Elusive Fliers

 

Hummingbirds chitter

Above my head, wings thrumming

Evading my lens

Milkweed Lace

 

A skeletonized milkweed leaf. Those veiny bits might just be too tough for baby caterpillars to chew through?

If you look closely, you can see the little critters responsible for revealing the artwork that is the structure of the leaf

And 8 days later they look like this - the milkweed tussock moth caterpillar

Insects feeding on milkweeds are very specialized, since the milky sap in the leaves is infused with toxic chemicals. Only those who aren't sensitive to these toxins can feed on the foliage.

Fishing Camouflage

A fishing spider:

So beautifully patterned

Yet it seems scary!

Things I Don't have Photos of ...

Things I Don't have Photos of ...

... the hissing Barred Owl and its parent that visited us while we were dining al fresco some nights ago. It was a spectacular view, and we seemed to invoke its curiosity for a time as well. How amazing it was to have this creature acknowledge and look across at US! It was a very special couple of minutes.

... the 5 herons foraging together in a secluded wetland cove on our lake, oblivious to my presence. Or maybe they regarded me as part of the ecosystem? Whatever their take was, they looked magnificent!

... hummingbirds at my garden flowers!

... And then there are things which I wish I didn't have photos of ...