Grasshoppers & Mediterranean Praying Mantid

This grasshopper's eye is reminiscent of the tiger's-eye gemstone.




I prefer Mediterranean "Preying" Mantis. I understand that officially it is a Mediterranean "Praying" Mantis, but I am not quite sure how a bug can be religious.

Fiery Skipper - Fighter Butterfly

The Fiery Skipper butterfly is named for the resemblence of its wing to the appearance of flames. The slightly curved "tail wing" also bears a striking resemblance to the dual vertical stabilizers of an F-14 fighter plane (pictured below).

F-14 - Images courtesy of United States Air Force.


The Fiery Skipper shows off his tongue. Butterfly tongues are really a hollow tube, like a straw. The flower responsible for all the beautiful purple is a Verbena Bonariensis which all insects alike seem to enjoy.


The Fiery Skipper begins a mid-flight refuel.

Vivid Dancer & California Spreadwing (Damselfly vs. Dragonfly)

The Odonata ("toothed ones") includes three groups of species. The two groups that interest us for this post are Zygoptera (which includes damselflies), and Anisoptera (which includes dragonflies).


The Vivid Dancer is a member of the Zygopetera. Observe how it's wings are held above the body while at rest. This is the quickest way to identify whether you are viewing a damselfly or dragonfly. The body of damselflies are also much more slender by comparison.



The California Spreadwing is a member of the Anisoptera. It's body is quite stout in comparison to the previous Vivid Dancer. We can also quickly identify it as a dragonfly by noticing that it's wings extend to each side of the dragonfly while at rest.

Bugs

A busy day in the insect community as they prepare for winter and consume lunch.


A lady bug, hornet, and bee gather for a lunch meeting.



A Syrphid Fly. These flies are known for their bee or wasp mimicry.



Woodland Skipper.



Painted Lady.


Patience rewards us with a rare treat. A Gray Hairstreak butterfly stops for a short rest.

Midnight Roses

Roses lit by street lamps at midnight.

A spider wanders on this delicately lit rose searching for his midnight snack.

Life At Punchbowl Crater

Punchbowl Crater is an extinct volcano located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the location of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The crater was formed around 100,000 years ago during the Honolulu period of secondary volcanic activity. A crater resulted from the ejection of hot lava through cracks in the old coral reefs which, at the time, extended to the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range. Although there are various translations of the Punchbowl's Hawaiian name, "Puowaina," the most common is "Hill of Sacrifice." This translation closely relates to the history of the crater.
When walking up at the top of the crater, you are first greeted with a view of Diamond Head.A flower lit by the low angle sun.Hidden between the plants, a bug munching on the local flowers.A Mountain Dove. These doves are commonly seen with Zebra Doves.
A Red-Vented Bulbul. These appeared on Oahu 50 years ago when it was reported as an un-authorized cage release. One problem with the bulbul is that it likes to eat everything from insects and lizards to many fruits and orchid buds, making it an agricultural pest.
A Red-Crested Cardinal. These beautifully colored birds were brought from South America around the 1930s.

A Day At Descanso Gardens

Today was my first day using a new lens for my macro photography. Featured is a small compilation of the beautiful things I saw this day.

New Beginnings

Aloha no,

My name is Daryl. I have been doing photography for about 5 years. Recently with the assistance of close friends and family, I have begun doing this as a more serious hobby. In my future postings I will share my travels, experiences, and life through my eyes.