Perhaps a Margined White or another version of the Family Pieridae enjoying some time resting on a nice white wildflower. White on white…not a bad combination.
Tag: macro
Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromedea
Earlier this summer we ran across a peculiar plant making its way up through the earth in the forest. A strange striped asparagus? No Woodland Pinedrops: Pterospora andromeda.
According to Wikipedia “Like all members of the Monotriopoidiae , Pterospora andromedea lacks chlorophyll (trace amounts have been identified, but not enough to provide energy for the plant or to color it. Plants exist for most of their life as a mass of brittle, but fleshy, roots. They live in a parasitic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi, in which plants derive all their carbon from their associated fungus, but the relationship is not yet well understood.”
This makes it similar to several of the orchids we have encountered along the trail.
Now that summer has passed and fall is in the air the plant looks like this.
Somewhat like a small tree full of small pumpkins decorating the autumn forest.
A Summer Tail
Until just a few weeks ago Swallowtails filled the air floating by often gliding up into the canopy and out of sight just as quickly as they appeared making photographs initially hard to come by.
However as days went on and with the butterfly bush calling the swallowtails in we got ample time to sit and observe at least three species of swallowtails in depth.
One one afternoons drive on a dusty old dirt road our path was even block by a congregation of Swallowtails which looked to include several species including the Pale Swallowtail, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail and the Old-World Swallowtail.
Swallowtails block the way along an old dirt road.
A Western Tiger and Pale Swallowtail getting acquainted.
Beetlemania
Not John, Paul, George and Ringo but a handsome looking group of Beetles nonetheless.
Various encounters with members of the order Coleoptera we photographed over the last couple of months.
Diverse adapted and ready for whatever is thrown their way. Beetle species number over 400,000 and a large number are probable still to be discovered.
Beetlemaina…catch it.
Setting Sun
There is nothing more beautiful than a great sunset. The same could be said of wildflowers. Photographed on a hike near Schofield pass CO.
Sporulating
Fun with fungus, or maybe fungart for short, making spore prints is a wonderful way to get a snapshot of how mushrooms work.
Sometimes we scan the spore prints but this day we decided to photograph a few and the results were interesting.
A fine sunset
Bathed in its golden glow a Grasshopper enjoys a fine late August sunset.
I bet he can tell the days are getting shorter and shorter each and every day.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration
We noticed this Bumble Bee loaded full with pollen climbing a small gravel bank.
Was his load to heavy for him to fly?
Further up the bank he clambered clearly on mission.
Ahhh, mission revealed, a small sip of water from along this gravel bank was what he climbed up for.
Clearly this bee knows hydration is key for a hard days work in the sun.
A few quick sips and off he flew to deliver his goods to the hive.
On Joe Pye
The Joe Pye Weed is in full bloom and this painted Lady Butterfly is happy about that. Although known for attracting butterflies we have noticed others to find Joe Pye quite to their liking as well.
Dragonflies like Joe Pye.
As well as this wasp.
And this lovely looking bee with pincers you don’t want to mess with like Joe Pye.
A hub of activity with lovely flower to boot.
On a stem
A bounty of wildflowers with vibrant color bursting forth on a single stem.
Photographed early July on a single hike in Yellowstone NP.
Makes you want to pluck them up and use them as paintbrushes they are so full of color.
nature has no boss 
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