. Photuris spp. aren't chemically protected, so the females flash the pattern of Photinus females to bring males into striking range. The female then eat the male, acquiring the chemical defense of the other species. The Photuris female flashes the pattern for her own species, mates with an appropriate male, and provides the chemical protection from the Photinus firefly male to her own eggs.
July 18, 2008
Highlight of the day was finding a group of 3 Mydas flies (guessing from size, 2 females and 1 male). The 2 females were seen laying eggs in a mulch pile along the edge of the trail. Later, one of the adults was observed feeding at Rattlesnake Master (Apiaceae Eryngium yuccifolium) flowers.
Barton County
July 11 - 13, 2008
Went to Prairie State Park hoping for good shots of Regal Fritillaries (Speyeria idalia) but came home without them. We did see a few male Regals flying back and forth over the prairie searching for females, but by this time of year, most of the females were no longer interested in the remaining males. One chase, however, was very interesting, since the male basically flew circles, similar to the path of a ferris wheel, around the female as she flew about 30' high. Several passing males were so close I almost could have reached out to touch them, and just before we reached our car when we were leaving the park, a final male passed close enough to brush its wings against the side of my head as I heard the sound made by the wings! Really frustrating not to be able to get a photo, but it's almost impossible to get a really great image of a butterfly in flight.
We did manage to find a few cool moths, the highlights were a Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth (Crambidae Pyrausta tyralis) and a Black-bordered Lemon Moth (Noctuidae Thioptera nigrofimbria).
The highlight of the trip, though, were the fireflies. The most awesome firefly show I've seen since we went to Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the synchronized fireflies at Elkmont. We were in the campground, which is wooded, not prairie. When it started getting dark, just looking forward, there were about 50 flashes visible at any given moment. And it was the same in all directions! We were also seeing different species of fireflies in the group – the flashes were different. During the day, we were able to find resting fireflies in two different genera – Photinus and Photuris. Photinus spp. have defensive chemicals that provide protection from predators. Photuris spp. aren't chemically protected, so the females flash the pattern of Photinus females to bring males into striking range. The female then eat the male, acquiring the chemical defense of the other species. The Photuris female flashes the pattern for her own species, mates with an appropriate male, and provides the chemical protection from the Photinus firefly male to her own eggs.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Scissor-grinder Cicadas (Tibicen auletes)
July 7, 2008
This evening I was in the backyard and realized I was hearing cicadas. I grabbed my iPod and played the cicada section from the Singing Insects CD produced by the Missouri Department of Conservation and identified them as Scissor-grinder Cicadas. I recognized the sound as what I hear every year, but this was the first time I tried to identify the species by the sound.
July 7, 2008
This evening I was in the backyard and realized I was hearing cicadas. I grabbed my iPod and played the cicada section from the Singing Insects CD produced by the Missouri Department of Conservation and identified them as Scissor-grinder Cicadas. I recognized the sound as what I hear every year, but this was the first time I tried to identify the species by the sound.
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