Thursday, September 12, 2013,
This is a female Red-bellied Turtle that I saw resting along the Lower Carmans River. Her carapace, (that’s upper shell to folks like you and me), appears to be covered with some sort of algae. I’m not sure if this is a lifestyle comment or a fashion statement. It’s not my place to judge. JK
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Saturday, August 11, 2012,
I was kayaking on a freshwater pond in Maine last week and managed to capture these shots of a bee visiting a water lily flower. I’m sorry that at this point I cannot tell you the specific species of water lily represented here or even if its native to the area. Apparently, many water lilies are invasives and have been planted for ornamental purposes. On the other hand, upon entering the state of Maine, there are signs asking boaters to be sure that their boats are clean and free of any plant matter from other areas or states. so Maine is a state that is concerned with its ecosystem and that, dear reader, is a very good thing. It’s good for Maine and good for all of us. There are way too many invasive species wreaking havoc across the country.
Wait a minute. We’re looking a pics of a flower, right? Let me step down from this soapbox and let’s enjoy some pollination on the pond. These are really pretty flowers, and anything that attracts bees these days can’t be a bad thing. All across the world, bees are disappearing at a rather alarming rate. Oh, crap. There I go again. Way too many soapboxes to stand on these days, especially for us nature lovers.
Lets get back on topic anyways, okay? Here’s another shot of the same bee visiting that same flower. Gosh, I love reflections. JK
JK
Thursday, September 15, 2011,
The Four Harbors chapter of the Audubon Society had our monthly walk at Avalon this past Saturday morning. We meet every second Saturday at the Duck Pond at Stony Brook. If you’ve never been to Avalon, this makes for a great free tour. You don’t need to know Jack about birds to join us but you may come away with an education. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt. Much.
And you won’t just learn about birds, either. Many of our regular walkers are very knowledgeable about plants as well as a myriad of other subjects. I’ve got lousy hearing but I’m always trying to eavesdrop on conversations to learn little tidbits. I’ve been playing in the woods since I was five and I used to think I knew a lot about our local wildlife but I learn more and more at each of these walks. It’s great. A good deal of this kind of information is not easily found in books or even online. Plus, it’s a very enjoyable way to spend a morning.
Oh yeah. About the Mantis. That’s what this post is about, right? Well, despite the previous paragraph, I had to consult books and online resources. And I managed to learn something. Maybe it’s new to you too. This is a Chinese Mantis. The size alone – this one was at least 3.5 inches long – tells us this. These guys are an introduced species from, yes, China. Since their debut in 1895 these guys have become fairly common in the northeast. They were brought here as a form of pest control and there is no doubt that they are very capable predators. There is even documentation of of hummingbirds being taken by these critters. That’s impressive. Not pretty, but impressive. JK.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
JK
Saturday, August 14, 2002,
JK