Silvery Checkerspot Caterpillar – Butterflies and Moths of North America Silvery checkerspot caterpillars are typically black with yellow lines and spots This family of caterpillars (Nymphalidae) are known for their branched spines. If you look at the silvery checkerspot caterpillar from above, these spiked spines are easier to see. Silvery checkerspot caterpillars are typically black with yellow […]
Swift Feather-Legged Fly – Bug Guide Look in grasslands, hedge rows, and crops, which they are likely to inhabit This photo of a swift feather-legged fly was taken in my backyard. The fly was staying around as I was cutting zucchini off the vine. There were a few in the garden, but this one was […]
Black Blister Beetle – Bug Guide Through most of this portion of the Rio Grande, there are sweeping canyon walls on either side of the river I would not have guessed that I would see this black blister beetle while on a canoe trip on the Rio Grande. We were staying in Big Bend National […]
Large Milkweed Bug – Bug Guide Aposematism is when an organism advertises to its predators that it is not worth eating Unsurprisingly this photo of a large milkweed bug was taken on a milkweed plant. Their common name is in fact “large milkweed bug”. The scientific name for this insect is Oncopeltus fasciatus. The geographic […]
Sawfly Larvae – More Info These groups of eggs are referred to as pods or rafts What is a sawfly? Sawflies are a wasp-like creature. However, this photograph shows sawfly larvae, which is the worm-like stage of this animal. This is what a sawfly looks like after hatching from an egg, but before metamorphosis transforms this caterpillar-looking creature into […]
Green Sweat Bee – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Green sweat bees will lick the sweat from human skin Check out this metallic green pollinator. As the name suggests, this green colored bee is attracted to human sweat, primarily for its salt content. Male and female green sweat bees will lick the sweat from human skin. These bees are […]
Speckle-Winged Rangeland Grasshopper – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data If you look closely, even their eyes are speckled! This interesting looking grasshopper is called a speckle-winged rangeland grasshopper. Its name is a mouthful so for the remainder of this article we will refer to it as the SWRG. This grasshopper is relatively small. The one in this photo is […]
Cabbage White Butterfly – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data There were lots of pollinators amongst the thick vegetation. The last few years I’ve made a concerted effort to visit the few states I have not seen. This summer I made it to Nebraska for the first time. Just south of Omaha is an awesome riverside park called […]
Black Shouldered Drone Fly – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Black shouldered drone flies are a species of hoverfly This month Wild Boyz Photography is highlighting the beauty of Midwest nature. Ben currently lives in the Midwest. Before living in New Hampshire and Florida, I also spent ten years in Indiana. Both Ben and I have shot many […]
Virginian Tiger Moth – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data It seemed to be amorphous with no defined front or back Sometimes nature does 95% of the work for you and taking a great photo. I was sitting on my front porch one evening with my wife and donor when suddenly, I looked down and saw […]