Category Archives: Insects

Odes in Winter: Where Are They Now?

Posted on February 24, 2019 by

Here in northern Ohio we’ve entered a period of the year that I think of as, “Is It Time Yet?” We’ve been through the depths of a frigid winter and have been treated to some brief warmups in which all … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects, Odonata (dragons and damsels) | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Visual Ode to the Holiday

Posted on February 14, 2019 by

These are Familiar Bluets in their heart-shaped mating wheel. These damselflies belong to the insect order called Odonata, and we often shorten that to “odes” when talking about them among other ode lovers. And below is a photo of one … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects, Native plants, Odonata (dragons and damsels), wildflowers | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Cocooning

Posted on November 1, 2018 by

The weather here in northwestern Ohio has turned colder and wetter as we enter the depths of autumn. Humans turn to furnaces and fireplaces for comfort and survival, and insects have their various methods of doing the same. This year … Continue reading →

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Can You See Me Now?

Posted on October 7, 2018 by

While working in the garden between rain showers yesterday, I took a quick break to check on some monarch caterpillars in my native flower garden. I quickly saw that all four of them were accounted for, but worriedly noted that … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Nope, That’s Not a Bee

Posted on October 5, 2018 by

When I first started photographing insects, I noticed — but didn’t really look at — lots of little “bees.” I noted their brown and yellow abdomens and quickly dismissed them as uninteresting. But once I actually photographed one of them … Continue reading →

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A Speeding Green Bullet!

Posted on September 20, 2018 by

Autumn has long been my favorite season of the year — colorful tree foliage, cooler air for comfortable hikes, clear cerulean skies, cozy sweaters…I could go on. But this is also a season tinged with sadness for the end of … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects, Odonata (dragons and damsels) | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

And Now We Wait

Posted on September 18, 2018 by

My friend Annie planted fennel in her garden this year with hopes of attracting Eastern Black Swallowtails to lay their eggs there. Fennel is one of their many host plants (things that their caterpillars can eat when they hatch), along … Continue reading →

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Standing in a Cloud of Monarchs

Posted on September 12, 2018 by

On the weekend of September 8 and 9, we got lucky here on the Ohio shore of Lake Erie. I’d thought it was going to be a good weekend to hunker down indoors with coffee and a good book, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Just Call Me “Moth Mama”

Posted on September 6, 2018 by

In my previous post, I wrote about some yellow-striped armyworm caterpillars (Spodoptera ornithogalli) I’d brought home to raise. Many caterpillars have beautiful markings, and this one was no exception. I didn’t notice this pretty geometric design on the dorsal side until … Continue reading →

Posted in Insects | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

Posted on September 5, 2018 by
Image | Posted on September 5, 2018 by | Tagged , , | 4 Comments