The magical world of "bugs"

Tiny bee back

07-31-16 A "paralyzed," yet alive, hover fly sat frozen on the pavement while I got up close & personal from behind. As soon as I moved to the front, he started moving & was soon gone.

Common house fly

07-04-18 Though many consider them pests, flies are important pollinators, second only to bees. Up close, the common house fly reveals its colorful body and beautiful eyes.

Fly on a flower

12-11-15 An irredesent fly works the spring blooms in December.

Green bottle fly

09-23-22 In the same family as the common house fly, the green bottle fly is entirely colored with metallic hues from yellow-green to blue-green; it is a beautiful Being. Active during the day, the female green bottle fly lays her eggs in rotting or dead flesh; the fles can complete their life cycle from egg to adult in 7–10 days. Source: University of Nebraska.

A cool fly`

10-28-16 A cool fly gave a quick pose during while strolling through the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Pollinator fly

11-21-17 Though often perceived as a pest, the fly is an important pollinator with a valuable role in the native ecosystems. Is it time to discover the value in what we perceive as pesky in ourselves & others?

Etheric hover fly

11-21-17 The warm weather beckoned the hoverfly to slip through the veils for late fall pollination.

Hover fly

10-29-18 A late-season hover fly enjoys a daisy patch as the dormant season encroaches on foliage and food sources.

Hover fly wing

10-11-17 When our "angel wings" ignite, it is a time of trust & faith in our inner wisdom, despite the lack of clarity in our li

Hover fly on flower

10-12-16 My heart skipped a beat when the delightful hover fly landed in my focal area. The body design is incredible. YES, I am totally in love with my new friend!

Hoverfly on daisy center

12-02-17 "Ask & You Shall Receive!" I breathed deeply into my heart and with love asked this tiny sweetheart to gift me captures. WOW, my friend put on quite the show on close flowers!!

TINY hovery fly

10-13-17 After quietly posing in profile, the TINY hoverfly turned for a direct look - a high honor!

Tiny pollinator

06-18-16 The TINY pollinator claims his kingdom!

Wasp congregation

06-22-23 A swarm of wasps congregate on a strand of Spanish moss.

Common thread-waisted wasp

05-21-22 When I moved closer, the sweet wasp gave me a lovely profile portrait.

Golden lady bug

06-20-18 06-20-18 A golden ladybug heralds abundant good fortune.

Cool larvae

06-20-18 An clan of incredibly cool larvae called the squash leaves their home.

Adult milkweed beetle

07-22-16 An adult milkweed beetle enjoys the cool summer morning.

Adult milkweed beetle

08-06-15 The milkweed beetles set-up an intricate colony in the Blue Heron Nature Preserve's abundant milkweed. This is an adult who watches over new hatchlings and jueveniles.

A milkweed beetle leader

07-24-16 A true visionary is oblivious to the perils along his chosen path to success.

Milkweed beetles

07-21-16 Two milkweed beetes propagating the species.

Multi-generation milkweed beetles

07-22-16 An adult milkweed beetle watches over a multi-generation gathering of his off-spring.

Juvenile milkweed beetle

08-06-15 A juvenile milkweed beetle explores its intricate colony while adults are nearby for guidance.

Grasshopper

05-28-18 Grasshoppers teach us to take a leap of complete faith, knowing we will land with perfect itming & location.

Eastern Hercules Beetle

07-23-15 Found in an urban parking lot, the dead beetle was intact and easy to capture once balanced on the leaf.

Eastern Hercules Beetle

07-23-15 The Eastern Hercules Beetle is the largest beetle in the U.S. Males use their horns to fight other males over territory & females. Love how his hairs are emphasized in this angle.

Click beetle

05-03-17 A click beetle made a dramatic appearance and then posed for a short photo session.

Spider in web

10-13-17A bold spider spun her web along the botanical gardens entry path and greeted patrons with her High Priestess energy. Note the prominent Being revealing itself on her back - the eyes, nose, smiling mouth & ears are clear.

Spider on web

10-13-17 A magnificent spider greeted me upon my arrival at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. In Ted Andrew’s The Animal Wise Tarot Deck, the High Priestess is the Spider and signals an awakening of our creative energies. The Spider also teaches us the importance of balance in our lives and “how to weave today the dreams we choose fulfilled tomorrow”.

Silver argiope

07-08-22 A female silver argiope spun her web in the penny royal bushes and awaits prey for her next meal.

Spinybacked orb-weaver spider

11-12-21 It is facinating to learn about the plethora of native spiders that live within urban habitats.

Spinybacked orb-weaver spider

11-14-21 The lovely lady awaits her prey for a tasty meal.

Spinybacked orb-weaver spider

04-24-22 Within literal minutes of placing the new fruit trees in the yard, the spinybacked orb-weaver spider began spinning a cool web.

Wolf spider on wall

04-14-22 As it was stuck on the wall, the wolf spider was a perfect model for its portrait.

Black and yellow argiope spider

05-06-22 The black and yellow argiope spider spun a lovely web in the backyard shade.

Orchard orb-weaver spider

09-18-21 Spiders hanging out in the webs awaiting their next meal are excellent photography subjects.

Termite mound

05-04-19 A huge termite mound greeted tthe tour group as embarked on the walkway through the mangrove swamp.