Yes!

Yes! There's more coming, but I've taken way too many photographs over the past week. It will take me a few days to get everything put together into a blog post.

Punctured Tiger Beetle © 2025 Mike McDowell

Rare!

"I finally understood what my grandmother meant. If I wasn't comfortable with myself, I would never be comfortable."

― Marjane Satrapi

A rare photograph of the author during an actual Bug Hunt!

A long time ago, someone told me I dress like a Boy Scout. Yeah, I don't think it was meant as a compliment. At the time, I shrugged it off. I hadn't thought much about it since — until I saw the above photo, mid-stride in the woods, geared up in earth tones, pockets, and straps. That's when the memory came back. Yep. Still got that look! 

Here's what I'm sporting:

Shirt: Vortex Optics Quick-dry shirt

Shorts: KÜHL Mountain Wear

Shoes: Keen Targhee IV 

Socks: Darn Tough Vermont

Cap: Vortex Optics

Butt Pack: Hill People Gear

Watch: Suunto Traverse

Binocular: Vortex UHD 8x32

Monopod: Leofoto

Camera: Nikon Mirrorless + Tamron 60mm Macro

Sunglasses: Vortex Optics 'Jackal'

Readers: 1.5x Foster Grant

Water bottle: Nalgene (in Swarovski bino case)

Quiet readiness: Undisclosed

But for me, it's about function, utility, and comfort — clothing that serves a purpose for the kinds of things I do outdoors. I like quality stuff that holds up, fits well, and works when I need it to — gear that performs and lasts a long time, not fabric that flatters. 

Image © 2025 Susan Ulschmid

Bug Hunting!

"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos."

— E.O. Wilson

Part I: Sandy Stream Tiger Beetles

Though hot and humid, Friday's mission was to check shoreline habitat along the Wisconsin River near Sauk City for Sandy Stream Tiger Beetles. Naturally, I went to the canoe launch, where getting to the beach is always quick and easy. But the river was high from all the recent rain, so there wasn't a lot of exposed habitat to check. 

Nevertheless, they were out and about! Mixed in were Hairy-necked and Bronzed Tiger Beetles.

Sandy Stream Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera macra) has an elongated, narrow build, adapted for agile hunting on the shoreline. The genus name Ellipsoptera combines the Greek words ellipse, meaning "oval" or "elliptical," and ptera, meaning "winged," referring to the beetle's flight wings and streamlined body. The species name macra derives from the Greek makros, meaning "long" or "large," highlighting the beetle's notably elongated body shape compared to related species. Together, the name Ellipsoptera macra effectively captures the distinctive long and elliptical form that allows this beetle to move swiftly along shoreline habitats.

Most individuals I observe have a coppery dorsal color, as this one shows.

Others take on more of an metallic olive look, like this one ...

The apparent coloration or iridescence might also depend on lighting and angle.

This one has a tiny pebble of sand stuck on its head, probably became attached when emerging from its nocturnal burrow early in the morning. 

Sometimes you catch them using their forelimbs to wipe debris from their eyes, head, or antennae. 

And there you have it! 

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptera

Suborder: Adephaga

Family: Cicindelidae

Genus: Ellipsoptera

Species: E. macra

Part II: Pheasant Branch Bug Hunt

Saturday's mission was an exploratory bug hunt along the Pheasant Branch Creek Corridor. The habitat was lush and overgrown — and already hot and humid by mid-morning. At the very least, I hoped to turn up a Buffalo Treehopper.

There were numerous dipterans (flies), but in the heat I was looking for easier subjects, like the Red-banded Leafhopper pictured above.

I checked each stand of Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum), a known host for Buffalo Treehoppers, and didn't have to look long before spotting a few. Above is an adult, and this next one is a nymph.

Here's a fun macro treat ...

I'm pretty sure this is Pelegrina proterva, a species of jumping spider. 

It's one of our more common jumping spiders, but still fun to find. No bigger than a grain of rice, it had that classic jumpy, alert behavior and seemed to be watching me as much as I was watching it.

And Peacock Flies!

On decaying logs and stumps (or wooden bridge rails), both male and female Peacock Flies put on a display — lifting their wings straight up and angling them forward as they move with deliberate steps. The shimmering blue highlights on their wings add to the striking, peacock-like effect.

The scientific name Callopistromyia annulipes loosely translates to "beautiful, ring-legged fly." The genus name comes from the Greek kallos, meaning beauty, and the species name annulipes combines Latin annulus (ring) and pes (foot). While the banding is visible on the legs rather than the feet themselves, the name still fits. 

Here's a Tawny Emperor ...

There's something deeply satisfying about bug hunting — part naturalist's curiosity, part treasure hunt. It forces you to slow down, to tune into the tiny dramas unfolding in leaves, stems, and soil. A flash of movement, a subtle shimmer of wings, or a strange shape clinging to a stem can spark the kind of excitement that never really goes away. Whether it's a gaudy tiger beetle or a barely visible treehopper, every find feels earned.

All images © 2025 Mike McDowell

Three Bugs and a Bloom!

"Once you learn to read the land, I have no fear of what you will do to it, or with it. And I know many pleasant things it will do to you."

― Aldo Leopold

The sun's arc is already beginning its slow descent—June is nearly behind us. I spotted some Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria) in bloom at Barneveld Prairie late last week, and a phenological connection finally clicked—it seems to bloom right around the same time Ghost Tiger Beetles (Ellipsoptera lepida) emerge, as seen at Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area.

As I've written here before, Deptford Pink isn't a native wildflower—it's a European species that's become naturalized across much of North America. While it's sometimes labeled as potentially invasive due to its ability to spread in disturbed areas, it's not listed as a noxious weed and generally doesn't form dense stands. In fact, I've never found it in large concentrations in the areas I explore.

It's a small, showy flower with bright pink petals and a delicate appearance—just the kind of plant early settlers might have grown for aesthetic reasons. From there, it escaped cultivation and gradually naturalized, especially in disturbed or open habitats. Sure enough, they were also open at Sauk Rec, and a few Ghost Tiger Beetles were on the prowl!

A large window of blue sky provided the perfect opportunity to photograph the tiger beetles in full sunlight. When the light hits them just right, the subtle coppery tones on their head and thorax really come alive. Most of the individuals I see have that warm coppery background, but a few years ago at Buena Vista Grasslands, I came across one in striking blue. In the Sauk population, I sometimes find coppery ones with a bit of green iridescence, though I've never seen a fully green individual there.

What's interesting is that A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of North America (Pearson et al.) notes that "most populations have individuals of all three background colors." But in my own experience—and based on a quick survey of iNaturalist observations—that full range doesn't seem all that common. Blue and green individuals appear to be quite rare.

But as soon as the clouds rolled in, I had to quickly adjust my exposure settings to work with the softer, diffused light.

That subdued lighting gives beetles a different kind of presence—almost like more details became visible, especially in their delicate markings and body texture. Sometimes I think those overcast moments reveal things you'd miss in harsh sunlight. It reminds me that good field photography is as much about adapting to the conditions as it is about chasing perfect light. However, they are more difficult to find without their shadow giving away their position. 

And this is how difficult they are to find when the sunlight is obstructed:

It's also been my experience that Punctured Tiger Beetles (Cicindela punctulata) emerge around the same time as Ghosts do at this location. The phenological timing of all three—the Deptford Pink, Ghost, and Punctured—seems closely linked, with their emergence and bloom overlapping in early summer.

It's a Lifer! This is Habronattus viridipes, the Green-legged Jumping Spider. It found me while I was lying on my belly photographing the Punctured Tiger Beetle. The spider hopped from rock to rock, sometimes crawling when the next jump was too far. I didn't get the best photos—it was constantly on the move and had zero interest in looking into the lens for one of those adorable portraits. 

It eventually hopped into the base of a large plant, where I lost sight of it. Hopefully, I'll get another encounter with this species—and a second chance at some better photos!

All images © 2025 Mike McDowell