Tag Archives: insect

09.18.2023 Macro Monday-One of Nature’s Balancers

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Steve Gingold

Insects, there are billions of them. But for the most part we hardly notice them unless one of the few that actually bites or stings humans takes us for a blood meal, or a threat and stings, or in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Hymenoptera, Ichneumonid Wasp, Ichneumonini, insect, Massachusetts, New England, Parasitoid Wasps, Setanta compta, western massachusetts | 25 Comments

09.16.2023 Der Schnurrbart

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Steve Gingold

Full disclosure. I don’t speak German ( I admire folks who are multilingual as I have my share of problems with my own native language). Besides Herr and Frau this is now the third word I can say and will … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Asilidae, Asilinae, diptera, insect, Neoitamus flavofemoratus, Orthorrhapha, Robber Fly | 33 Comments

09.11.2023 Macro Monday-Two More New to Me Hoppers

Posted on September 11, 2023 by Steve Gingold

This has been the best year yet for hoppers (hopper bugs, not grasshoppers) in the yard. And most of them appear to like posing on our shed which is in our small woods. Catonia nava-an Achilid Planthopper I tried several … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Achilid Planthopper, Achilidae, Amherst, Auchenorrhyncha, Catonia nava, Cicadellidae, Cicadomorpha, Fulgoromorpha, Hemiptera, insect, Jikradia olitoria, Membracoidea, Planthopper, True Hopper, Typical Leafhopper | 23 Comments

09.09.2023 Spiders are beautiful and their prey can be too

Posted on September 9, 2023 by Steve Gingold

At least some are. Marbled Orbweaver-Araneus marmoreus with a Rhododendron Leafhopper –Graphocephala fennahi for lunch. I usually see these and a couple of other colorful spiders in the yard each summer but this is the first I am sharing so … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Arachnid, Araneae, Araneidae, Araneomorphae, Araneus marmoreus, Auchenorrhyncha, Cicadellidae, Cicadellinae, Entelegynae, Graphocephala fennahi, Hemiptera, insect, Marbled Orbweaver, Massachusetts, New England, Orb Weaver, Rhododendron Leafhopper, Sharpshooter, True Hopper, True Spider, Typical Leafhopper, western massachusetts | 26 Comments

09.09.2023 A happy couple.

Posted on September 9, 2023 by Steve Gingold

These two larvae sem happy enough to be sharing the same stem. Milkweed Tussock Moth- Euchaetes egle This is an evening shot when they were ready for repose. Ordinarily they would have devoured that leaf already. The are like little … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Arctiini, Euchaetes egle, insect, lepidoptera, Massachusetts, milkweed tussock moth, milkweed tussock moth caterpillar, milkweed tussock moth larva, New England, Noctuidae, Noctuoidea, western massachusetts | 30 Comments

09.07.2023 Sharp-dressed Jiminy

Posted on September 7, 2023 by Steve Gingold

What do you think? Was Billy Gibbons singing about little Jiminy? Red-headed Bush Cricket-aka Handsome Trig-Phyllopalpus pulchellus One of Rock and Roll’s conundrums…There are three members in ZZ Top, two have beards ( while Dusty was alive and his replacement … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cricket, Ensifera, Gryllidea, Handsome Trig, insect, Long-horned Orthoptera, orthoptera, Phyllopalpus pulchellus, Red-headed Bush Cricket, Trigonidiinae | 18 Comments

09.06.2023 Dew Drop with a Surprise Inside

Posted on September 6, 2023 by Steve Gingold

As I walked through East Leverett Meadow on Monday I saw quite a lot of Timothy Grass seed heads covered with dew. Additionally they were all backlit from my position so of course I had to make some images. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Common Timothy Grass, East Leverett Meadow, Hemiptera, Heteroptera, insect, Massachusetts, New England, non-native grass, non-native plant, Pentatomidae, Phleum pratense, true bug, western massachusetts | 33 Comments

09.04.2023 Macro Monarch Monday

Posted on September 4, 2023 by Steve Gingold

This was a first time seeing a Monarch on a New York Ironweed flower in our yard. No doubt it’s happened before but not on my watch. Monarch-Danaus plexippus, on New York Ironweed-Vernonia noveboracensis It was all over the plant … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Brush-footed Butterfly, Danaini, Danaus plexippus, insect, lepidoptera, Massachusetts, Monarch butterfly, native flowers, native plant, native wildflower, New England, New York Ironweed, nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Vernonia noveboracensis, western massachusetts, Wildflowers | 16 Comments

08.30.2023 Wordless Wednesday II-Snazzy Leafhopper

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Steve Gingold

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Cicadellidae, Cicadomorpha, Hemiptera Auchenorrhyncha, insect, leafhopper, Membracoidea, Osbornellus auronitens, True Hopper, Typical Leafhoppers | 20 Comments

08.29.2023 The return of Glinda the Good Mosquito

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Steve Gingold

I shared an image of this insect a few years ago and surprised a few folks that harmless mosquitoes exist. It certainly was a surprise to me. Last night when I took Bentley out for his bedtime chores, I noticed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amherst, Boneset Thoroughwor, Culicidae, diptera, Elephant mosquito, Eupatorium perfoliatum, flora, insect, Massachusetts, Mosquito, native flowers, native plant, native wildflower, Nematocera, New England, Toxorhynchites rutilus, western massachusetts, Wildflowers | 22 Comments