Monday, September 9: Bugs in the park!

[mistressofmuses]

On Monday we went to the park to go on a walk with the dogs, and to brush Cy. (He is shedding ridiculously.)

And we finally saw praying mantises!


A classic pose!

I also got to see a bright green sweat bee:


I love when I see them, but always struggle to get pictures of them. They are very small: about half the size of a honey bee. While these pictures didn't come out perfectly, they're far better than I can usually get.




I interrupted this mantis with her honeybee snack.


I like how you can see the veining in her wings. :)


Look at those grabby front legs! I can see how they will ruin your day, if you're another insect.


A ladybug with an aphid snack... and plenty more.


An ambush bug.


Tragic: local parkgoer so focused on the neat ambush bug that they completely missed the cool crab spider on the flower to the left. :(


There was a second mantis! :D


Japanese beetles, my beloathed. They didn't used to come this far west, but they've been terrible the last few years, and basically completely destroy any rose that dares... exist. (Unfortunately, they are pretty cool looking.)


Went back to visit the first mantis again.


And the bright green sweat bee!


I especially like that I got this one with its face in the flower, haha.

Comments

[scarlipswolfwife]

What gorgeous photos! The praying mantises are lovely. The Japanese beetles? Creepy af.

BUT GREEN BEES????? Loki meshed with Rimble? HOW AWESOME IS THAT?????

[olivermoss]

Great pictures! Green bee? Huh, that's weird. Is it really a bee, or just called one?

You got lots of critter close ups!

[raistrykes]

Wow! These were so cool to see! The green bee was pretty exciting to see, lol. I've never seen one before. Also, great shots! <3

[umadoshi]

I'm charmed all over again every time I remember there are green bees in the world. ^_^

[spikedluv]

Hee, I took a photo of a bug this weekend just for you, and so I chuckled when I saw this post.

The green bee! I've never seen a green bee. Though, tbf, I didn't really used to pay much attention before you, lol!

We've got those Japanese beetles like crazy here.

[mistressofmuses]

Thank you! I was really happy with the pictures from the day. I love praying mantises. (I do not love the Japanese beetles. They're kind of neat looking, but such a terribly destructive invasive species.)

The green bee! I'm glad you like the green bee! :D

[mistressofmuses]

Thank you!

And yes, they are really bees! They're really neat. More solitary (though some do form colonies) than the extremely social bees like honeybees. But really bees!

This link is for a park in New York, but it has some of the best pictures of some of the related species.

I was happy that the critters were cooperative for their close ups!

[mistressofmuses]

The green bee was so great. I see them a few times a year, but they rarely sit still long enough for me to try and get pictures of them. Thank you!

[mistressofmuses]

The green bees make me so happy!

[mistressofmuses]

I saw the katydid! I love katydids! :D

The green bees are so neat! I don't see them terribly often - maybe a couple times per year, usually. I'm happy for anyone to take note of neat insects!

Ugh, the Japanese beetles are awful. They're so destructive. :(

[olivermoss]

Huh, if I ever saw those when I lived in NY/CT I must have not thought it was a bee.

[mistressofmuses]

They really don't look like you'd expect of a bee!

[raistrykes]

Ohh do you mostly see them in the spring/summer? I've never seen one before, that is pretty lucky you got a shot, bees move pretty quickly lol. No prob!

[mistressofmuses]

They are definitely a spring and summer bug! I think they hibernate over the winter - most of what I could find on them suggests they have individual burrows, and I'd guess they probably retreat there for the winter.

Bees are so quick, it can be really hard to get them to sit still long enough for pictures!

[raistrykes]

Oh how interesting! Thanks for the info!

They truly are, lol!