Josh and I headed back to the midwest this past week for a little vacation at his folks place. We had the grand idea of driving. It wasn’t so grand 3 hours into the 20hr trip from NY to MN, but we made it. I think we have sworn off long car rides for a while.

I have been surrounded by the woods for some time now and forgot how wild it is to see corn stretch to the horizon. Its all corn, soy beans, and native prairies as far as the eye can see.

We decided to take the puppy with us, remember her? Well, she’s 8 months grown now, but was just as bored with the long car ride as we were.

She is starting to grow into her own and starting to use those hunting dog instincts. Josh’s parents have goats on their farm and Maya was having a good time pointing them.

And of course she wanted to play with them too after she realized they weren’t going anywhere…

I managed to see some birds while there too, like these 2 American Kestrels. There was actually three, but the other didn’t want to sit still for the photo opt with the other 2.

I also got a nice pic of a Dickcissel.

And got to have at least one pic of a bug…hope this stink bug will do.

Well the following ought to please the masses. Below are some photos from the last couple weeks that I have been meaning to post. Enjoy!

Pearly Wood-Nymph. Does it remind you of anything? (Think bird poop, its a nice defense).

Ctenucha Moth

Stilt-Legged Fly

Japanese Beetle

Drone Fly

Tent Caterpillar Moth

Dogbane Beetle

Scorpionfly…you can guess why he is called that, right?

Carrion Beetle

Thick-headed Fly. Thats right, its a fly, not a wasp…but its a good mimic isn’t it? You can tell its a fly from the halteres and antennae. And that goofy mouthpart.

Damselfly

Comma Butterfly. The “comma” part of the name comes from the silver “,” shape on the wing. Can you find it?

Thorn Treehopper

Happy Bugging

Deer fly (Chrysops spp.)

I know, I know, I know…I haven’t updated in a while and nor have I had a chance to respond to the plethora of emails that have flooded my box from the “Ask An Entomologist” section of this site. Seems to be a correlation between the height of insect activity and people’s curiosity with those bugs that dwell close to the home. Unfortunately, I have been super busy lately but soon enough I will get a chance to get back on track with this site. Promise.

This week I kicked up 3 baby American Woodcocks in the forest and while I was not quick enough with the camera to get a picture of them I did get a picture of the mother who was lingering nearby.

I also saw this doe laying down in the sunlight. I never knew they had that many whiskers.

I hope this weekend will be a good weekend of some concentrated insect photos. It’ll be one of the first weekends free from work in a while. Better watch out bugs…

This past week was a busy week for me. I had to make a trip for work up to the northern border of NY and Canada to the pine barrens to set up a study there.

While there I managed to see a new life bird, an Evening Grosbeak.

Also saw this mayfly who is a little wide-eyed.

Also, the town we live in had a civil war reenactment this weekend. It was definitely different for us. We got a call at 9pm on Friday night saying the confederate army was thirsty. I can’t believe how into it these people get.

Randy Asks:

“This past weekend, while insect collecting in Reidsville NC, I came across ants carrying other ants. Now each of the ants appeared to be about the same size. All appeared to be carrying other ants and they were all heading in the same general direction. Given my curious nature, I took a stick and separated a few of the sets. Each of the two ants quickly found each other again and one of the two assumed a fetal position while the other picked it up and then went along its way. I read a little over the weekend about slavery especially in a pupa state and slavery with other ants but the size difference was expected to be greatly different. Each appears to be the same species but, at my age vision isn’t great. I did go back two days and the frenzy continued. Pretty neat! Anyway, I was able to collect several sets. Maybe you could identify or direct me to where I can learn more? I am going to take these to work and see if I can identify using the scope and by book by Fisher & Cover.”

Ant behavior is actually very complex and way cool. You may have observed slave maker ants. Slave making ants oppress other species of ants and make them sustain their own colony. Slave makers use 2 different methods to take over another colony. They either raid the colony and take the eggs and pupae or the slave making queen will go into the other colony and kill the resident queen and take over.

The slaves support their masters by providing food, tending to the queen, and raising the young. The slaves literally do all the work…even carry their masters if they move the colony. This may be what you observed, Randy. The literature I have read suggests that captors make slaves out of closely related species of ants. So, I don’t know that there would always be a size difference like what you read about.

Photo by Alex Wild at Myrmecos.net

Now if they were indeed the same species than it could be ants of the same colony engaging in nestmate transportation. Alex over at Mrymecos.net may be able to add his two cents to this post as I am sure he is much more knowledgeable in ant behavior than I am.

Well this week I thought the apocalypse was happening after we had a really bad lightening storm and the morning after I awoke to find a snapping turtle in my driveway. Turns out the snappers are laying their eggs right now. So no apocalypse.

The bugs are really popping this week since it has been in the 80’s. Below is a handsome American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana).

A tortoise beetle

I am strangely entertained by insects that eat other insects. I think insects that prey on other six-legged creatures are grossly overlooked when thinking about things that eat bugs or control populations.

Next is a milkweed beetle. When I put her in my jar she must of got the hint of her impending doom because she starting laying eggs on the side.

And finally, I can’t pass up a moment with a pretty flower.

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*edit*
Almost forgot a picture from this week…a male scorpionfly

Things have been extremely hectic lately with work, family, and life in general so the website has been put on the back burner a little bit. Fear not though, the insects should be out in full force in the coming weeks with the warming temperatures and I will be on them like flies on…

Anyway, I spent last weekend camping in the Adirondacks with an old friend of mine. The following photos are flowers from the ‘north woods’ as the locals call it.