Insects R US

A few days ago, Mike and I took a long walk around the property and found some amazing stuff. I took so many pictures that I had to run back to the house for more batteries. Here we go. We'll start with this big green caterpillar. More later...

Next, a group of bugs.... what are they? I don't know, but they seem to enjoy this milkweed pod.

Bees are very hard to photograph. They move around too quickly... or I'm getting too old and slow to capture them. Ha!

This seems to be the milkweed pod that all the insects have been going crazy on. It has burst open to seed with the wind. 

Here's a close up of said seed pod. They look like tiny balloons.

I have several pictures of this caterpillar. He's awfully pretty.

Is that a dirt dobber or a wasp?

Another shot of the green caterpillar.

The Peacock butterfly is all over this part of the country.

Close up... he reminds me of a toy that Chris had back in the day - Glo Worm!

Another shot of the bee... a little close... get your head out!

This caterpillar will turn into a Queen butterfly, which looks a lot like a Monarch.

Which end is which??

Nom, nom, nom...

Another caterpillar... I have no idea what kind of butterfly or moth he will turn into.

A bit closer...

I love milkweed!!!!

A bit of sun and sky for the little fellar.

We always have dragonflies of amazing color. Here's pink.

Okay, this is surely a dirt dobber... yes?

Fly... 'nough said...

I'm sorry, I took a brazillion pictures of this guy because he was so cool.

 I did my research and I found out that he will turn into a Sphinx moth.

Am I looking at his head or his ass??

He's just pretty...

 Here's a bright red dragonfly, the colors almost look fake.

Oh yeah, and here's the guy we started with. He's a peacock butterfly.

Insecticide, anyone?

Mike is the Turtleman!

Mike came in from a walk with Dusty and asked me if I wanted to get some good pictures of a huge snapping turtle. Sure enough, there he was in the back pond just hanging out.

Mike decides he wants to catch that turtle. Mmmm, okay.

So, he creeps into the water.

Dusty is there for the assist. 

Heeeeere turtle, turtle, turtle!

What you don't see right about now is when this huge snapper decided to turn on him and made a go at his precious bare toes. He came flying out of the water!

Mike decides the logical thing to do is to poke it with a stick.

He manages to get the turtle turned around and headed in the right direction.

Poke, poke, poke. You got to make sure which end you are grabbing!

Got him!

 The thing is huge. Look at the size of his head!

  

Mike is now officially the Turtleman!