Category Archives: Insects

Insects

Juvenile Blue Corporal Dragonfly

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We’ve had some nights below freezing recently, and the day I took these didn’t get much above the mid 50s (10 C)  so I was surprised to see any dragonfly.

I spent some time with my “Dragonflies and Damselflies of the East” book and searching online. I did not even come up with Blue Corporal as a possibility.

Blue Corporal
Blue Corporal

The ID was provided by Odonata of the Eastern United States Facebook group, with one very confident ID as a Juvenile male Blue Corporal Dragonfly, with several  assents.

Blue Corporal
Blue Corporal

Audubon Center at Beidler Forest, Harleyville, SC
March 19, 2023

Insects

First Damselfly Images Of The Year

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I had actually seen a pair of damselflies a week or so ago but couldn’t get any usable images.

Damselfly
Damselfly

I saw two of these at the edge of a small pond that was mostly in the shade except for a few blades of a reed where one stopped to eat his prey.

Damselfly With Fly
Damselfly With Fly

I don’t know the ID, they were quite small, maybe an inch or inch and a half ( 2.5 – 4 cm).

Damselfly With Fly
Damselfly With Fly

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
February 23, 2023

Insects, Nature

Butterflies on Honeysuckle

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As the morning warmed up I could smell the honeysuckle as I walked along the dike and pretty soon several butterflies appeared.

This Gulf Fritillary was a very bold orange, and in pristine shape like he had just hatched.

Gulf Fritillary on Honeysuckle
Gulf Fritillary on Honeysuckle

Several Skippers were intent on feeding from the underside of the leaves, this one popped out for just a moment.

Long-tailed Skipper on Honeysuckle
Long-tailed Skipper on Honeysuckle

This last butterfly looks like a Sulpher Butterfly, but was much smaller, about this size of a dime (Diameter 0.750 in. ~ 19.05 mm) . Research turns up it is likely a Little Yellow.

Little Yellow butterfly on Honeysuckle
Little Yellow butterfly on Honeysuckle

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
November 26, 2022

Flowers, Insects

Daddy Long Legs on Spotted Beebalm

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Daddy Long Legs spiders were climbing all over this small clump of spotted beebalm.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

The dappled sun was warming after a cool start and prey possibilities including smaller insects may have become active, too.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

I have no idea what this one is doing; I wondered if it was laying eggs but all information I’ve found says they lay their eggs in dirt.

Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm
Daddy Long Legs Spider on Spotted Beebalm

Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 14, 2022

Monarda punctata
Spotted Beebalm, Spotted Horsemint, Horsemint

 

Insects

Long-tailed Skipper

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A number of butterflies, including this Long-tailed Skipper, were working a row of wildflowers at the edge of field at Botany Bay WMA. I do not know this flower, and spot metering on the insect left that bright white blown out.

Long-tailed Skipper
Long-tailed Skipper, Just a hint of the turquois visible at the base of his tail
Long-tailed Skipper
Long-tailed Skipper
Long-tailed Skipper
Long-tailed Skipper

Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 14, 2022

Insects

Grasshopper on Pokeweed

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The color of the pokeweed berries and stems were a nice contrast to this grasshopper.

Grasshopper on Pokeberry
Grasshopper on Pokeweed – Canon 100-400mm

The spiny structures on his back leg look like they mean business.

Grasshopper on Pokeberry
Grasshopper on Pokeweed – Canon 100-400mm

This last shot was taken with the Canon 100mm macro lens. I couldn’t get the angle I wanted with the available footing and the grasshopper never moved, so it is nearly the same image as above.

Grasshopper on Pokeberry
Grasshopper on Pokeweed – Canon 100 mm

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston, SC
October 24, 2022