Category Archives: Insect Behavior

10.06.2020-2 Nursery Pod

Posted on October 6, 2020 by Steve Gingold

Let me start by saying that I finally was able to use the Classic Editor. Now I just hope it is always available. I went to Mount Pollux this morning to photograph the Holyoke Range in fog. But I also … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Hemiptera, insect nymph, Large Milkweed Bug, Massachusetts, Milkweed Bug nymph, Mount Pollux, New England, Oncopeltus fasciatus, Seed Bugs, True Bugs, western massachusetts | 24 Comments

09.17.2020 Garage Moth

Posted on September 17, 2020 by Steve Gingold

Moths seem to like doing an overnight on our garage walls. Not a lot, but every once in a while I find one or two. This Juniper Twig Geometer-Patalene olyzonaria was fortunately at eye level. I have had to put up … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Moths, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Geometridae, insects, Juniper Twig Geometer, lepidoptera, Massachusetts, Moths, New England, Patalene olyzonaria, western massachusetts | 19 Comments

09.14.2020 Macro Monday

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Steve Gingold

I went to visit the fringed gentians this morning. Unfortunately, sunshine is required for them to open and I only had a few early hours to be out. I did find one composition with a bud and that will show … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Quabbin | Tagged bees, Canada Goldenrod, carpenter bees, Eastern Carpenter Bee, flora, insects, Massachusetts, native flowers, native plant, native wildflower, New England, North Quabbin, Quabbin, Solidago canadensis, solitary bees, Xylocopa virginica virginica | 18 Comments

09.12.2020-2 Spidurday

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Steve Gingold

Well, Gary has his Webnsday and I won’t probably keep this going as faithfully as he has but I have become a bit more interested in Arachnids. Shamrock Orbweaver- Araneus trifolium. So this dreamboat decided to inhabit our bee balm, maybe to … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Arachnid, Araneus trifolium., Massachusetts, Orb Weaver, Shamrock Orbweaver, spider, True Spider, western massachusetts | 20 Comments

09.07.2020-2 Monday Macro-Up Close and Personal with a Red-legged Grasshopper

Posted on September 7, 2020 by Steve Gingold

I posted something similar a bit ago of this same species but like this shot enough to share another. I had to employ the same strategy to get this shot, encouraging it to move around fully exposed to the camera. … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Quabbin | Tagged Gauco Pod, insect, Massachusetts, Melanoplus femurrubrum, New England, North Quabbin, orthoptera, Petersham, Quabbin, red-legged grasshopper, short-horned grasshopper, spur-throated grasshopper | 17 Comments

09.05.2020 Short-winged Meadow Katydid

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Steve Gingold

These may be short-winged but that certainly does not describe their antennae. Conocephalus brevipennis I received the diffusers for the twin flash and they seem to reduce the specular highlights a fair amount. This has been a good year for insect … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Conocephalus brevipennis, Ensifera, insect, Katydid, Long-horned Orthoptera, Massachusetts, Meadow Katydid, New England, orthoptera, Short-winged Meadow Katydid, western massachusetts | 29 Comments

09.01.2020 Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Harry was a fly

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Steve Gingold

If you were expecting a bear, sorry to disappoint. But if you thought it was a fly, well a fly I can do. Another Tachinid Fly actually. Last night to end the month I went out in the yard and … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, diptera, Hystricia abrupta, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Parasitic Flies, Tachinidae, Tomato Bristle Fly, western massachusetts | 19 Comments

08.30.2020-2 “Ooh somebody, ooh somebody. Can anybody find me somebody to hug?”

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Steve Gingold

With apologies to Freddie. In between showers I found this lonely White-banded Crab Spider-Misumenoides formosipes longingly waiting for somebody, anybody to hug. Unfortunately for this fly, the spider wanted more than a hug. Lonely No longer lonely…or hungry Crab spiders … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Arachnid, Massachusetts, Misumenoides formosipes, New England, spider, Thomisidae, western massachusetts, White-lined Crab Spider | 42 Comments

08.29.2020 Gimme Shelter

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Steve Gingold

We have received a fair amount of gentle rain today which is very good for wetting the ground. Later we should see some of the remnants of Laura as the storms heads northeast. Whether that will replenish the brooks remains … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Butterflies, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Lepidoptera, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Danaus plexippus, Massachusetts, monarch butterfly caterpillar, New England, western massachusetts | 17 Comments

08.27.2020-They’re really not that bad

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Steve Gingold

When folks think of stink bugs they don’t do so with enthusiasm. But they are actually beneficial to gardeners. Anchor Stink Bugs- Stiretrus anchorago are predatory, feeding on the larvae of many beetles and lepidoptera that are considered pests themselves. One reason … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Anchor Stink Bug, beneficial insect, Bugs on Eupatorium perfoliatum, Common Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Massachusetts, native flowers, native plant, native wildflower, New England, predatory bug, stink bug, Stiretrus anchorago, western massachusetts | 27 Comments