Orchard Orbweaver – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data The orchard orbweaver will suck this liquid out of the bite hole These ornate spiders are called orchard orbweavers. If you live in the eastern United States, this spider is one of the more commonly seen spiders. They are found from Canada to Brazil. Technically, there are two almost identical […]
Common Whitetail Skimmer – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Female whitetail skimmers will release their fertilized eggs into water, mud, or vegetation This is a common whitetail skimmer dragonfly photographed near the Zealand River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. More specifically, this is a male dragonfly. How do the males differ visually from the females? Male […]
Red-backed Salamander – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They tend to prefer neutral soils and will avoid acidic soils This creature does not have lungs! Instead, it breathes through a process called cutaneous respiration. So long as its skin is moist, red-backed salamanders can exchange gas through their skin. These interesting amphibians are only two to four inches […]
Great Egret – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Adult great egrets will have all white feathers This contorted creature is a great egret. This photograph was taken at Fort De Soto Park, just outside of St. Petersburg, Florida. The water in the background is the Gulf of Mexico. This great egret is using its long and flexible neck […]
Flying Gurnard – IUCN Conservation Status: Varies Flying gurnards walk around using their ventral and pectoral fins We are looking at an overhead image featuring a flying gurnard (left) and peacock flounder (right). Both fish have amazing camouflage skills. This photo was taken at Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida. Blue Heron Bridge is a […]
Blue-fronted Dancer – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Blue-fronted dancers are a type of damselfly This wild winged creature is called a blue-fronted dancer. It is called a “dancer” because of how it flies. Notice the thin transparent wings. The blue-fronted dancer is a type of damselfly. Damselflies are smaller than dragonflies. The male blue-fronted dancers have a blue thorax […]
Yellow Goldenrod Crab Spider The color the spider is matching is the black-eyed Susan flower This month, we are featuring creatures with camouflage capabilities. This spider is capable of changing its color based on the surrounding environment. In this case, the color the spider is matching is the black-eyed Susan flower it hunts upon. Wild Boyz Photography featured […]
Praying Mantis – IUCN Conservation Status: Varies Mantids will not develop wings until their final molt These alien looking insects are masters of camouflage and ambush predation. They are often not seen because of this stealth lifestyle. These cryptic creatures have triangle shaped heads. They have large complex eyes that take up most of their heads. Praying mantis have […]
Green Frog – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Their body color can range from green to brown to gray This photograph was taken at Bangor City Forest in Maine. Green frogs are typically found close to water, and that was the case here. There is a pond just out of frame. The green frog was perched motionless and […]
Florida Box Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable As the name suggests, the California two-spot octopus has two false eye spots This month we are showcasing photographs with the theme of “Light”. This California two-spot octopus was hiding in the dark canopy of the kelp forest. This photograph is from Catalina Island, off the coast of California. We […]