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 […]
Northern Leopard Frog – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Most leopard frogs tend to be shades of green or brown with a leopard pattern This is a northern leopard frog sitting along a brook in Bethel, Maine. I find it challenging to shoot photos of frogs. They typically get spooked and jump away. However, this time I was […]
California Aglaja – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Although it looks like a nudibranch, it is actually a headshield slug We are looking at a marine sea slug called a California aglaja. Its scientific name is Navanax inermis. I took this photograph in about fifty feet of water in the Channel Islands National Park. This particular sea […]
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 […]
Gopher Tortoise – IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable This photo of a checkered melon beetle was taken while hiking along a creek bed near Croton Springs within the park. This gopher tortoise is listed as Threatened in Florida. The tortoise and the burrows they build are protected by law. Before land development or land clearing, property owners must […]
Hawksbill Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered Hawksbills only grow to about three feet in length. They will grow to 180 pounds on average. This month our gallery theme is “Turtles”! Ben and I are fortunate to have had many turtle encounters over the years. They are magical moments. When I was 13, I went snorkeling for the […]
Green Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered Turtles can hold their breath for two hours before surfacing. Even if this photo was in color, you would not use the color of the shell to determine that this is a “green turtle”. The name “green turtle” actually comes from their green fatty tissue. There are other ways to […]
Black and Yellow Mud Dauber – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data They affix these mud nests in areas that are kept dry. This photo comes from the Bangor City Forest in Maine. This easily accessible 600+ acre wildlife habitat is open to the public year-round. If you enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing, there are nine miles […]
Ambush Bugs – IUCN Conservation Status: Varies Ambush bugs will prey on creatures much larger than themselves including bees, butterflies, moths, and flies How does a creature get the name ambush bug? These stealthy bugs sit on flowers and wait for other creatures to get too close. This behavior isn’t unique, in fact we featured a predator […]