image of the day
grrlscientist | December 18, 2006
Least Skipper, Ancyloxypha numitor.
Brazos Bend State Park SW of Houston, Texas, 24 May 2003.
Image: Biosparite.
This is another "Get Welll Soon" nature picture from one of my readers that I am sharing with all of you!
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd like it to be…
grrlscientist | December 17, 2006
NGC 7635: The Bubble
What created this huge space bubble? Blown by the wind from a star, this tantalizing, ghostly apparition is cataloged as NGC 7635, but known simply as The Bubble Nebula. Astronomer Eric Mouquet's striking view utilizes a long exposure with hydrogen alpha light to reveal the intricate details of this cosmic bubble and its environment. Although it looks delicate, the 10 light-year diameter bubble offers evidence of violent processes at work. Seen here above and right of the Bubble's center is a bright hot star embedded in reflecting dust. A fierce stellar wind and…
grrlscientist | December 16, 2006
Ashy clubtail dragonfly, Gomphus lividus,
Lance Rosier Unit in the Big Thicket around 50 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico in Eastern Texas,
20 March 2004.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd like it to be credited.
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tags: dragonfly, ashy clubtail…
grrlscientist | December 15, 2006
Western Pygmy Blue, Brephidium exile
The smallest butterfly in the western United states, measing no more than 3/8".
Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas, 24 October 2004.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd like it to be credited.
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tags: butterfly, western…
grrlscientist | December 14, 2006
Horace's Duskywing, Erynnis horatius.
There is a possibility this could be a Juvenal's Duskywing, Erynnis juvenalis, This is probably a Horace's Duskywing from the appearance of the inner wings. The best field mark, being on the outer hindwing, is invisible in this photo. I like the spread-winged skippers.
Aransas NWR.
Image: Biosparite.
This is another "Get Well Soon" nature picture from one of my readers that I am sharing with all of you!
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2006
Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae,
Nelson Farms Preserve, Katy Prairie Conservancy, Texas.
NABA Butterfly Count, 10 September 2006.
This is a case of mimicry where the chrysalis resembles bird poop.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd…
grrlscientist | December 12, 2006
Light from the Heart Nebula
What powers the Heart Nebula? The large emission nebula dubbed IC 1805 looks, in whole, like a human heart. The nebula glows brightly in red light emitted by its most prominent element: hydrogen. The red glow and the larger shape are all created by a small group of stars near the nebula's center. A close up spanning about 30 light years contains many of these stars is shown above . This open cluster of stars contains a few bright stars nearly 50 times the mass of our Sun, many dim stars only a fraction of the mass of our Sun, and an absent microquasar that was…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2006
Wandering Glider, Pantala flavescens
Notice the beautifully delicate body coloration and nearly invisible black veination in the otherwise transparent wings.
W. 11th St. Park Butterfly Garden, Houston, Texas.
October 2006
Biosparite writes; While I visited the West 11th st. Park, I was fortunate to find a perched Wandering Glider. These dragonflies rarely go to ground in the daytime, instead feeding above open areas and abruptly executing 90- and 180-degree turns.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the…
grrlscientist | December 10, 2006
White pairie aster, Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides
W. 11th St. Park Butterfly Garden, Houston, Texas.
28 October 2006
Biosparite writes; This tiny aster, about 8 mm or so, was driving a lot of the bee and butterfly nectaring activity this past summer at the W. 11th st. Park. People with grass lawns consider it a weedy nuisance as it will run along the ground when it is mown a lot. The plants I was monitoring stood around four feet high and had hundreds of flowers open, yielding a mild scent detectable several inches away from the flower masses.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving…
grrlscientist | December 9, 2006
Texan crescents, Phyciodes texana, mating.
W. 11th St. Park Butterfly Garden, Houston, Texas.
28 October 2006
Biosparite writes; The Texan Crescents pictured here are also multivoltine. This species is the mascot of BEST-NABA (North American Butterfy Association).
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me,…
grrlscientist | December 8, 2006
Green Tree Frogs, Hyla cinerea.
Nelson Farms Preserve, KPC, NABA Butterfly Count, 4 September 2006.
Biosparite writes; For the sake of completeness, here is the entire frog photo from an earlier image. The male is supposed to be smaller than the females. Color is variable, but the paler specimen may be a female.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your…
grrlscientist | December 7, 2006
Unknown moth species.
Houston Heights, Texas. 27 October 2006,
The photographer writes; This green moth visits my breezeway at night in
response to the lights. To get this flash shot I had to stand back and use the
macro-zoom feature on the Fuji Finepix 5200. Presumably the green wing color
allows the moth to safely roost on green tree leaves in the daytime with the
white markings likely helping to blend with leaf veination. The moth is about
3/4 inch wide along the rear wing margins. This species shows up with some
frequency. I think it is beautiful and mysterious.
Image: Biosparite.
Can…
grrlscientist | December 6, 2006
These Lower Pleistocene shells date to around 1-1.6 Myr ( Bermont formation). I collected them on a Florida Paleontological Society field trip nearly two years ago. If you were a Florida-Gulf-Coast sheller, you would recognize many of the shells as having modern representatives despite their age. There has been essentially a "freeze" on molluscan evolution in the Atlantic shell fauna since the inception of the 20 or so ice ages that have occurred in the Pleistocene. You said you were not averse to having fossils shells, so take a look. Notice the cone snails (Conus) in the strew. Nature ran…
grrlscientist | December 5, 2006
Adult Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus,
the only eagle species that is unique to North America.
Image: Dharma Bums.
The photographers, who live near my other beloved home, Seattle, wrote; I'm sure you heard we had an amazing snowfall last week. We've been taking walks along Chimacum Creek and checking out all the wildlife. It is beautiful in the winter with the snow and ice.
We've been seeing eagles a lot lately. We know their favorite trees, so can pretty much find one most days. I particularly like this snag. It's right behind some houses that hug the cliffs above Port Townsend Bay…
grrlscientist | December 4, 2006
A Pelican in the Swan
The Pelican Nebula lies about 2,000 light-years away in the high flying constellation Cygnus, the Swan. Also known as IC 5070, this cosmic pelican is appropriately found just off the "east coast" of the North America Nebula (NGC 7000), another surprisingly familiar looking emission nebula in Cygnus. The Pelican and North America nebulae are part of the same large and complex star forming region, almost as nearby as the better-known Orion Nebula. From our vantage point, dark dust clouds (upper left) help define the Pelican's eye and long bill, while a bright front of…
grrlscientist | December 3, 2006
Male monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus,
on its host plant, Asclepias curassavica.
Notice the pheromone glands in the two dark spots,
one on each hindwing near the abdomen.
This Monarch was in very good condition so it is difficult
to know whether it was migrating since there is a small,
nearly-year-round population near Houston, Texas,
where this photo was taken.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (…
grrlscientist | December 2, 2006
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Papilio glaucus,
Lance Rosier Unit in the Big Thicket around 50 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico in Eastern Texas,
20 March 2004.
Image: Biosparite.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd like it to be credited.
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tags: butterfly, eastern tiger…
grrlscientist | December 1, 2006
Here is a sweet kitty, sunning itself, for you to look at,
just in case that spider scared you all, as it did me.
Image: Hanneke.
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the images and the creatures and places in them. If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image (I prefer JPG format) that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd like it to be credited.
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tags: cat, caturday
grrlscientist | December 1, 2006
Banded Argiope, Argiope trifasciata.
Photographed in the "Spider Ranch" part of my gardens here at my farm in eastern Ontario.
Image: Bev Wigney.
I know this will amuse many of you dear readers, because I am a zoologist, but I am terrified of spiders -- and I once kept spiders as pets when I was a kid, can you believe that?? Well, to prove to you that I am not biased against spiders, I include this lovely picture of a very scary spider here for your enjoyment (and for my heebie-jeebies).
I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, dear readers, that I am overwhelmed by the beauty of…
grrlscientist | November 30, 2006
Stinkhorn Mushroom, Clathrus crispus??.
Click each picture for a truly large mage and then
feel free to correct me on the scientific name of
this mushroom, since I am not a mushroom expert
and need some help from those of you who are!
Images: Todd Smith.
The photographer, Todd, writes;"Here are a couple of pictures I took in my backyard this summer. I noticed a few golf ball sized spheres (see figures below the fold) growing in some mulch I had laid the year before. I thought they were common puffballs. However, inside, they looked like nothing I had seen before.
Soon they grew into what…