Nature
grrlscientist | December 31, 2008tags: sunset, Hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day
Sunset, Wailea, Maui, 2
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
awild | December 31, 2008
A long-tongued horse fly takes a sip of nectar in Arizona's Chiricahua mountains.
100% crop of the same image.
photo details: Canon 65mm MP-E 1-5x macro lens on a Canon EOS 20D
ISO 100, f/13, 1/250 sec, flash diffused through tracing paper
grrlscientist | December 30, 2008tags: Central Park, NYC, tufted titmouse, image of the day
Central Park Tufted Titmouse.
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George [larger view].
The photographer writes;
On first glance you might think this Tufted Titmouse is perched as I did but the image actually captured the bird in mid-air. I cannot remember if it was rising from or descending to my palm though I think it was probably on the way down. If it was in the process of leaving it would most likely have had a piece of peanut clamped firmly in its beak. I had been dispensing a few morsels to a Northern Cardinal acquaintance and…
grrlscientist | December 27, 2008Disney's new film, The Crimson Wing -- Mystery of the Flamingos tells the story of the birth, life and death of a million Lesser Flamingos, Phoeniconaias minor. Life at Natron is tough for the flamingos, with many predators threatening their daily survival. According to Aeberhard: "they have a number of predators such as Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus, hyenas and jackals... The contrast here between life and death is very stark" [1:50]
awild | December 17, 2008In an earlier post I listed my favorite insect images of the year taken by other photographers. Now it's my turn. Here is the best of my own work over the last 12 months.
Laccophilus pictus, Arizona
Dinoponera australis, Argentina
Parasitic Cotesia wasp attacks a Manduca larva
Polyrhachis schlueteri, South Africa
Crematogaster tricolor, South Africa
Weaver Ant (Oecophylla longinoda), South Africa
Rose Aphids (Macrosiphum rosae), Arizona
Thaumatomyrmex atrox, Venezuela
Simopelta queen and workers, Venezuela
Pheidole obtusospinosa, Arizona
Harpegnathos saltator, India
grrlscientist | December 14, 2008tags: National Geographic, 2008 International Photography Contest, Antelope Canyon, nature, image of the day
Image: Michael Tuttle, United States.
My friends at National Geographic have provided permission for me to share some of the images from their recent 2008 International Photography Contest.
Places Honorable Mention.
The photographer writes;
This is Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona, at mid-day, as a sunbeam was shining directly through the canyon entrance above. The room was filled with glowing light as the dust and sand particles illuminated the light beam.
awild | December 14, 2008
Neivamyrmex nigrescens, Arizona
Army ants have a decidedly tropical reputation. The term conjures spectacular images of swarms sweeping across remote Amazonian villages, devouring chickens, cows, and small children unlucky enough to find themselves in the path of the ants. Of course, the habits of real army ants are not nearly so sensational, but they are at least as interesting.
The approximate range of army ants in North America.
Few people are aware that more than a dozen army ant species are found in the United States. Most belong to the genus Neivamyrmex, a diverse group that…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2008tags: National Geographic, 2008 International Photography Contest, snow leopard, nature, image of the day
Snow leopard, Panthera uncia.
Image: Stephen Oachs, United States [larger view].
My friends at National Geographic have provided permission for me to share some of the images from their recent 2008 International Photography Contest.
Nature Winner.
The photographer writes;
The incredibly beautiful snow leopard, Panthera uncia, is indigenous to the mountains of Central Asia. Their dense coats and snowshoe-like paws are ideally suited for their cold, dry, rocky native environment.…
grrlscientist | December 13, 2008tags: Iceland, nature, Eva Sturm, Sigur Ros, streaming video
This spectacular video focuses on Iceland. Land of contrasts: Hot water and Ice, situated in the North Atlantic, right above the mid-ocean ridge that separates America and Europe. [6:12]
Iceland from Eva Sturm.
The cinematographer writes:
Shooting was done in two stays (2 weeks each) in 2005 & 2006 (both in September) with a result of 15 hours of footage.
Camera was a SONY Z1. I used some COKIN semi-grey Filters extensivley to get the sky as dark as I wanted it to be. Almost no color correction was done in the post, but the…
grrlscientist | December 12, 2008tags: National Geographic, 2008 International Photography Contest, lightning, nature, image of the day
Image: Mitchell Krog, South Africa [larger view].
My friends at National Geographic have provided permission for me to share some of the images from their recent 2008 International Photography Contest.
Nature Honorable Mention.
The photographer writes;
Our first electric storm of summer 2007 set alight the grasslands, causing the orange glow to the right of the photo, which is commonly mistaken as a sunset or digital manipulation. I rushed out with my camera and had a 15 to 20 minute…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2008tags: National Geographic, 2008 International Photography Contest, dolphins, nature, image of the day
Image: Andrew Wong [larger view].
Nature Honorable Mention.
The photographer writes;
Dolphins are known to jump out the back of big waves as they break against the shores. This pod of bottlenose dolphins was leisurely surfing in the waves as the offshore wind blew against the incoming waves, creating an atmosphere that was most unique and magical. At a place called Waterfall Bluff in the Transkei, South Africa.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2008tags: green sea turtles, Hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day
Egg-laying Green Sea Turtles
Pacific green (black) sea turtle Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawai'i.
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | December 9, 2008tags: sunset, Mt Shasta, landscape, nature, image of the day
Sunset over Mt. Shasta
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | December 8, 2008tags: sunset, Mexico, landscape, nature, image of the day
Sunset with Palm
Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
awild | December 8, 2008Today we have a guest post by myself, from 25 years ago:
It was my very first ant publication, printed on the back page of a biweekly family newsletter. The ants I later determined to be Lasius flavus, and I am happy to report that the species still abounds at my old haunts in upstate NY despite all my collecting and squishing of queens.
That's me on the right, collecting ants with co-conspirator Steve
grrlscientist | December 7, 2008tags: sunset, Mexico, landscape, nature, image of the day
Sunset
Rosarito Beach, Mexico.
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | December 6, 2008tags: sunset, Hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day
Sunset
Ka'anapali, Maui.
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
grrlscientist | December 5, 2008tags: storm cell, Hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day
Storm Cell
Black Rock, Ka'anapali, Maui.
Image: John del Rio [larger view].
awild | December 5, 2008
Metrius contractus
Oregon, USA
Many biologists are familiar with the Bombardier Beetles in the ground beetle tribe Brachinini, as their defensive tactic of aiming an explosive spray has been studied extensively. The Brachinini are even celebrated by creationists as animals that couldn't possibly evolve.
As it turns out, though, bombardiers have evolved at least twice. The second, less known radiation comprises the subfamily Paussinae, also in the Carabidae, and as we'd expect from an independent origin the spray dispersing mechanism is different, using a flange instead of a nozzle. …
grrlscientist | December 4, 2008tags: stormfront, hawaii, landscape, nature, image of the day
Ka'anapali, Maui
Image: John del Rio [larger view].