Great Blue Heron – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Great blue herons have a lethal weapon built into their head–their beak This majestic aviator is a great blue heron. With this month’s theme of “Zoomed In” you can get a good look at their decorative plumage. Great blue herons have a lethal weapon built into their head–their […]
Gold Dust Day Gecko – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The gold dust day gecko is invasive in Hawai’i This photo was taken near Hapuna Beach on the Big Island of Hawai’I in 2023. This colorful animal that you are looking at is a gold dust day gecko. Jill and I were heading back from […]
Dusky Birch Sawfly – iNaturalist The dusky birch sawfly has an interesting lifecycle This tiny green caterpillar looking creature is called a dusky birch sawfly. As the name suggests, the host plant this species prefers is the birch tree. It can be found throughout the United States, but is typically seen in the eastern United States. I took […]
American Bullfrog – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They capture and consume unsuspecting lizards, snakes, rodents, crayfish, insects, snails, and worms This captivating eye belongs to an American bullfrog. Similar to other species, these are highly aquatic creatures. These frogs are native to eastern North America and are often seen near permanent water sources such as lake, […]
Bitterweed – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Bitterweeds are also known as sneezeweed Helenium amarum, commonly known as bitterweed, sneezeweed, or yellowdicks, is a flowering plant species native to North America, particularly found in the southeastern United States, although it is also found in Brazil, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Bitterweed is adaptable and grows in […]
Slimleaf Plains-Mustard – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data The scientific name is Schoenocrambe linearifolius Slimleaf plains mustard is a perennial wildflower in the Brassicaceae family with a slender stem that can grow to be nearly 5 feet tall. It is found throughout New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Texas, and northern Mexico. The species’ range is […]
Scarlet Hedgehog cactus – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The Scarlet Hedgehog cactus can be found in arid rocky areas The scarlet hedgehog cactus or claret cup cactus is found throughout Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado, primarily in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. These plants are found in arid and rocky areas, and while they […]
Hairy Vetch – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Hairy vetch can be found across the United States This is an eastern bumble bee hanging upside-down on a flower known as hairy vetch. This strange named flower is also known as fodder vetch, winter vetch, or sand vetch. Although Wild Boyz Photography has written about eastern bumbles in […]
Spotted Touch-Me-Not – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern This beautiful flowering plant is native to North America and is commonly found around creeks This is a hoverfly standing on the flower of a touch-me-not plant. This plant is also knowns as orange jewelweed, orange balsam, or common jewelweed. This beautiful flowering plant is native to North America […]
Spanish Needles – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Spanish needles can reach a max of five feet tall This pollinator friendly plant goes by many names. Common names include butterfly needles, shepherd’s needles, tickseed sunflowers, stick weed, pitchfork weed, and beggar-ticks. Although this plant may look pretty, many consider it a weed. It is an annual or short-lived […]