Larry at Larry's Images.com: 6/26/11

Saturday, July 2, 2011

A Mistake?

I was shooting insects. I finished and was loading my camera back onto the cart. I accidentally depressed the shutter button. Glad that I was not shooting film, I went on about my business. I could just delete it. Later, at the computer, I decided that I liked the shot. I hope you do too.

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Friday, July 1, 2011

Honey Bee

I recently saw this honey bee on the Spiderwort blossom. I thought it a beautiful image of the blossom and the bee. Hope you enjoy.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

White False Indigo, More

Bumble Bee on White False Indigo

We were talking recently about the White False Indigo. The next time at Gorman I observed this bumble bee at the plant.

I decided to take a closer look at an individual blossom. The idea popped into my mind as I watched the bee.

This is the bee's eye view while coming in for a landing. I think that I can see its target. My next question was, "Where are the reproductive parts?" It looked like the bee had pollen on him. At this point I touched the bloom and squeezed the vertical part at the bottom.

Look what I found! The bee must somehow open this while drinking nectar.

These individual blooms occur in a sequence from bottom to top on the stem. I think that the stem continues to grow at the terminal end revealing more and more sites for blossoms. Anyway, the most mature ones are at the bottom.

I might have mentioned earlier that the blossoms look to me like garden pea blossoms. It has been a while since I have seen pea blossoms, though. Anyway, I found myself wondering if they tasted like peas. I tried tasting one from the center of the stem. The initial taste experience was bitter, somewhat similar to that of a pea pod. The after taste was, however; a continued bitter taste. Garden peas give a sweet taste. I have tried the most immature pods and they give a taste less bitter. I found them quite palatable. They never give the sweet after taste, though. I probably should have checked to make sure it was safe to taste the pods but I did not. I have tried tasting them on two days running and show no ill effects.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

White False Indigo

This is another plant that I consider very beautiful. I have been thinking about a way to show its beauty in a photograph. This is my latest attempt. It is not a very dynamic image but I like the background. The blooms are so tall and spread out!

White False Indigo Seed Pods

It is like clover in that it fixes nitrogen form the air and puts it into the soil. Peas, whose blossoms resemble those of this plant, are also nitrogen fixers. The the autumn, large seed pods, larger around than peas and not as long form. Inside are the seeds looking much like peas in a pod.

seedpod

seed

The scale gradations are 1/64 inch.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Insects from Jackson County

Slaty Skimmer Dragonfly

My daughter and her husband have a cabin in Jackson County. I was there on a recent visit and had a chance to photograph some of the insects. I was sitting, literally, in the pond on my milk carton when I made all the captures except the butterfly.

Slaty Skimmer

The pond bottom is very gradual at the location where I sat in about 6 - 8 inches of water. I really think that the insects are hams and like to have their pictures taken.

Vesper Bluet

This damselfly was laying eggs, ovipositing.

Eastern Amberwing

This is a small dragonfly. I have photographed it at Gorman but not with this beautiful background.

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly

They had more of this butterfly than I have ever seen in one place, even at Gorman. The Milkweeds are in full bloom but at Gorman I have only seen one budded.

For those unfamiliar with Ohio, Jackson is about 2 1/2 hours south of Mansfield.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Alsike Clover

I was photographing this clover when a friend, whose name I do not know, and his wife came along the trail. I was remembering that I had called it Dutch Clover the last time I photographed it. He seemed to think that it was Alsike. I ran it through Newcomb's Field Guide and sure enough that it what it was. I did not have Newcomb's when I photographed it previously.

Interestingly, the morning was warming and I had just removed my black fleece vest. I was getting a lot of ground clutter in the background so I threw the vest in as a background. It caused my subject to stand out dramatically.

I seem to remember hearing my father talk about this clover when discussing what clover seed to buy/plant.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Crane Fly

My grandsons brought one of these to me the other day to ask what it is. They think that I know everything. I really don't but I happened to know this one because I had just made this image of it. I read that it has a caterpillar, which I have not found as yet.