Critters Big and Small Vol.6

This is my first swallowtail pic since I started my photography hobby. I can't remember ever seeing a butterfly this big before. I've been seeing sulphurs and this swallowtail is much bigger.

After doing my research, I've identified it as a female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - dark form

The adult male is yellow, with black "tiger stripes". There are two morphs of adult females, a yellow one and a dark one (mine is the dark one). The yellow female morph is similar to the male, except there is a patch of blue on the hind wing. In the dark female morph, the yellow areas are replaced by dark gray or black.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Tiger_Swallowtail,_Black_Form_Female_5891c.jpg

Hack

This message was edited Sep 12, 2010 4:50 PM

Another look from a different direction.

Hack

Come guys, make room for me.

Hack

lol Hack that's a nice stack of turtles. And lovely Swallowtail! That neat image software, made a great difference in the dragonfly shot. cute anole.
While waiting for an Osprey to return to the nest, I had plenty of time to photograph all the bugs around me.
This grasshopper hopped by a mud puddle.

This Sulfur was busy laying eggs.

There were lots of bees on the wild Aster.

This red dragonfly finally decided to land.

The bees were also on clover.

The Mourning Cloak butterfly was sunning on the gravel.

And so was the Comma butterfly.

WOW, burn, great bunch of pics - Especially, that red dragonfly, it was nice. They frustrate me because they'd rather fly than sit. I also liked all your butterflies.

Hack

Oh hack, how funny about the turtles.

burn, I'm super jealous of your Mourning cloak. I never can get a picture of them, even when I see them, which is rare.

Still having baby bunnies here!

There was one even smaller than this one....

Nan and Marna, funny thing is, I can only get their picture, on the gravel sunning. I never seen them in flowers or shrub. It would make for, nicer pictures.
That bunny is to cute.
Thanks Hack

Nice shots all! Feral Cat..lol

seee..lol

HELLO THERE ! About six weeks ago a friend asked me when was the last time I'd seen a Praying Mantis . I told him it had been maybe 20 years ago. The very next day I found this guy in my Dahlias. I see him at least four or five times each week and have found three more of his buddies in my vegetable garden. I was beginning to think they were extinct.

psudan, very nice critter. Wish they were around. I'd keep it as a pet, around my house plant, when I bring them in. ;) Welcome to the wildlife thread. Hope you hang around, we'd like to see more of your critters.
Lol Burd, now I see it. He looks very cautious.

A mix of wild and domesticated. Bunch of Starling in the background and a chocolat cow.

Nice close-up of the Praying Mantis psudan!
Burn, very nice shot! :)

Think this is a Common Buckeye...but it sure was an eye-catcher.

Hi psudan. It is funny how just when you think that you will never see something again, it pops right up in front of you.
I have spent a year here and have 2 more to go 'till I get back home and I think that ALL of Korea loves living in apartments as they are everywhere - even in the farming areas! We are on the 14th floor and were just sure that we were "above the bugs" and living in a crowded city, we wouldn't have much chance of seeing any wildlife. Hah! Last week I had to chase a praying mantis out of my apartment! It was good to see SOME wildlife in the city and mantises had 'ruled the yard' at our home in Missouri, so it was extra good to see one of them here.

nanny_56 - that baby bunny is a cutie.

Burd_Fotos - that Feral Cat looks wicked. Is it community property or yours? AND the pic of the Common Buckeye was really nice.

psudan - super capture of the mantid.

burn_2007 - I used to think that chocolate milk came from ..................chocolate cows. lol.

Hack

I looked out the window and saw this Gulf Fritillary visiting my flowers. So, I hurriedly got my camera. I never did get in position for the standard, dorsal, wing-spread shot. These are the best of the few I got. When it left, it left for good.

Hack

Another look at the Fritillary.

Hack

I probably need to increase my aperture number (f-stop) to get more stuff in focus. But it wasn't cooperating by hanging around. I was snapping in a hurry.

Hack

Wow Hack! That is a fantastic shot of the GF. What a beautiful butterfly!
There only a couple of yards fenced in Hack..but critters have access from a ravine owned the county. lol Should be seeing deer outback at night pretty soon.

I finally got a decent pic of Ruby-throated hummer.

Hack

Oh Hack...nice GF butterfly and hummer!

Is this a Honey Bee??

Hack, I am truly amazed at the picture quality of the hummer. What kind of shutter speed did you use? That is one beautiful photo.

nanny_56, I think you have an Italian Honey Bee.

Hack

Here is some info from Wikipedia:
Color: Abdomen has brown and yellow bands.
Among different strains of Italian bees there are three different colors: Leather; bright yellow (golden); and very pale yellow (Cordovan).
Size: The bodies are smaller and their overhairs shorter than those of the darker honeybee races

Had a Tiger Swallowtail drop by, but by the time I got the 40D, it was gone.

But, this Sulphur let me take its pic.

Bobby

Nice shot Hack!
A couple critters. A fawn at the marsh.

a worn out Black Swallowtail.

Burd that fawn is a cutie. Looks like your Swallowtail was in a wind storm.

Hack

I was in my wheelchair on the ramp and this little, bitty thing flew by and landed in a Tea Olive leaf.

I didn't have a clue as to what it was, but BugNet.net ID'd it for me.

It is a Bluegrass Webworm Moth (Parapediasia teterrella). This little thing was only about 1/4 in long.

Didn't have time to get the tripod, so I free-handed it.

Hack

Oohhhh...I just had something that looked just like that the other day and wondered what it could be...and your sulphur is so pretty with the red salvia!

Always love to see a cute fawn!

Great photos everyone!

When we were putting our kayak in the lake last week, I heard something jump in the water nearby. Turned out this raccoon was fishing-he missed this time, but I bet he'll be back.