Two Killers and a Charmer With the insect season winding down, the imported species of praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) are now mature and can occasionally be seen flying. Insects only get fully developed wings in their final molt. Although there are some exceptions, mantises aren’t among them. Flying they look like less agile dragonfly. The […]
dragonflies
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Honeybees are Loveable and Love Plums
Honeybees are everyone’s favorite. After all, they pollinate our crops, make wax and honey, their language is a dance and they are the perfect model of a socialist society. They toil tirelessly gathering nectar and pollen, cleaning and building their home, and tending to the needs of the queen, who in turn produces eggs which […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Beetles and Weevils and Dragonflies
A recent walk along the Van Duzen River yielded a couple of interesting things. The only dragonfly I saw was a flame skimmer (Libellula saturata). This is the brightest orange dragonfly I know. I rarely see this species; I suspect they travel through my area just stopping to catch a quick bite. I felt something […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Safer to Look Like Crap
First day out with my new Canon 6D Mark II today and so far I’m happy. I used my Sigma 150/600-millimeter lens and, after a slow start, managed to find a few subjects. I watched as a smallish dragonfly searched among the willows looking for someplace to dine on its catch. As soon as it […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: By the River and Under the Sand
Here we are, middle of winter and once again I’m finding variegated meadowhawk dragonflies along the Van Duzen River, where I regularly walk. Although this is a small dragonfly, it is the largest insect I see flying this time of year. I find them perched on rocks in open sections of river bar, often 20 […]
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HumBug: Bitey Little Buggers
[image-4] As the fall days contract and weather cools, the insect world, too, shrinks. I see a few largish dragonflies, mostly shadow darners (Aeshna umbrosa) and they’re showing wear. I suspect they are what I call a “relict population.” Unlike aging humans, they can contribute nothing further to the survival of their species so they […]
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HumBug: October Dragonflies and Butterflies
I started looking for one of my favorite dragonflies, the pale faced clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax), in July. That’s when my files showed them flying along the flat stretches of the river where I see them dipping the tip of their abdomens into the water, depositing eggs. This year the first I’ve seen were in mid […]
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HumBug: Dragonflies and Caterpillar
There are two things I enjoy about studying insects. The first is its predictability. Checking my files I found it was time for the common green darner to migrate through here. This year I’ve seen almost no dragonflies. I suspect it is because “my” spot on the river was discovered by several folks with ATVs, […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Critters in the Water
The river is low enough now to wade upstream for miles without getting in over my knees. You have to be careful because the rocks are slippery with algae. The annual blue-green algae warnings are in effect and it is suggested you keep pets from drinking the water. A small camp towel is handy to […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
HumBug: Dragon Hunting
On a recent stroll along my favorite section of the Van Duzen River, I saw about a dozen dragonflies of at least five species. I was able to get close enough to get photos of three individuals. Two of those were species I’d never seen before, the spot winged glider and the grappletail. The latter […]
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HumBug: Dragons and Fairies
On a recent dry day, I took my camera out to the garden and got what may be technically the best dragonfly photograph I have gotten. A member of the mosaic darner group, named for the mosaic pattern on their abdomens, the California darner (Rhionaeschna californica) is one of the first dragonflies to be seen […]
Posted inNews
HumBug: Fly Fishing
A very long time ago I got into fly fishing. It is a highly technical method for fooling an animal with a brain smaller than a pea into thinking that bits of feathers and fluff are something good to eat. Those somethings are usually members of three orders of insects: mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. The first books […]