Goldenrod Crab Spider

BRENT PENNINGTON – A Goldenrod Crab spider waits amid dewdrops atop allium blossoms in Scranton, PA, on the morning of 12 August 2024. BRENT PENNINGTON – A Goldenrod Crab spider waits amid dewdrops atop allium blossoms in Scranton, PA, on the morning of 12 August 2024. BRENT PENNINGTON – A Goldenrod Crab spider waits amid […]

Broad-necked Root Borer

After an early evening rain I stepped out to see what I might find around my backyard and gardens.  These little walks are pleasant on their own, but it’s always interesting to see what I find.  Sometimes it’s nothing at all, or just the usual characters in their usual spots.  Other times, however, I receive […]

Honeybee

A honeybee hard at work pollinating my oregano.  The joy of macro photography comes from the detail that’s revealed.  Individual pollen grains become visible, and in some cases at full resolution, you can even see the spiky little hooks that let them cling to everything they come into contact with.

Sweat Bee

Unlike the last post, with the hoverflies who use visual mimicry to convince predators that they are bees and carry a nasty sting, this is in fact a true bee.  A species of sweat bee, to be specific, although I’m not sure of the exact type.  He visited several of the geranium blossoms, moving from […]

Hoverflies

Hoverflies, these tiny bee-mimics who, as their name suggests, appear to hover in place before zipping off to a new spot, are one of my favorite subjects in the garden.  Unlike many flies, they don’t seem to have any real interest in people and are never irritating.  They do love my lavender, however, and seem […]

Blackberry Blossom

Blackberry blossom in the warm evening light.  When they are first getting ready to open, there’s a faint pink tinge to the blossoms, which quickly fades to white.  Weeks later, the flower is replaced with the fruit, which is the quintessential summer berry.  I have two blackberry bushes in my garden, rescued from the home […]

Striped Lynx Spider

BRENT PENNINGTON – A Striped Lynx spider hunts among thyme and chives in a herb garden in Scranton, PA, on the afternoon of 22 July 2023. BRENT PENNINGTON – A Striped Lynx spider hunts among thyme and chives in a herb garden in Scranton, PA, on the afternoon of 22 July 2023. BRENT PENNINGTON – […]