Long-Spurred Meadow Katydid – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data This katydid gets its name from the shape of the male cerci This photo was taken just outside my house in Indiana. The bright green color of the katydid caught my attention, and I had to lean in to take a photo. It was a somewhat […]
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 […]
Purple Coneflower – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data The dome of the purple coneflower is dominated by multiple small yellow florets When you first look at this photo, you might think to yourself, “what in the world am I looking at?”, “is this from planet Earth?”, “what are these red and orange spikes?”, and more. […]
Tree Crinum – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data It has the common name: poison bulb, Asian poison bulb, giant crinum lily, grand crinum lily, and spider lily I took this photo while on the big island of Hawai’i. It was planted near the condo that my wife and I were staying at. I was mesmerized […]
Pileated Woodpecker – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern They have a characteristic red crest, or “mohawk” The pileated woodpecker can often be heard tapping its beaks against trees as it searched for its next meal. Common to North America, this is the third largest woodpecker in the world and the largest woodpecker in North America. […]
Northern Cardinal – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern The adult male is red in color with a black mask over its eyes that extends to the upper chest. There are many names for this common bird that is native to North America. The most common name is northern cardinal, while it is also known as […]
Bald Eagle – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern In 2007, bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list altogether This majestic raptor is a juvenile bald eagle. Many of us are familiar with the history of the bald eagle in America. Ben’s previous story can get you up to speed. We are encouraged to see a rebound […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]