It's so hot.....

It's so HOT.....

...even the dragonflies are complaining! This blue dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis, is obelisking; removing its body surface from the sun to cool down. This is not an extreme example; sometimes dragonflies will hold their abdomens nearly completely vertical!

-James

Barney backyard

I went by Steven's house briefly to pick up some Cotinis metabilis. While I was there, I took a few pictures of what was hanging around the backyard.















(above) bumble bee sp.















(above) great blue skimmer, Libellula vibrans















Ok, so the Phanaeus vindex wasn't just walking through the yard. This one was staged...

-James

Calosoma KILLS

Here's a couple of pictures of my Calosoma beetles. They are fun to keep in captivity, as they can be ferocious little beasts, especially the fiery searcher, C. scrutator! This individual inparticular, has learned to take crickets from my hand. Of course, occasionally there's the misjudgment in aim, and a finger is grabbed instead! >>

black caterpillar hunter, C. sayi >>

-James

Wandering glider

One of the nice things about my new digital camera is its telephoto-macro capabilities. Check out this male wandering glider, Pantala flavescens down by the coulee by our house. This was taken from ca. three feet away!

-James

baby BOOM!!!

One of my two southern widows, Latrodectus mactans, had two of her three eggsacs hatch out Wednesday night. I roughly estimate ca. 300 youngsters!















-James