"July is not only a season of the year; it is a season of the mind and memory. Hot days and sultry nights and crashing thunderstorms are a part of July, and to the drone of bees in the clover fields will soon be added the high-pitched sibilance of the cicada. The tang of ripe cherries and the sweetness of sunning hay."
— Hal Borland
Both the Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area and the Sauk City Canoe Launch have become my go-to summer destinations for Nature photography. While there’s still birding to be done, my attention remains almost entirely on insects — especially tiger beetles and Hemiptera (hopper) species. Even so, this past weekend, in a shaded woodland area of the parcel, the songs of an Acadian Flycatcher, Ovenbird, and Hooded Warbler lingered in the air — sounds of spring! Hearing them was enough; I didn't feel compelled to track them down for a view or photos.
But who could pass up on a singing Dickcissel in good light with a nice sky-blue background?
Well, singing for a little while. Soon it began preening ...
One final summer visit was made to see Ghost Tiger Beetles at the sandlot. This time it was mid-afternoon and the lighting was better for portraiture.
But rather than hunting ...
This one began grooming ...
Insects groom their antennae to keep them clean and fully functional. Since antennae are loaded with sensory organs that detect chemical signals (such as pheromones), temperature, humidity, and touch, they act like an insect's nose and fingers. It's important to take timeouts to keep them clean. Plus, for me, it's kind of adorable watching them groom through my camera's viewfinder.
Done.
Hostilities resume — watch out, ants!
My last look for another year ...
Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) was in bloom along the western edge of the sandlot, its soft purple flower heads adding a splash of color to the otherwise dry, sandy landscape. The plants swayed gently in the breeze, attracting bees and other pollinators.
A Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) with slight damage to its right hind wing ...
The Viceroy was once thought to be a harmless Batesian mimic of the toxic Monarch, relying on its similar orange-and-black pattern to avoid predators. However, research in the 1990s revealed that Viceroys are actually distasteful themselves, changing our understanding of their mimicry relationship.
In Nature, there are two main types of mimicry. Batesian mimicry occurs when a harmless species evolves to resemble a harmful or unpalatable one, gaining protection because predators avoid the model species. In contrast, Müllerian mimicry involves two or more genuinely unpalatable or harmful species that share similar warning signals, reinforcing avoidance behavior in predators. Since Viceroys are also distasteful, their resemblance to Monarchs is now considered an example of Müllerian mimicry, where both species benefit from looking alike.
This doesn't stop some birds, like Blue Jays, from eating either species, though!
A quick stop at the canoe launch yielded robber flies and Sandy Stream Tiger Beetles. While tiger beetles are fast and formidable predators themselves, they can fall victim to larger or stealthier hunters like robber flies — especially if caught off guard or grounded. It's a brutal reminder that even predators have predators.
Closer to home, at an unnamed park near Deer Creek, I found Locust Treehoppers (Thelia bimaculata) on — what else — Black Locust trees.
Most were paired up — female on the left, male on the right.
Some side views of each ...
At the west end of the park, there's a trail where I regularly spot Punctured Tiger Beetles throughout July and into August. This stretch has become a reliable location for observing these speedy predators as they patrol the dirt path. Hardly anyone seems to walk this trail, so I can take my time getting decent close-up portraits.
Right now they're a common species often found on sidewalks and parking lots.
Many insect species reach their peak in mid to late summer — whether it's dragonflies patrolling wetlands, butterflies flitting among wildflowers, or beetles and flies emerging in the heat. July offers some of the best opportunities for insect photography and observation, especially during warm, sunny days when insects are most active. Plus, different groups take turns dominating the scene as the season progresses, so there's always something new to find and photograph.
All images © 2025 Mike McDowell
