More Bugs, Things that Eat Them and One that Would Eat the Observer
More crawlies – not sorry! Here are some unusual living things, mostly from the yard. I’ve never seen such unusual and large sphinx moths, especially the mourning sphinx moth parked on my hand that looks like a weird experimental Soviet aircraft, with those aerodynamic tail fins. And the Tersa sphinx moth has an Art Deco or Iron Man thing going on. Our native grizzled mantis, green anole lizard and toad (probably Southern toad) wouldn’t have turned down these treats, and if I had gotten a little closer to that lounging gator at Payne’s Prairie, I might have become a snack too. Part of me (thankfully whole still) would love seeing gators closer to home.
jvfreeman
James V. Freeman is an established visual artist (oil painting) with a deep interest in natural history, plants and farming. He has had numerous solo shows, a solo museum show, an upcoming museum show and his work has been featured in many publications to date. He currently has a studio in Williston, Fl at the family farm and homestead, "Cactus Island", and as a farmer, specializes in growing columnar cacti of the Caribbean and Gulf countries as well as the aquatic Madegascar Lace Plant. James and his mom Sharon manage and develop the permaculture homestead.
4 Comments
Linda Bergman
The insects are really beautiful. Mother nature has a way with camoflage!
James V Freeman
Yes, never ceases to amaze me. I got a real laugh out of the airplane moth and “Blikey” up on the cactus. It doesn’t realize flowering season is a long way off.
Cathy
Hey those are awesome–especially love the pic w the moth on the cactus…beautiful!
James V Freeman
The combination of colorful cactus with insects stops me in my tracks. One of the grey fence lizards leapt out and ate a horsefly that was circling me. It’s been promoted to manager.