tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-135285222024-03-13T03:30:11.762-07:00Skunkroot's Stompin' GroundsPictures I've taken out in nature.
Left click on any picture to see the larger version.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-65082981172320717742011-01-14T23:01:00.000-08:002011-03-17T03:22:35.373-07:00James M. Robb State Park, Grand Junction, CO<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTE_BSHjb1I/AAAAAAAABvM/Ni7uERqkgMc/s1600/DSCF3353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTE_BSHjb1I/AAAAAAAABvM/Ni7uERqkgMc/s400/DSCF3353.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Blue Heron in a tree.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTE-2TVyT-I/AAAAAAAABvI/cuCnc6NEHfU/s1600/DSCF3350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTE-2TVyT-I/AAAAAAAABvI/cuCnc6NEHfU/s400/DSCF3350.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another one was in the frozen lake on a small island.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFDSxW5iRI/AAAAAAAABvs/UHVUhXcIyXU/s1600/DSCF3395b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFDSxW5iRI/AAAAAAAABvs/UHVUhXcIyXU/s400/DSCF3395b.jpg" width="316" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Too far away to identify this one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFCBbCIaYI/AAAAAAAABvo/Pu6XjUup-JY/s1600/DSCF3387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFCBbCIaYI/AAAAAAAABvo/Pu6XjUup-JY/s400/DSCF3387.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> These black birds filled the trees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFBFWIKqkI/AAAAAAAABvg/Czr6hHqYXCA/s1600/DSCF3380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFBFWIKqkI/AAAAAAAABvg/Czr6hHqYXCA/s400/DSCF3380.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Geese on the ice with the Bookcliffs as a backdrop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFAt8sOphI/AAAAAAAABvY/zeo0OkGauJc/s1600/DSCF3373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TTFAt8sOphI/AAAAAAAABvY/zeo0OkGauJc/s400/DSCF3373.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Bird tracks all over the frozen lake's surface.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">****</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-81105428213961433342011-01-13T20:13:00.000-08:002011-03-17T02:04:46.753-07:00December Virginia Birds - 2010<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">***</div><br />
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Rabbit on the Colorado River Trail in Grand Junction, Colorado. July 13th, 2010.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-50863929665735338512010-07-12T05:57:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:05:35.371-07:00Ant Lion Pits<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDsQfjnvSjI/AAAAAAAABUQ/cGJEPpb55d4/s1600/DSCF2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDsQfjnvSjI/AAAAAAAABUQ/cGJEPpb55d4/s400/DSCF2650.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Ant lion pits in front of an abandoned house in Colorado. </div><div style="text-align: center;">July 11th 2010</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ant lion pits were in front of the door near the wall on the right.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-33062798340931241562010-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:06:25.230-07:00Snail Egg Clusters - not predacious diving beetle eggs.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDdVp0DFxzI/AAAAAAAABS4/4ywsdn8vFxk/s1600/DSCF2527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDdVp0DFxzI/AAAAAAAABS4/4ywsdn8vFxk/s320/DSCF2527.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDdWpk__dFI/AAAAAAAABTA/UbdvP5tE0k0/s1600/DSCF2525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/TDdWpk__dFI/AAAAAAAABTA/UbdvP5tE0k0/s320/DSCF2525.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Snail eggs. We originally thought, and hoped, that these might be predacious diving beetle eggs.<br />
(We are keeping both in a fishbowl.)</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-28066596777457888812010-03-20T23:49:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:06:59.520-07:00Predacious Diving Beetle Pets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/S6XJgXtHxFI/AAAAAAAABQ8/f00cwyEBpb4/s1600-h/20100318Doc+DSCF2425.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450984481958118482" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/S6XJgXtHxFI/AAAAAAAABQ8/f00cwyEBpb4/s400/20100318Doc+DSCF2425.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I have two of these predacious diving beetles living in a large fishbowl. They are over an inch long, and they eat minnows. They trap air between their hard outer wings (called elytra) and their softer abdomen; they breathe that air while they swimming and resting underwater. These beetles have eaten three minnows in the last few days. I caught both of these near a streetlight in Shreveport, LA at around 11pm.<br />
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Check out these links to some video of predacious diving beetles:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edu9Sb3HZlQ"><br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edu9Sb3HZlQ</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2cccVl-Atc"><br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2cccVl-Atc</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-57402293573434007562010-03-10T02:12:00.000-08:002011-03-17T02:07:58.878-07:00Spring Arrives in Shreveport, LA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/S5dkEMjMpPI/AAAAAAAABN4/aCe2BJ9CZEg/s1600-h/2010SpringRobinCropped+DSCF2239.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446932297579013362" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/S5dkEMjMpPI/AAAAAAAABN4/aCe2BJ9CZEg/s400/2010SpringRobinCropped+DSCF2239.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 348px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">****</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-53320296025167421002009-08-22T21:33:00.000-07:002009-08-22T21:34:43.201-07:00New PicturesI've gone back tonight and posted several pictures that I've taken since July. They're posted on the dates they were actually taken. Scroll down to see the new ones.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-77135847974652135712009-08-22T20:40:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:09:08.144-07:00Midnight Moth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC8MyxpFxI/AAAAAAAABDo/0Lto90RFbXo/s1600-h/20090821midnightmoth.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373001283427440402" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC8MyxpFxI/AAAAAAAABDo/0Lto90RFbXo/s400/20090821midnightmoth.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" style="text-align: center;">A very large moth discovered on my midnight ride along the river. If I could have gotten a picture of the fox that ran alongside me for about fifty yards... I would have posted that instead.</h3></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-46373831069249080412009-08-19T00:23:00.001-07:002011-03-17T02:09:45.984-07:00A Beautiful Beetle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SoupHFk4sII/AAAAAAAABDg/ojja_Y50xcQ/s1600-h/DSCF1823.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371572919790514306" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SoupHFk4sII/AAAAAAAABDg/ojja_Y50xcQ/s400/DSCF1823.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 340px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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I found this beetle on the road while biking in Shreveport. I believe that it is a dung beetle, or very closely related to one. I had never seen one so brightly colored before. Its colors would work well in a piece of jewelry (although I don't expect to see dung beetle jewelry become popular).</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-45611459231857633112009-08-11T13:07:00.000-07:002009-08-11T13:29:13.530-07:00Street Light Mass Frenzy<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwBcBl62Zu5iRoGmsZGTZAXCo9IeXQ20X6_jHE25t1vANC4kt3pb4mcyFs3Pxbn2VKRmeFh847rFLM' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-41177927339147065472009-08-10T20:54:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:12:27.372-07:00Green June Beetle (Fig Beetle)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC9ip022bI/AAAAAAAABDw/5b8RDsWSgUQ/s1600-h/20090810GreenJuneBeetle.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373002758493755826" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC9ip022bI/AAAAAAAABDw/5b8RDsWSgUQ/s400/20090810GreenJuneBeetle.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">This is what we used to call a "Green June Bug" in Arizona. It's a Fig Beetle. Found on a bike ride in Shreveport today. </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-24849212272388377622009-08-10T09:10:00.000-07:002009-08-10T09:34:30.031-07:00Water Beetles on the Red River<p>This video of water beetles was taken on my bike ride along the river on July 23rd.</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyQ6e_cDJV2tYnoM0eK23ojDNPPf7-IUwZYHgCav6Y_3HQApZPXWIwuXEEB1JSyKKm7NayGWqeQTU4' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-24223164330673889852009-08-06T20:59:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:13:21.069-07:00Don't wanna mess with the live version of this...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC-6Mq7TWI/AAAAAAAABD4/mLbQsN0Lrd4/s1600-h/20090806DeadandDeadly.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373004262495964514" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC-6Mq7TWI/AAAAAAAABD4/mLbQsN0Lrd4/s400/20090806DeadandDeadly.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-89844000388695640752009-08-05T21:03:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:14:07.393-07:00Tree Frog at the Gas Station<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC_r60ERvI/AAAAAAAABEA/Xm74UBfXJ7Y/s1600-h/20090805GassyTreeFrog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373005116695922418" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpC_r60ERvI/AAAAAAAABEA/Xm74UBfXJ7Y/s400/20090805GassyTreeFrog.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-4867257322001441112009-07-23T22:00:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:14:47.419-07:00Red River Bike Ride<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Smsrgk2kyqI/AAAAAAAABBg/JMPF6Y7dIU8/s1600-h/044.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362427619963095714" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Smsrgk2kyqI/AAAAAAAABBg/JMPF6Y7dIU8/s400/044.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> I went for a bikeride along the trail near the Red River today.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SmsrgZ7K8tI/AAAAAAAABBY/gCw-ZPPpcVQ/s1600-h/023.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362427617029583570" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SmsrgZ7K8tI/AAAAAAAABBY/gCw-ZPPpcVQ/s400/023.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>This dragonfly was in the brush alongside a dirt (more like mud) road.<br />
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<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Smsrf7K3rmI/AAAAAAAABBQ/IIXO2eWXhSY/s1600-h/028.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362427608773930594" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Smsrf7K3rmI/AAAAAAAABBQ/IIXO2eWXhSY/s400/028.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> An egret in the distance.<br />
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</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-48565837126030839992009-07-23T21:15:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:16:51.303-07:00Egrets and Turtles in Shreveport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDClL85xBI/AAAAAAAABEQ/uHlkwYudJgU/s1600-h/20090723EgretTurtles.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373008299572184082" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDClL85xBI/AAAAAAAABEQ/uHlkwYudJgU/s400/20090723EgretTurtles.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>You may not be able to see them... but they are in there...</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-6471969514943917312009-07-20T20:31:00.000-07:002009-08-22T21:40:11.994-07:00Sphinx Moth Flying<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwG5jqZyQkFF3xy3HfnxFdgSD6mH6s-buKgG18MlGQm6LjRWzj3MXov6z9_lQVbeS0C4c0r4Lqs5-8' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-24448959980716380272009-07-19T21:28:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:17:54.065-07:00Porch Snake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDFcyPfWAI/AAAAAAAABEY/lvmk53byCHI/s1600-h/20090719PorchSnake.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373011453766752258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDFcyPfWAI/AAAAAAAABEY/lvmk53byCHI/s400/20090719PorchSnake.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">I found this tiny snake on my front porch tonight.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-24799829374839696682009-07-19T09:30:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:19:58.695-07:00Inherently Risky Farm Animal Activity???<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDGBEUETbI/AAAAAAAABEg/4bZsT4_SG-0/s1600-h/20090719RiskyBehavior.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373012077093080498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/SpDGBEUETbI/AAAAAAAABEg/4bZsT4_SG-0/s400/20090719RiskyBehavior.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>This sign just conjures up a whole list of questions for me...</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-78094325146875253372007-09-01T15:40:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:20:31.611-07:00Garden Caterpillar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RtyNje2BYsI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/7ghzA5kIrbY/s1600-h/20070901+Garden+Caterpillar+DSCF2703.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106111718245884610" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RtyNje2BYsI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/7ghzA5kIrbY/s400/20070901+Garden+Caterpillar+DSCF2703.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">This caterpillar was tooling around on a plant in our garden this morning.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-84327890086484305452007-08-19T23:37:00.000-07:002009-08-10T13:31:38.137-07:00Jessica the Domesticated Hippo<span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 153);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=3379"></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3NueKXS6dk">Watch this video and enjoy an endearing clip about Jessica, who is one very unusual hippo.</a><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(102, 255, 153);font-family:Arial;font-size:130%;" ><a target="_blank"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id="lw_1187591803_0"><br /></span></a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-52816781078680292562007-08-05T11:16:00.000-07:002011-03-17T02:21:52.800-07:00Damselfly Adult Next to its Naiad Shell<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RrYWPxGtpjI/AAAAAAAAAjY/PfFB-OQqzQg/s1600-h/blog+Tasajarra+Damselfly+and+Naiad+Shell.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095284488551638578" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RrYWPxGtpjI/AAAAAAAAAjY/PfFB-OQqzQg/s400/blog+Tasajarra+Damselfly+and+Naiad+Shell.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a></div><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RrYWLRGtpiI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/4cedyhY0MoM/s1600-h/blog+Tasajarra+Damselfly.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095284411242227234" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RrYWLRGtpiI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/4cedyhY0MoM/s400/blog+Tasajarra+Damselfly.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
Here are a couple of pictures of a newly hatched damselfly adult which had just emerged from its naiad skin. This picture was taken at Tasajarra, CA in July of 2007. In the first picture the shed naiad skin is visible next to the adult, which was still very vulnerable at this stage.<br />
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During the next few hours, its exoskeleton would have hardened, its wings would have expanded to their full size, and its body would have slowly taken on the bright colors of its fully developed adult form. After a brief pause to test its wings, it would have flown off into a new life, completely different from the underwater world it had known for up to three years before.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-41545382335983874752007-01-13T20:48:00.000-08:002011-03-17T02:22:36.357-07:00Eastern Black Swallowtail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Ram6iOvDUlI/AAAAAAAAATE/5l-s5eJ_cUw/s1600-h/DSCN0370.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019748356914893394" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Ram6iOvDUlI/AAAAAAAAATE/5l-s5eJ_cUw/s400/DSCN0370.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Ram3JOvDUjI/AAAAAAAAASs/LZx-3Z9DB2Q/s1600-h/DSCN0369.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019744628883280434" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/Ram3JOvDUjI/AAAAAAAAASs/LZx-3Z9DB2Q/s400/DSCN0369.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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The Eastern Black Swallowtail can be found in open spaces and is seldom seen in the woods. It likes parsley and carrot plants, as well as phlox and milkweed. This particular butterfly was flitting around at Phinizy Swamp one day back in 2005 when I was walking out there. There is a similar looking butterfly called the <a href="http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/P/Papilio_joanae.asp">Ozark Swallowtail, (photos of which can be seen here at this neat site called "Zipcode Zoo")</a> that inhabits the forest; its caterpillars feed on meadow parsnip. There is another similar species, called the <a href="http://home.att.net/%7Ebret69/P_polyxenes_kahliFR.jpg">Kahli Swallowtail</a> that can be found in Manitoba and Saskatchewan that likes to fly around bare hilltops where the females lay their eggs on cow parsnip.<br />
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Check out this nice slideshow of the <a href="http://www.phab001.com/cats/bs1.htm">Eastern Black Swallowtail Caterpillar.</a>, and a nice set of pictures including one of <a href="http://www.phab001.com/buts/bs_1.htm">an adult just out of its chrysallis.</a><br />
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Update: Apparently the Kahli Swallowtail is no longer considered to be its own distinct species. From the information that I'm finding on the internet, it seems that what was formerly called <a href="http://www.cbif.gc.ca/spp_pages/butterflies/species/BlackSwallowtail_e.php">the Kahli Swallowtail is actually the dark offspring of an interbreeding that frequently occurs between the Black Swallowtail and the Old World Swallowtail. Cool!</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13528522.post-26225990978394904792007-01-13T20:30:00.000-08:002011-03-17T02:23:18.250-07:00Carp Buster Memories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RamypuvDUgI/AAAAAAAAASI/p8MOzd79JkQ/s1600-h/20050529+Sam+at+City+Point+VA+B.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5019739689670889986" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_F4L2Od17U1M/RamypuvDUgI/AAAAAAAAASI/p8MOzd79JkQ/s400/20050529+Sam+at+City+Point+VA+B.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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This picture was taken in 2005 at City Point in Hopewell Virginia, near a spot where my grandfather and I used to go fishing. I caught a gigantic (over 30lb) carp there one day back in the summer of 1984. Ghost Busters, the movie, was all the rage back then, and my uncle Arnie (who was an avid sports fisherman at the time and who used to take all of the cousins out on his nice bass boat) had a sweat shirt made for me that read: "Carp Buster!"</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0