If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves.
~Emily Dickinson
I’ve been wandering around the yard again, camera in hand, looking for the little things that might be living alongside us. The heat of summer tends to make a lot of the big things (like me) a bit less energetic. But this is the time for the smaller life forms to excel, to achieve their life purpose, before the cold weather returns. There are a lot of familiar neighbors out there, and always something new to see as well, be it a different species, a different life stage, or some interesting behavior. All it takes is a little time and a slow meander through the greenery. Here are a few of the latest little things that make life in the woods so interesting…
Common True Katydid, Pterophylla camellifolia (iPhone photo). The raspy calls of these leaf mimics are heard from now until autumn in our treetops. Both males and females stridulate. Females (like this one) will use their sword-like ovipositer to insert eggs into the loose bark of trees where the eggs will overwinter and hatch next spring to start the cycle anew. (click photos to enlarge)Green Cone-headed Planthopper, Acanalonia conica. I wrote about these tiny leaf mimics a few years ago in another blog post.This relatively large green guy is always a delight to find – a Green Treefrog, Hyla cinerea. It seems we find one of these in the yard every summer, often clinging onto the stem of a Jewelweed.A mating pair of Large Milkweed Bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus. They feed on the seeds and sap of milkweed plants in all stages of their life cycle, acquiring the toxins of the plant and making them unpalatable to most predators (hence the bright orange and black warning coloration). Females can lay up to 2000 eggs in their one month life span, so our milkweed plants will soon be covered in the bright orange nymphs.A ghostly nymph of some sort of planthopper (perhaps after a fresh molt)A spiky larva of the Banded Tussock Moth, Halysidota tessellaris (iPhone photo). Varying in color from yellow-orange to gray, these caterpillars feed on a variety of trees and shrubs. They are often found on the tops of leaves out in the open, indicating their potential distastefulness to many predators (due to a combination of the stiff hairs and some chemicals acquired from their host plants).A species of Rose Chafer Beetle, Macrodactylus sp. Whenever I got close with the camera, it raised its long hind legs in what might be some sort of defensive posture.A Tiger Bee Fly (Xenox tigrinus) sitting on a green acorn cap. I’m always glad to see these around our wood-siding house as they are parasites on Carpenter Bees, which love to drill into our fascia boards. Adult Tiger Bee Flies feed on nectar and females seek out Carpenter Bee nest cavities and lay eggs in them where her young hatch and feed on the bee larvae.False Bee-killer, Promachus bastardii (iPhone photo). This large robber fly can be seen (and heard) buzzing around the yard waiting for a chance to pounce on unsuspecting flying insects (often some type of bee) which it then sucks dry.Underside of a female Arrow-shaped Micrathena, Micrathena sagittata, showing the prominent spines on her abdomen (males are tiny, seldom seen, and, well, spineless). Juvenile Black-and-yellow Garden Spider, Argiope aurantia, with a planthopper prey. I think this is a male Bronze Jumping Spider, Eris militaris. It was crawling around on an ironweed next to our kitchen door. It allowed me to get several portrait shots as it scrutinized my big white flash diffuser moving in on it as I tried to focus on those magnificent eyes.
These are magnificent photos. Thanks for sharing! JoEllen Mason
On Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 10:48 AM Roads End Naturalist wrote:
> roadsendnaturalist posted: ” If you take care of the small things, the big > things take care of themselves. ~Emily Dickinson I’ve been wandering around > the yard again, camera in hand, looking for the little things that might be > living alongside us. The heat of summer tends to m” >
Roads End Naturalist 
Love the insect info and photos!
Thanks, Dierdre.
These are magnificent photos. Thanks for sharing! JoEllen Mason
On Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 10:48 AM Roads End Naturalist wrote:
> roadsendnaturalist posted: ” If you take care of the small things, the big > things take care of themselves. ~Emily Dickinson I’ve been wandering around > the yard again, camera in hand, looking for the little things that might be > living alongside us. The heat of summer tends to m” >
Thanks, JoEllen, glad you liked them.
Awesome walk through the garden!
It amazes me – all the critters and creatures that are around us everyday! Green tree frogs are one of my favorites. Your macro shots are fantastic!!!
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