Scorpionfly – iNaturalist They have a yellow body with two pairs of black and yellow striped wings This wild insect is called a scorpionfly. These small to medium sized insects are visually distinct. They have a yellow body with two pairs of black and yellow striped wings. They have very long antennae and an elongated head. Scorpionflies get their […]
Pine Sawyer – iNaturalist This beetle is native to the area and is not considered a deforestation threat This is a sawyer beetle, a type of long-horned beetle. There are two species of sawyer beetle in Maine, where this photo was taken. There is the whitespotted sawyer beetle and the Northeastern pine sawyer. Both species are similar looking, […]
Orange Sulphur – iNaturalist There are complete pink and black spots that run from top to bottom During the summer of 2023, we had an extremely prolific flower garden that was teeming with different perennials. I was walking around taking photos of some of these flowers when I came upon this butterfly. Its common name […]
Red Admiral – iNaturalist The red admiral was previously known by the common name, the red admirable When I took this photo, I had just finished up a scuba dive in the middle of Indiana. The water had been a brisk temperature, and I was ready to heat up. My towel was being guarded by […]
Autumn Meadowhawk – iNaturalist Like other dragonflies, autumn meadowhawks prey on flying insects This wild looking dragonfly is called an autumn meadowhawk. These ornate dragonflies are on the small side, measuring up to 1.5 inches long. This species is also referred to as the yellow-legged meadowhawk, because the legs of the adults are yellow. If you look closely, […]
Condylostylus sipho – iNaturalist Much more is known about the family of true flies that this species belongs to Up until the evening of May 31st, this insect wasn’t going to be in the June gallery. I was eating dinner on my back porch with my wife, when suddenly this true fly came and landed […]
Hawksbill – IUCN Conservation Status: Critically Endangered Hawksbills are smaller turtles than similarly looking green turtles This small hawksbill turtle is drifting with the current. Adult hawksbills will grow to about three feet long and weigh around 180 pounds. This little turtle was less than a foot long. We were able to snorkel with it for a short […]
Florida Softshell Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They get this name from their cartilaginous carapace This is Virgil the Turtle. Virgil is a Florida softshell turtle that lives near Williston, Florida. Williston is a small town about half an hour south of Gainesville. North Central Florida is known for its fresh water springs, caverns, and caves. Virgil […]
Green Sea Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered Green sea turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys Green turtles are a common sighting in the Florida Keys. They appear similar to a hawksbill turtle, however there are some identifying features we can look for. The green sea turtle bill is not beak-like. Hawksbills have a […]
Green Sea Turtle – IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered The body of the green sea turtle adapts to their herbivorous adulthood The green sea turtle pictured here is in a most precarious looking position. Its neck is extended forward over a bed of coral rock, and its head is wedged between the iron ore below the […]