Saturday, June 12, 2010

Camera Critters

I've been seeing a number of critters.  I was able to photograph some for Camera Critters, hosted by Misty Dawn.

Sunday, I saw this squirrel out in the rain.


I also saw this bee on a daisy.



Monday, I chased this rabbit from my herb garden, and it went into my next door neighbor's yard, and decided to keep going, as I was still scolding it.



Tuesday I saw several critters. I saw the lacewing on the rudbeckia, but not the spider until I looked at the photos.  Is that another insect in between them, or a seed or something?  Are they both hunting for the same meal?


I was thinking this was either an American or painted lady, or a red admiral, but I can't get to my book without waking my grandson, and I it didn't look like any of those online.  Do you know what it is?


I'm still seeing robins around.  The one with the damage on its chest still comes close to me at times, and sometimes makes eye contact.  It even swooped close to me one day.  I'm also seeing cardinals, blue jays, grackels, doves, and wrens.


When I went out to get some herbs, I saw this curious insect on a sweet potato vine, and went back in the house for my camera.  After looking around the internet, it seems to be a tortoise beetle of some kind.  Please bear with me in showing several photos of it.  I just think it's a cool looking thing.

I learned a number of things about this beetle just now, and one of them is that they eat bindweed.  Those dark spots on the leaf, I think are some part of its life cycle, but when I went back to check, couldn't find what I'd read about that.


Can you see the dark spot that formed on the back of the beetle?


As I was taking photos, the color changed.  I read that it changes colors when in distress.  It has something to do with liquids in its body.


Look at that!  It's no longer shiny and metallic looking, and is deciding it's had enough, and is about to fly away.  I'll have to see how much damage I can tolerate its babies from doing on the potato vines.


On Friday, I saw this on a coneflower.  It looks like a katydid of some kind.  I frequently see them on my daylilies, and since they only bloom for a day, I leave them alone.  I saw one on the first daylily to bloom in my new curb area the other day, but didn't get a picture.


Click on the Camera Critters icon in the sidebar to see more critter posts.

8 comments:

  1. OK - lemme just say that these are ALL fantastic photos and critters. However, that beetle is FASCINATING!!!!!!!! That is one of the coolest things I've ever seen, and you photo-documented it PERFECTLY! OUTSTANDING WORK! I LOVE this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great pictures 1 I love the back of the Bunny, I'm a bunny-nut , unlike most serious veggi gardeners who practice open warfare with the little nibblers , thanks ! Gina

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sue, I got here by way of Tootsie Time, and I scrolled down a read a few of your posts. You have a pretty home and very nice flowers! I love the purple coneflowers on your sidebar, as well as the interesting photos of the insect changing colors! Good catch! I was also taken with your beautiful yellow lab!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's a great time of year for viewing critters in the garden, isn't it? :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. These are really neat and the beetle photos are amazing! I can't believe it is such a shiny metallic looking thing - but then to watch it change color?! How lucky that you were still enough (but not enough to send it into distress! :) )to capture that!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great Camera Critter shots. It's been too hot to get out here and find some bugs to photograph. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, that beetle looks like it was made of liquid metal. And then it changed color! Amazing! Great photos Sue.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Sue,

    Oh my goodness - your photos are beatiful. What an interesting bug that changes colors - looks like gold plated.

    I love your blog and your charming home and garden.
    Have a wonderful week.
    Blessings,
    Erin

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments and questions from anyone, including those who do it anonymously. Some people find my posts by doing searches, and I like hearing from them. I guess spammers won't even read this message, but I will delete spam as soon as I see it.