Tag Archives: insect

08.13.2022 Yes, this is a real thing!

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth-Ponometia candefacta Bird Dropping moths are a subfamily of Owlet moths and yes, they do look like bird doo. Sadly, I’ve never photographed an adult to share so here are a few for examples.

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, Lepidoptera, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, insect, lepidoptera, Massachusetts, New England Waterfalls, Noctuoidea, owlet moth, Ponometia candefacta, western massachusetts | 15 Comments

08.10.2022 Our friend the Robber Fly

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Steve Gingold

They seem to be mean little guys. They eat other insects including flies. But, aside from being part of the balance Nature supports, they also keep pests under control. Robber Fly-Efferia aestuans male with Striped Deer Fly-Chrysops vittatus. The image … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Asilidae, Chrysops vittatus, diptera, Efferia aestuans, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Robber Fly, Tabanidae, western massachusetts | 16 Comments

08.10.2022 Another new one for the year

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I love having titles like this. Diversity rules! I noticed this little fly from afar as I was visiting the larger of two Boneset plants in our small woods. It was so small and skinny I wasn’t sure from that … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Allograpta obliqua, Amherst, Common Oblique Syrphid, diptera, Hover Fly, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Syrphidae, western massachusetts | 20 Comments

08.09.2022 HIde and Seek

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Grasshoppers, for the most part, try to hide from you when you’re attempting to make a photograph. Much of the time they just launch themselves somewhere else but, if you are lucky, they sidle around the grass stalk. I focused … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, insect, MacLeod Field, Massachusetts, Melanoplus femurrubrum, New England, orthoptera, red-legged grasshopper, short-horned grasshopper, spur-throated grasshopper, western massachusetts | 26 Comments

08.07.2022 Dewy Damsel

Posted on August 7, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Yesterday morning’s visit that found the gentians also offered a nice colorful damselfly. Eastern Forktail- Ischnura verticalis -female I was surprised that she could fly around, I watched her fly until she landed on the grass stalk, and not lose those … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged damselfly, Eastern Forktail, Gauco Pond, insect, Ischnura verticalis, Massachusetts, Narrow-winged damselfly, New England, North Quabbin, odonata, Petersham, western massachusetts, Zygoptera | 21 Comments

08.06.2022 More or Lestes

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I posted a Swamp Spreadwing a few weeks ago or so. I try to share different subjects, with the exception of bullfrogs, but like how this one came out so adding it to my WordPress media library. Swamp Spreadwing-Lestes vigilax-male. … Continue reading →

Posted in Central Massachusetts, Closeup Photography, Insects, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Gauco Pond, insect, Lestes vigilax, Massachusetts, New England, North Quabbin, odonata, Petersham, Swamp Spreadwing, western massachusetts, Zygoptera | 17 Comments

08.03.2022 Wasp Wednesday

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Two Ichneumonid wasps from the yard. Great Golden Digger Wasp-Sphex ichneumoneus. The digger moniker comes from their habit of nesting in the ground and laying an egg in each cell then leaving an orthopteran (grasshopper, locust, katydid, etc) in there for … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insect Behavior, Insects, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Hymenoptera, Ichneumonid, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Parasitoid wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus, Trogus pennator, western massachusetts | 16 Comments

07.31.2022 Hooray for Holcocephala

Posted on July 31, 2022 by Steve Gingold

I’ve been hoping for robber flies all summer and finally saw one yesterday. It’s quite a looker with those big goo goo googly eyes. I was pretty happy with that shot but shifted around the Showy Tick-trefoil plant and got … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Asilidae, diptera, Holcocephala calva, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Orthorrhapha, Robber Fly, western massachusetts | 10 Comments

07.30.2022 Suspension LIft Bug

Posted on July 30, 2022 by Steve Gingold

High water is nothing to worry about for this guy. Stilt Bug-Neoneides muticus on Boneset. I made almost the exact same image a few years ago also on this same flower. 7D Mark II, 100 macro, Canon MT-26EX twin flash. … Continue reading →

Posted in Amherst, Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Hemiptera, Heteroptera, insect, Massachusetts, Neoneides muticus, New England, Stilt bug, true bug, western massachusetts | 13 Comments

07.26.2022 Nature’s Artistry

Posted on July 26, 2022 by Steve Gingold

Of course, art is in the eye of the beholder and is only meaningful as such to humans. Everything else is about mating and survival for the insect. Leafhopper- possibly Prescottia lobata. Another new species for the yard and me. … Continue reading →

Posted in Closeup Photography, Insects, macro photography, Nature Photography, Western Massachusetts | Tagged Amherst, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae, Hemiptera, insect, Massachusetts, Membracoidea, New England, Prescottia lobata, true bug, True Hopper, Typical Leafhopper, western massachusetts | 13 Comments