Pheasant Branch Conservancy
I finally felt well enough to get back into the field on Sunday. Still below full strength, I kept it simple and easy, sticking to a few places near home. It had been over a month since my last birding excursion at Pheasant Branch conservancy, but I wasn't very thorough during this late July outing and didn't even bother to eBird my observations. While the prairie parcel had more noticeable avian activity, the creek corridor was a better place for insect photography; sitting, kneeling, and leaning was more my pace for the day, anyway.
Gray Catbird
While scanning cup plant stalks, I came across my first Buffalo Treehopper of the summer season. I didn't have a clear angle on it, but managed to find a small window below a leaf for a portrait. I also searched for Red-banded Leafhopper, but found only Citrus flatid Planthoppers, which were fairly numerous throughout the creek corridor. I found just one Peacock Fly at the first bridge crossing.
Buffalo Treehopper
Citrus flatid Planthopper
Citrus flatid Planthopper
Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus
A highlight of the day was discovering a tiny robber fly species I've never encountered before. At only 8mm in length, I could have easily overlooked these little gnat ogres, as they are sometimes called. There were probably half a dozen of them, but I didn't see any holding prey. Still, what an awesome little monster!
Robber Fly Holcocephala abdominalis
Robber Fly Holcocephala abdominalis
Sylvia knew of a spot not far from Middleton where we might find Juniper Hairstreak butterflies. Having never seen the species, I thought they would make stunning blog subjects. Nectaring on Queen Anne's Lace Daucus carota, the little green and orange butterflies were very cooperative insect subjects.
Juniper Hairstreak Callophrys gryneus
And a couple more tiger beetle portraits from earlier in July ...
Punctured Tiger Beetle
Big Sand Tiger Beetle
Bring on August!
All images © 2017 Mike McDowell