The summer months make gardens come alive with the sights and
sounds of many colourful insects. I'm posting some that I photo-
graphed in the few days that I was with my parents.
The beetle pictured above is a common sight. Although I've seen
this type since childhood it's only now that I'm noticing all
the details.
Gnawing away at a Crape Myrtle branch was this colourful beetle,
the kind I've never seen before. Just look at those feelers!!
To get a better shot I placed it on another small tree. It was
very cooperative:)
Two kinds of moths I found one morning.
A mantid.
An insect whose ID I don't know. But I remember seeing many
of these in the summers of childhood.
Blue-banded bee. In flight, that blue dazzles but sadly, this
one was very dead!
But its more colourful cousin was relishing the food from
a bean bloom.
Two kinds of grasshoppers. I'm amazed at the variety. There
were many tiny ones in different shades of green and brown.
Big, hairy caterpillars are a common sight too!
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12 comments:
They are all so interesting but that orange beetle and the caterpillars are amazing!
Your wonderful world of insects. It is such an interesting world. The orange black beetle with its attractive antennas is really very cooperative perhaps he knows he is the star of the show! I have the blue banded bee in my garden. This bee I see only on dark red or blue flowers. Have you noticed different? Great post and pictures.
Great shot of the praying mantis. We were at garden club the other day and one of the pots had a baby praying mantis in it. It was so cute. Only 1" long. A neat find.
You got some good shots! Very colourful insects!
Mildred, what a find it was! The beetle, especially.
Hi Trudi, that's right! It must be so used to all that attention! About the blue-banded bees here they hover around all kinds of blooms. In the evening they rest/roost on the branch of a shrub. I noticed that a few times but now they've changed their rest'room'.
At rest they look very pale with only a faint hint of that blue. And it's difficult to photograph them because they never stop!!
Tina, that must've been so cute! I was very happy with the one I saw/photographed.
Wendy, thanks. It's good to imagine that there's more colour out there waiting for me:)
Gosh Kanak, some of these insects look fierce especially the one with a little orange... the one you touched! Overall, really wonderful pictures. Nice to look but not to touch he he he...
Kanak, you have such beautiful insects in your garden. I especially like the yellow-black beetle. I certainly won't mind having it in my garden. This guy/gal looks very proud and showy, just like the peacock. Their long feelers reminds me of the headgear of chinese opera gentlemen! I think the most scary is the hairy caterpillar. It tend to make my skin feel itchy just by watching your picture.
you get some amazing and colourful insects. recently i discovered a new invading species on one of my lilly's, a pure red lilly beetle.
The beetle with the tiger colouring is very intriguing.
I do look forward to your insect pictures. You have so many kinds passing through your garden. No wonder the beetle was co-operative - he knows he looks handsome!
Steph, a little bamboo stick comes in very handy. I gently let them grip the stick if the sun gets in the way and I can't get a clear shot. Otherwise I let them be.
Hi Autumn Belle, that's right. I couldn't believe my luck at the sight of that beetle! With caterpillars I started photographing them only recently. While doing so I thought I'd break out in a rash but the feeling passed. That was with my first scary looking one. Now I no longer get that feeling!
Barry, that red must be so pretty! I'll check out your posts --you must've posted already?!
Padma, thanks...wish I could find more exotica:)
Easygardener, I do have lots of less spectacular ones passing through. But the ones in this post are from my parents' garden.
Wow, look at all those insects! I almost bought a field guide on the insects of North America today, but I've been spending a lot of money on plants and other items, so decided to wait on the book. I need to look, because I may have a book on insects, but it's just not a field guide.
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