Nature

A prairie falcon, Falco mexicanus. This photo was taken on Christmas Eve in north-central Kansas. Image: David A. Rintoul. As long as you send images to me (and I hope it will be for forever), I shall continue to share them with my readership. My purpose for posting these images is to remind all of us of the grandeur of the natural world and that there is a world out there that is populated by millions of unique species. We are a part of this world whether we like it or not: we have a choice to either preserve these species or to destroy them in search of short-term monetary gains. But…
A mushroom that was showing a bit of its gills. Image: David Harmon. 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. . tags: mushroom, fungi,nature
A small wasp washing its face. The photo was taken on the path that runs behind the photographer's house. Image: miz_geek. 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. . tags: wasp, insect,nature, entomology, zoology
An oak leaf in the photographer's backyard in Connecticut in October 2006. It had rained that morning, so the leaves were all shiny and their colors were just outstanding. The photographer says, "I had never thought of oaks as having great fall color, but it turns out I was wrong." Image: miz_geek. 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…
One of the Arizona desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizii that the photographer is a care taker of. It is probably Aphrodite. Image: Mark Newton. 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. . tags: tortoise, reptile, nature, zoology
A southern alligator lizard, Elgaria multicarinata. It was sunning itself on railroad ballast near Hood River, Oregon, spring of 2006. Specifically, on the Hood River Railroad, along Hood River, just east of the town of Hood River. Image: Conrad Frost, Fisheries Biologist. 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…
In the shadow of Saturn, unexpected wonders appear. The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn recently drifted in giant planet's shadow for about 12 hours and looked back toward the eclipsed Sun. Cassini saw a view unlike any other. First, the night side of Saturn is seen to be partly lit by light reflected from its own majestic ring system. Next, the rings themselves appear dark when silhouetted against Saturn, but quite bright when viewed away from Saturn and slightly scattering sunlight, in the above exaggerated color image. Saturn's rings light up so much that new rings were…
Moonlit Beach. Orphaned Image. Please contact me for proper creditation. 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. . tags: moonlight, beach, nature, geology
Woodland Skipper, Poanes melanae, puddling at a seep in the Deschutes National Forest on 18 July 2006. Skippers are ubiquitous. This is a fairly small, compact butterfly. When a large number are nectaring in a concentrated fashion, one can hear the fast flutter of their wings. 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…
Recently emerged Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, Erythemis simplicicollis. Image: Bev Wigney. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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. . tags: Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly, entomology
Caterpillar of the Pandora Sphinx Moth Eumorpha pandorus, strikes a defensive pose. Photographed along the Cataraqui Trail in eastern Ontario. Image: Bev Wigney. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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. . tags: caterpillar, entomology
Prince Baskettail dragonfly, Epitheca princeps, resting in shady spot. Image: Bev Wigney. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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. . tags: Prince Baskettail dragonfly, entomology
A juvenile Eastern Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum, photographed near Mississagagon Lake in eastern Ontario. Image: Bev Wigney. Happy Holidays to everyone. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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. . tags: Eastern Milk Snake,…
Mystery moth species, Houston, Texas. 20 December 2006. I use the zoom macro feature on the Finepix to take the photo from about three feet away since if I get close with the standard macro, I get lots of flash-back. I rarely get to photograph a moth with natural light. The wingspan on this lep was just under an inch. I have been observing moths in this breezeway in Houston for three years, and I still see species new to me. Image: Biosparite. Can you identify this species of moth, which was found in Houston, Texas? Update: this species is Diaphania modialis. I am receiving so many…
White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, fawn found sleeping next to a hiking trail at Foley Mountain near Westport, Ontario. Image: Bev Wigney. Happy Holidays to everyone. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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. . tags: deer fawn, biology
Anticrepuscular Rays Over Florida What's happening over the horizon? Although the scene may appear somehow supernatural, nothing more unusual is occurring than a setting Sun and some well placed clouds. Strangely, the actual sunset was occurring in the opposite direction from where the camera was pointing. Pictured above are anticrepuscular rays. To understand them, start by picturing common crepuscular rays that are seen any time that sunlight pours though scattered clouds. Now although sunlight indeed travels along straight lines, the projections of these lines onto the spherical sky are…
Dogday Harvestfly cicada. Tibicen canicularis Found along the K&P Trail near Snow Road Station in eastern Ontario. Image: Bev Wigney. I love cicadas because they are so interesting and also because they remind me of Tokyo, Japan, where I first was introduced to them. Happy Holidays to everyone. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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…
Turritella perattenuata fossil, next to a nickel (for scale). Caloosahatchee fm[1]., Brandtley quarry, near Highway 31, Florida. This is a Caloosahatchee fossil, the remarkably elongate and now-extinct Turritella perattenuata. The Caloosahatchee is said to straddle the Plio-Pleistocene boundary, which, according to the Geological Society of America Geological Time Scale, occurs at 1.8 Myr. The Caloosahatchee fauna is tropical, but the Lower Pleistocene Bermont formation above it in the South Florida section shows temperate elements. Image: Biosparite. I am receiving so many gorgeous…
Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. One does not ordinarily think of a soldier fly as a pollinator, but this one, with some green camoflauge, was sipping from a Philadelphia fleabane last year at Anahuac NWR, Texas on 2 April 2005. 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…
Eastern Dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus. Photographed alive after briefly chilling in a refrigerator. In her warmed-up state, she was more than a little intimidating. Image: Bev Wigney. Happy Holidays to everyone. I am receiving so many gorgeous pictures from you, amigos bonitos, and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of these images and the creatures and places depicted. 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…