The Nature Photography Thread

[CelestiHel]

I am absolutely up to my neck in Eastern Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes. They live in the walls of my house. This one was about 2.5 feet long, but I have great pictures of a full 4 footer that I found shedding in the insulation of my oven...lol

I have pictures of them here: Picasa Web Albums - CelestiHel - Snakes of my ... (http://picasaweb.google.com/celestihel/SnakesOfMyHome)

[guidofatherof5]

I am absolutely up to my neck in Eastern Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes. They live in the walls of my house. This one was about 2.5 feet long, but I have great pictures of a full 4 footer that I found shedding in the insulation of my oven...lol

I have pictures of them here: Picasa Web Albums - CelestiHel - Snakes of my ... (http://picasaweb.google.com/celestihel/SnakesOfMyHome)

Nice to see you back on the forum. Great pictures.

[infernalis]

Nice gallery. Seems the snakes know just where to go.

[oki-inu]

Very good photos, they sure like your house. :)

[infernalis]

I found this golden coloured one behind my house.

http://www.reptard.info/521/milk1.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

oh wow, not flashy, but that one's a beauty.

Here's what I was referring to when I said that eastern milks have a "red" phase. Of course, you can never tell how even the redest of babies will turn out as an adult but some do remain quite red:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/Sh03ohzx28I/AAAAAAAABYg/rjpy28lrUDc/s912/2009%20Sherlock.jpg

[infernalis]

I WANT this one so bad.......

http://www.thamfriends.com/MPFG/images/winstonsyspila.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Yup, those are pretty. I think I read somewhere that those are less common but can be found in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska and that they remain red.

It's hit and miss with eastern milks, and there is much variety and a wide range of shades and colors. I really like that "golden" one you found. Pretty nice.

[infernalis]

That was a difficult one to leave alone, Never saw it again after I took the pictures.

But I do realize I can't keep every snake I find.

http://www.reptard.info/521/all4.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/521/garter1.jpg

This one was all attitude, kept striking out, so I left that one alone.

http://www.reptard.info/521/rattlemilk.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/521/tham1.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/521/thamilk.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Very cool snake(s) though. A little attitude isn't always a bad thing. Who knows, that snake might have settled right down if it was kept and handled a little. Very handsome looking milk though, both of them.

[mustang]

I am absolutely up to my neck in Eastern Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes. They live in the walls of my house. This one was about 2.5 feet long, but I have great pictures of a full 4 footer that I found shedding in the insulation of my oven...lol

I have pictures of them here: Picasa Web Albums - CelestiHel - Snakes of my ... (http://picasaweb.google.com/celestihel/SnakesOfMyHome)
sounds like the radix ranch!

[mustang]

I WANT this one so bad.......

http://www.thamfriends.com/MPFG/images/winstonsyspila.jpg
an idiot at petco WOULD call that a miami corn....hasnt happend yet tho

[ConcinusMan]

I wouldn't believe them. The shape of the head gives it away as Lampropeltis.

[infernalis]

Saw this while walking my dogs this morning. A nice Nerodia catching some rays.

http://www.ssnakess.info/snake/basking.jpg

[mustang]

IM JEALOUS yall always find snakes i rarely find any

[ConcinusMan]

You're obviously just not in the right place at the right time. Like the folks that made this video, I didn't have any problems finding snakes when I visited Texas but I did have to go out at night and find them on, and along side the highways. Plenty of Trans pecos rat snakes and rattlesnakes is what I found, just like the video shows, along with lots of different lizards. I was in the middle of nowhere though, that might have been a factor.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQpgSWu1Dyo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QQpgSWu1Dyo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

[mustang]

definatly a factor

[Mommy2many]

Great video! I can see how someone could happen upon one of those by accident!

[mustang]

also i dont live/hunt/or fish were most those snakes are found

[redspot]

Headed down to the Rogue River valley in search of Oregon Lampropeltis and a nice weekend of hiking and camping. No Kingsnakes but did do alright with everything else.

Pacific Gopher Pituophis catenifer catenifer

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04124.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04054.jpg

The furthest north the Sagebrush Lizard Sceloperus graciosus makes it.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04114.jpg

I did find a nice size Crotalus den, unfortunately they all dived back into the hole before I was able to get a picture. So I'll settle for the crappy shot of a one button.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04082.jpg

No shortage of Forest scorpions Uroctonus mordax down there.This was the largest I found.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04079.jpg

Several Western yellow bellied racers Coluber constrictor mormon were out.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04072.jpg

[redspot]

These are pretty cool Garter snakes that were found in numbers. The Pacific Coast Aquatic Garter Snake Thamnophis atratus

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04060.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04063.jpg

This is some rugged country and I'm glad I finally got to spend some time down there. Three hours away from my house I'm sure I'll go back soon!

Find Nate

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04107.jpg

Alison finding a waterfall.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04109.jpg

It only took several hours of this...

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04112.jpg

To see this...

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Southwest%20Oregon/DSC04118.jpg

Thanks for looking,
Nate

[guidofatherof5]

Great photos Nate. Thanks for posting.

[CelestiHel]

Steve - Thanks, glad to be back. I don't have much to say in the winter because I just keep track of my wild population...well, wild squatters! Perhaps my place should be called T. Sirtalis & L. Triangulum Farm...lol

Wayne - That golden one is lovely! All of mine have the same coloration that I've caught so far. I always thought that bold red & white was just for the juvenile phase, but I wouldn't know since I never, EVER seem to find any juveniles :(

Sadly, other critters are coming through the snake crack since it's getting so big. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars in heat that is getting out in the winter. I'm gonna have to evict! I am just waiting until July/August for it to get hot and they to move out into the mole holes and then we'll seal it. I'm gonna miss 'em poking their heads in all the time, but I won't miss the hornets!

There is a groundhog that moved in the yard, so I figure they'll share her house now in the winter!

[Snaky]

Looks like a magnificent piece of nature. Great pictures:)

[Laura]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/lauracellis/mole1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/lauracellis/mole2.jpg

[Odie]

A Mole :confused:

[bkhuff1s]

A mole lol

[gartermorphs]

i have to admit that is a very cute mole! lol

[GarterGeek]

I've seen plenty of moles, but I don't recall ever seeing such a queer little tail! :) Perhaps I just missed it.

[Laura]

Yes tis a mole :P

I know what you mean, until i picked this lil guy up i didnt realise they had a tail either. They are SO hard to try to scoop up, i was there for ages trying to grab it so the cat didnt eat it, their nails are so sharp lol

[CelestiHel]

Awww...what a little sugar! When I was little there was a mole under our kitchen sink. I would feed it cheese. Love those little guys!

[Stefan-A]

Awww...what a little sugar! When I was little there was a mole under our kitchen sink. I would feed it cheese. Love those little guys!
Cheese? Moles are vermivores.

[ConcinusMan]

There isn't a dang thing cute or likeable about a mole. What is it with you guys?

[Stefan-A]

There isn't a dang thing cute or likeable about a mole. What is it with you guys?
Makes you want to beat it to death, doesn't it?

[ConcinusMan]

Not exactly. But I could do without the mole that's been tearing my yard up for the last few months. I guess I just don't understand the "awww" reaction. I mean, it's not exactly a floppy eared bunny.

[infernalis]

Awww...what a little sugar! When I was little there was a mole under our kitchen sink. I would feed it cheese. Love those little guys!


Are you sure it was not a Vole?


http://www.reptard.info/critters/vole2.jpg

[GarterGeek]

Not exactly. But I could do without the mole that's been tearing my yard up for the last few months. I guess I just don't understand the "awww" reaction. I mean, it's not exactly a floppy eared bunny.

I had some cute floppy-eared bunny-babies in my backyard a while ago. I'll post pictures when I get the chance. :D
(Although cute, rabbits are just as much a pest as moles - large portions of the garden have been destroyed :o)

That vole is adorable by the way! :)

[CelestiHel]

Are you sure it was not a Vole?

Hand to god! I know what their diet is but literally anything is opportunistic given the...opportunity. It wasn't even real cheese, it was yellow cheese slices. Up close there is no mistaking a mole for anything else.

Voles on the other hand, boy I'd like to give them a piece of my mind. My whole yard is spongy, swiss-cheesy with vole holes.

[ConcinusMan]

Are you sure it was not a Vole?


http://www.reptard.info/critters/vole2.jpg


And voles are insectivores:cool:

Oh, my new camera finally arrived. It's going to take years to figure out all the settings, if I ever do. Anyway, after figuring out a few very basic settings, I took some pics and they are very impressive. Great true-to-life color, and clear, crisp images, like Shannon's!

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/9360/dscn0006g.jpg

Finally, I can look at a pic I took, then look over at the real thing and the color is accurate.

[Stefan-A]

And voles are insectivores:cool:

Guess again.

[ConcinusMan]

Well they are around here, I swear to you. At least in summer they are. Sure, they eat seeds and whatnot in the off-season but their nests and surrounding area is full of grasshopper legs and other insect debris. When insects are in season, they eat nothing else.

I know wiki says they (North American voles) eat fir needles and other things, and make no mention of insects, but it's true.

[infernalis]

Richard, Please do not take wiki anything as gospel. Anyone can type anything, and anyone else can edit.

Taken from a REAL web site...... I did notice insects are included, but the preferred food is vegetation, roots and bulbs.

Now I have witnessed mice eating pinks, but one simply cannot say that mice consume their own young as a primary food source.

I have often wondered that during a harsh winter, if mice would not consume their own offspring to survive, chances are they would, Heck I would bet it most likely, because if the parents starve off over the winter, then they cannot reproduce in the spring, so survival over long term means they most likely will eat the litters to stay alive.

DIET

The vole's diet consists of seeds, tubers, tree needles, bark, various green vegetation such as grass and clover, and insects. Voles prefer not to feed in the open.

Voles require dense grass cover and prefer to live outside in fields. They are very poor climbers and have difficulty reaching upper floors of buildings

Voles are very destructive to gardens and will gnaw the bark of fruit trees. They can also cause damage to tree roots, which may eventually kill the trees.

[guidofatherof5]

While doing a snake rescue/removal I was looking through a wood pile. I found half a dozen of these big slugs.
I believe they are Leopard slugs(Limax maximus)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/slugzilla.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Maybe they are. I never speculated on the species but I can tell you I have quite a variety of slugs here in my yard or surrounding areas. A few are yellow, a few are darn near black but the biggest ones I find look just like that one. In fact, I have a little checkered T. ordinoides and his head is half the width of that slug you got there. He devoured one that big today, in spite of his size!

[Hollis_Steed]

Baby Great Horned Owl found in early June. Baby Skunk met me on the trail yesterday. Young Great Basin Gopher Snake found sunning on the side of the road yesterday. Isn't nature grand!

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome! Skunks are so cute. Never saw one in person until I moved to downtown Reno, Nevada. Every night, believe it or not, skunks run the streets. Every spring and summer, Canada geese take over downtown with their chicks. They block traffic, keep the grass short in the parks, and cover everything in poo. That's something they don't put it the tourist brochure.:p

[infernalis]

Awesome! Skunks are so cute. Never saw one in person until I moved to downtown Reno, Nevada. Every night, believe it or not, skunks run the streets. Every spring and summer, Canada geese take over downtown with their chicks. They block traffic, keep the grass short in the parks, and cover everything in poo. That's something they don't put it the tourist brochure.:p


Kinda look like a black possum with a white stripe to me.

[ConcinusMan]

Not even close

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/attachments/garter-snake-lounge/1030d1277306878-nature-photography-thread-baby-skunk-june-22-2010.jpg

http://billstrappingservice.com/images/opossum021.jpg
http://www.animalpictures1.com/data/media/89/Opossum-14.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Old camera still had pics on it. Native wildflowers near my home.

Cascade Daisies:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1095/gedc1493medium.jpg


Lupin:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/193/gedc1496medium.jpg

Good T.ordinoides spot around the blackberry thickets in SW WA, Mt. Hood (Oregon) in the distance.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7524/gedc1490medium.jpg

[infernalis]

Not even close


Picking on you bub. :p


Old camera still had pics on it. Native wildflowers near my home.


Good T.ordinoides spot around the blackberry thickets in SW WA, Mt. Hood (Oregon) in the distance.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7524/gedc1490medium.jpg

Absolutely stunning!!!

[redspot]

I know where that pics takin'

[ConcinusMan]

Picking on you bub. :p
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7524/gedc1490medium.jpg

Absolutely stunning!!!

Wow, thanks. I wasn't even trying.:rolleyes:


I know where that pics takin'

It's possible. You did say in private that a family member of yours lived in that area. Abandoned airports are great until the developers come.:)

And come they will:(

[mustang]

Old camera still had pics on it. Native wildflowers near my home.

Cascade Daisies:
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1095/gedc1493medium.jpg


Lupin:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/193/gedc1496medium.jpg

Good T.ordinoides spot around the blackberry thickets in SW WA, Mt. Hood (Oregon) in the distance.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/7524/gedc1490medium.jpg show off

[GarterGeek]

show off

That's what this forum is for!:D

[mustang]

That's what this forum is for!:D
true true :rolleyes:

[ConcinusMan]

Oh yeah, everybody loves to show off and yet everyone loves to be a spectator too!

But today, it was all hands-on and in person for me. I met Redspot out at our favorite T.s. concinnus area today. I arrived a few hours early to do some exploring. It was sunny and around 82 degrees. This is an area where T.s. concinnus are actually polymorphic. The population density is out of this world and there are at least 4 very different concinnus morphs out there, and of course varying degrees between the morphs. By far, the most common one are anerythristic and have a blue-green tint. Unfortunately, I forgot to charge my new camera and ran out of time so we have to settle for mediocre pics from my old camera.

Less common in that area are normals. Spotted this one in the root ball of a fallen fir tree:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6732/gedc1558small.jpg

Anerythristic (blue-green anery, most common morph in the area)
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/36/gedc1537.jpg

And another morph that's new to me. This one has a very vibrant, one might even say "florescent" orange and a very attractive pattern. It also shows some hints of the blue-green on the face. Extremely pretty. I caught this male and Redspot happens to have a female just like it, so I left it with him for breeding next spring.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8742/gedc1542.jpg

Also spotted a few more normals that were over 3 feet long, and lot's more anery's, some with a hint of orange, some with downright white spots.

All in all, I'd say well over 100 garters were observed this day. Many of them were calm enough to observe for some time at close range. I mean, this place is concinnustopia! Must have walked 10 miles today but I had a great time!

[infernalis]

Sweet pics.

Thanks for sharing.

[ConcinusMan]

There were quite a few T. ordinoides around as well, but very few stayed in one place long enough to be photographed. This one was quite content to stay put and didn't seem bothered by my presence:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7091/gedc1547.jpg

[mustang]

hey the red spotted that was "florecent" is like shannons rainbow one!

[ConcinusMan]

Well, not quite. That one is actually very different from any I've ever seen. Colors are somewhat normal but every color has a bright florescent quality to it. It's really cool. This crappy cam doesn't show it well though.

[BUSHSNAKE]

nice field pics, i should of gotten out more this year but i didnt

[infernalis]

nice field pics, i should of gotten out more this year but i didnt

Summer just started bro, get out and take some pics. :cool:

[ConcinusMan]

American Goldfinches (a type of wild canary) at my backyard feeders. We have another species (Lesser Goldfinch) that shows up in late summer.

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/6061/dscn0510m.jpg

[infernalis]

look yellow starlings.

[ConcinusMan]

Banned!

[mustang]

look yellow starlings.
purple martin killers them starlings be

[guidofatherof5]

I'll probably not be real popular with this post but I'm raising a rescued baby Starling.
Hardly had any feathers when we found it. Hoping it turns out OK for the little one.
I love baby birds. Can't help but help them.:)

[mustang]

I'll probably not be real popular with this post but I'm raising a rescued baby Starling.
Hardly had any feathers when we found it. Hoping it turns out OK for the little one.
I love baby birds. Can't help but help them.:)
theyre an invasive species released during the shakespeer project...the goto nest that allready have eggs or baby birds and squish the eggs kill the birds and lay their eggs there....watch this

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the babies instinct is to play dead ...this is a rare occurance because the starling lost to the purple martins (well it gave up) 9.9 out of 10 times the starlings use their beaks to kill the and long legs to hold them down.


steve if you want to do nature a favor KEEP IT AS A PET!!! DONT LET IT GET LOOSE!

[guidofatherof5]

theyre an invasive species released during the shakespeer project...the goto nest that allready have eggs or baby birds and squish the eggs kill the birds and lay their eggs there....watch this

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the babies instinct is to play dead ...this is a rare occurance because the starling lost to the purple martins (well it gave up) 9.9 out of 10 times the starlings use their beaks to kill the and long legs to hold them down.
steve if you want to do nature a favor KEEP IT AS A PET!!! DONT LET IT GET LOOSE!

That is the plan. I understand your concern and can appreciate it.:)
I didn't know this about Starlings.;)

Sorry, I can't watch the video. Your description was enough.:)

[ConcinusMan]

Starlings and scrub jays. That's two birds found around my parts that just annoy me to no end. Both are perfectly legal to... well, they're not protected, let's put it that way.

I don't think I could bring myself to rescue either one.

But crows aren't protected either and I raised one when I was a kid. The only thing I found annoying about that one was his ability to outsmart me now and then. Little turd learned to help with jigsaw puzzles for cryin' out loud, and he knew what he was doing!

[guidofatherof5]

Starlings and scrub jays. That's two birds found around my parts that just annoy me to no end. Both are perfectly legal to... well, they're not protected, let's put it that way.

I don't think I could bring myself to rescue either one.

But crows aren't protected either and I raised one when I was a kid. The only thing I found annoying about that one was his ability to outsmart me now and then. Little turd learned to help with jigsaw puzzles for cryin' out loud, and he knew what he was doing!

Been rescuing all birds most of my life. Just something I do.:)

[ConcinusMan]

If rescuing birds is what you want to do, then destroy all starling nests and eggs you find, and put down any babies or adults when given the opportunity. That is an act of rescue. Newly hatched starling babies make great snake food too, so it need not be a waste. My gopher snake used to love them.

[Hollis_Steed]

i for one love starlings, and any other bird. Of the many parrots and softbills I have hand raised over the years none have brought me the joy that a little starling named Darrell has. May I suggest that demeaning and blasting of any animal on a forum of animal lovers is a recipe for alienation. Unless you know your audience may I suggest you don't discuss politics, religion, or your loathing of animals ie; opposums and starlings.

[ConcinusMan]

My dislike of them stems from love of nature. You are mistaken about many things you assume about me. But that is beside the point.

All personal feelings aside, starlings are a menace to native north american wildlife. That is NOT an opinion, but fact. Why are you here if you can't handle hearing another point of view.

Stop bringing up the possum. My reaction to them is irrational and I have admitted it.

I will say no more on this matter.

[guidofatherof5]

Why are you here if you can't handle hearing another point of view.

I don't think it has anything to do with your point of view. I think it has everything to do with your cold/brutal and unfeeling way you present it. You are entitled to your opinion as much as anyone else but tempering ones opinion with empathy/feelings for someone else is important.

Example: Your snake looks like it's going to die. I've seen them like this before and they never make it. If I were you I'd kill it now so it doesn't suffer.
Would this be the kind of response the owner of the said snake would want to hear? It maybe true but it's cold and unfeeling.
Don't tell me if they can't handle the truth maybe they shouldn't have the snake.
Once again, it has nothing to do with the truth but everything to do with caring for one another, even caring for one another in our use of words.
I'm not sure you remember posting a response to my thread about my gravid albino radix(Rita). In two of the response you gave me other ideas as to why she may be that big. Both were cold and unfeeling and involved her death and the death of her babies. As the owner of Rita I was hurt by your response. Sometimes it's better not to post what you think or at least consider/choose your words more carefully.
Just my humble opinion.

"It makes a difference to this one"

[ConcinusMan]

I don't think this is a productive use of this thread. You could have PM'd me. I have very good reasons for everything you've mentioned but you two have already taken this too far for a public thread so I flat refuse to make it any worse by defending myself here.

You think I'm cold and uncaring, and I'm getting the impression that you two are overly sensitive, one might say "whiny". Fact is, I'm pretty sure we're both wrong about the other. The truth likely lies somewhere in between.

In the future lets please try to keep our opinions of each other, however erroneneous they may be, to ourselves.

[ConcinusMan]

Some pics taken at the Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8533/dsc00276z.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9479/dsc00296kg.jpg

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2992/dsc00281l.jpg

[Laura]

Few pictures taken at London Zoo, enjoy!


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/DSC00186.JPG

This lil guy bit me shortly after this picture was taken

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/DSC00183.JPG

GIGANTIC moth

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/DSC00185.JPG

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/antlers.JPG

Biggest antlers I ever did see!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/DSC00176.JPG

Twins

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//697/medium/DSC00181.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

Great photos, Laura. Thanks for sharing.
Nice crock.

[Laura]

Kiddies STILL awake Steve? You need to get on that!

[ConcinusMan]

Great photos, Laura. Thanks for sharing.
Nice crock.

He looks happy doesn't he? Yeah. Happy to have you for lunch!

[Laura]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/lauracellis/happycroc.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Cute^^^

[mustang]

If rescuing birds is what you want to do, then destroy all starling nests and eggs you find, and put down any babies or adults when given the opportunity. That is an act of rescue. Newly hatched starling babies make great snake food too, so it need not be a waste. My gopher snake used to love them.well hey he made a diffference for that one and all the baby birds it COULD have killed...this is a touchy subject....for tech.writing were were given an example (protecting all species) for a persuasive essay and i said as a pro that you eliminate all the invasives and i got into an argument with class and teacher...she pulled me over after class what did i do? i defended my position even more:D
the point is sometimes people have a fixation of whats right and wrong, good or better, ect. and sometimes its difficult to change it (fyi everyone else (few agreed with me tho or aknowledge me being correct or having a valid point)was hard headed! i you dont kill invasives your destroying what you want to protect(ex. fire ants))

[ConcinusMan]

A fledgling American Robin in my flower bed(actually just weeds and poppies) greeted me this morning. Not yet able to fly, he seemed a bit distressed because he was cornered and couldn't find his way out of the hot sun. I showed him the way (by basically scaring the crap out of him) to the safety of a dense lilac thicket. Later I saw mom feeding him in there on several occasions.
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5403/gedc1575.jpg

[mustang]

quick put robin on top of bush or somthn (lile under the top that is) so cats wont get it...i caught a baby turtle dove when i was little and my dad sad to let it go near the bush...he didnt want to drive back (we had to go home)sadly when he thought "oh crud the cats will get it...."

[ConcinusMan]

That's where the lilac thicket comes into play. Once he got in there, he was sheltered from the sun and he climbed up off of the ground. He's quite well camouflaged in there too.

I have bird feeders and many birds eat off the ground. I don't really have a problem with cats hunting in my yard. I have 4 yapping pomeranians that are constantly in and out of the yard. Keeps the cats away but my dogs wouldn't hurt a fly. The squirrels and birds know this and aren't afraid of them. The squirrels actually tease and play with my dogs. I'm sure baby robin will be safe where he is until he gets strong enough to fly.:D

As of just a few minutes ago, he was still in there and his mom is making regular trips to feed him.

[CelestiHel]

So, I'm doing dishes and I look over at my cat. Then I see something at the top of doorway between the kitchen and the living room:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TCgaO9katYI/AAAAAAAACRQ/85_mrAPwUKo/s512/DoorCrack1.jpg

Oh, I see, it's a bit of garter snake!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TCgaPKrURkI/AAAAAAAACRE/nVhbvoz6YYM/DoorCrack2.jpg

A little closer:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TCgaPDUaipI/AAAAAAAACRI/JeQjtXrey1s/s640/DoorCrack3.jpg

Right underneath, head to vent:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Cm0fSm0vfDA/TCgaPghUh0I/AAAAAAAACR0/aXwb1G8LCjE/s640/DoorCrack4.jpg

I kinda love it, but I kinda need to seal these cracks! lol

[ConcinusMan]

Well the good news is, you could have had rodents and bugs visiting through the cracks, but you got garter snakes instead!

[CelestiHel]

Well the good news is, you could have had rodents and bugs visiting through the cracks, but you got garter snakes instead!

Oh, don't you worry, I've got plenty of those, too. If it were just snakes, no problem. But I could do without the hornets and ants!

[infernalis]

http://www.reptard.info/photo/web.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

oh wow. way cool.^^^

[infernalis]

Thanks Richard.

Just took the dogs out for a quick break and noticed that on my porch.

The flash reflecting off the water made a cool effect.

[ConcinusMan]

We get some monster sized orb webs around my house in late august. I think I'll go out with a spray bottle at night and give that a try.

[infernalis]

That's not nature, we just had a rain storm, now that's nature.

[ConcinusMan]

It almost never rains in august around here and I sure as heck am not going to be awake for morning dew (I'll be working 3-11pm every single day for the entire month) so I'll just have to fake it.:rolleyes:

[infernalis]

August.... don't rush summer away, it just started. ;)

I wish it would have rained out sooner, I busted butt all day watering my track.

Dumped 3000 gallons of water with a fire hose all by myself. Sore all over from it now.

dragging a 200 foot hand line fully charged is a real pain.

[ConcinusMan]

At least the rain helps so it doesn't evaporate so fast.

[infernalis]

Oh it was evaporating off almost as fast as I could throw it down.

The dust from the 4 wheelers was thick.

I need to get a wood chipper, then I can till the wood chips into the dirt.

Bought some monster sprinklers like they use to water orchards, have a massive pump to run it all, but need to set about 5 telephone poles to mount it all up.

Throwing a switch will beat manual labor any day.

[ConcinusMan]

I've seen those really long poles on wheels with sprinklers mounted on top. The dang thing moves gradually across the ground, watering as it goes. Those are so cool.

[redspot]

The usual suspects for the area.

These guys are everywhere, some of them are even pretty clean scar wise.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04201.jpg

Pituophis can be difficult to find in this area but I can usually turn up at least one.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04212.jpg

There is never a shortage of Crotalus, I think we turned up 9?

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04224.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04226.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04236.jpg

Thamnophis were present in decent numbers. We found a couple sirtalis and a couple elegans.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04204.jpg
Nate

[redspot]

Mount Jefferson and Habitat

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Central%20Or/DSC04239.jpg

[GarterGeek]

Lovely pictures. Both the scenery and snakes are awesome!

[ConcinusMan]

I opened my back door to let the dogs do their thing outside in the morning and this guy invited himself in for a peanut breakfast recently: (Eastern Grey Squirrel)

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9402/junejuly2010018.jpg

[drache]

squirrels are highly evolved little mammals
just read about them this morning in the Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/science/06angi.html?th&emc=th

[mustang]

wow good pics

[ConcinusMan]

A pair of Mourning doves regularly visits my bird feeders, eating spilled seed off of the ground:

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6586/dscn0730large.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2112/dscn0742large.jpg

A very nice spider living under a covered area where I keep my hanging fuchsias and begonias:
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6089/dscn0719large.jpg

[adamanteus]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4784112788_7c4fe96b2c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamanteus/4784112788/)

Pisaura mirabilis.

[adamanteus]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4783580845_a991365155.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamanteus/4783580845/)

Zygaena filipendulae.

[adamanteus]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4783789217_641549926b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamanteus/4783789217/)

Agelina labyrinthica.

[ConcinusMan]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4783580845_a991365155.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamanteus/4783580845/)

Zygaena filipendulae.


Awesome pics! you know, it's kinda funny about that second one. The plant, AND the bug are pretty common right around my neighborhood. Was that pic taken in the UK?

Of course, we also have psilocybe semilanceata (native to the UK) being how we have a similar climate in western WA. I read that they originally got here by spores in the guts of imported cows. No surprise that is where I always find them, in cow pastures.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Psilocybe_semilanceata.jpg

[adamanteus]

Yes, taken locally to me. The plant is 'Tufted Vetch', (Vicia cracca). The Six Spot Burnet was one of literally hundreds of moths on the flowers, never seen anything like it!

[adamanteus]

Psilocybe semilanceata, that's the 'Liberty Cap', right?

[ConcinusMan]

That plant is in full bloom right now in just about any empty space along the highways and residential areas all around my city. I've seen that bug too, at my porch lights after dark. They are very pretty.

[ConcinusMan]

Psilocybe semilanceata, that's the 'Liberty Cap', right?


Yes, that's right. Every autumn when the rains start they spring up in tall grass in my county. Takes about 10 minutes to find a friggen pound of them! Someone who isn't necessarily me, likes to partake once a year or so and rock out to Pink Floyd.:D In a good year, when it's wet AND warm, it only takes about 10 of them.

[adamanteus]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4784105539_09cd3ed386.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamanteus/4784105539/)

Not the best photo in the world, but you get some idea of the number of moths feeding from the flowers.

[adamanteus]

Someone who isn't necessarily me,

Yeah, right!:D

[ConcinusMan]

Holy crud! That's a lot of bugs. Never seen that many at one time. Well, maybe that one time when, OK, I ate 40 caps. :rolleyes:

[adamanteus]

I know! The photo is crap.... it was truly unbelievable, the sheer number!

[ConcinusMan]

Amazing. I've only seen them at night, and only one or two.

[adamanteus]

You want me to send you some? We obviously have plenty here!:D

[ConcinusMan]

That's OK, I think we have plenty too. I just never saw that many at one time.

[ConcinusMan]

Now this is interesting. I found a weed growing my yard that is variegated.

I had read somewhere that the way they make variegated spider plants is that they purposely infect it with a harmless virus. About 6 years ago I had such a spider plant hanging from the eve of my house. All these years later, I find the weed growing right under the spot where I had the spider plant.

Apparently, the virus got into the soil and recently infected one of the weeds. Neato.

Normal weed:

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2940/nvlarge.jpg

Variegated:

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5743/vlarge.jpg

[mustang]

look to the top left of the plant i spy a snake shed....opse i ment wasp nest lol

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, I thought someone might comment on that. Friggen paper wasps. Mean suckers. They'll attack and sting you just for being in the area. Thank God the winter here kills them and that's about as big as the nests get. When I lived in Bakersfield, CA, they were active nearly year 'round the the nests could get the size of a basketball. Yikes. One or two mad wasps is one thing, but in Bakersfield, CA one nest could have 30 or 40 pissed off wasps.:eek: And OMG that sting hurts. Used to get nailed by them while picking oranges from a tree in my back yard. Makes a honey bee sting feel like a real pleasure.:cool: In fact, I had two bee hives in my yard too. They were downright tame and almost never stung me but those darn paper wasps.. I hate them!

[redspot]

A few critters I've seen lately.

South of me, I love this place. There are always snakes to be found. I flipped a tin yesterday to find 2 Racers, 2 Gophers, 3 Oregon red spotted and 2 ringnecks. Probably the best flip I've had, of course they all bolted before I could get my camera out....

A big ugly gopher snake, yeah he was in shed but even nice ones from this area are pretty ugly IMO.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04137.jpg

It's the opposite of the ugly duckling.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04134.jpg

Alison was busy getting attacked by snakes

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04283.jpg

First Rubber Boa I've found in the area

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04133.jpg

We were riding back to the car and I almost DOR'd this guys

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04290.jpg

I did get one pick of a Oregon red spotted that was pretty nice looking

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04285.jpg

[redspot]

Some habitat

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04275.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Willamette%20valley/DSC04273.jpg

Went and checked out a spot for really big Salamanders and was not disappointed. These are huge Neotonic Pacific Giant Salamanders. Neotonic is basically larva that reaches adult size and is able to produce in larval form, to put it simply...

This guys was easily a foot long

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Herping%20the%20Gorge/DSC04268.jpg


Habitat

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Herping%20the%20Gorge/DSC04270.jpg

A ton of Washington Western pond turtles were out basking at a protected pond, these were photo'd from a good distance. Like it would matter, you can't get close to them anyway.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Herping%20the%20Gorge/DSC04259.jpg

This is the first instance I've seen Coluber constrictor mormon playing dead.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/tokaysrnice/Herping%20the%20Gorge/DSC04264.jpg

Thanks for looking,
Nate

[adamanteus]

Excellent pics, Nate.:)

[guidofatherof5]

Very nice photos. Looks like a good time was had by all.

[guidofatherof5]

Of all the birds in our area this is my favorite. I've raised Robins for much of my life.
This young bird was sitting in the middle of a busy street.
I was fortunate to get it scooped up before it became a grease mark. No parents around so I took her with me. She's/he's eating cut-up night crawlers and fresh picked mulberries.
I figure a week on the Ranch should have this little one ready to go.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/robin1.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

While out herping for turtles I came across this interesting fungus. I have not been able to identify it. Anybody know its name?
It was very soft to the touch and found on a dead tree trunk.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fungus.jpg

[mustang]

dang looks like a pile of....bacon?

[adamanteus]

It's Jew's Ear fungus. (Auricularia auricula judae)
Edible when young.

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks, James.
Now I can move on in life:D
Much appreciated.:)

[adamanteus]

You're welcome, Steve:D
..... by the way, the tree is Elder (Sambucus species). Jew's Ear only grows on Elder.

[guidofatherof5]

You're welcome, Steve:D
..... by the way, the tree is Elder (Sambucus species). Jew's Ear only grows on Elder.

I had no idea it was edible. Thinking about going back and getting some. Jew's Ear Soup.
I think Auricularia auricula judae Soup sounds better:D

[adamanteus]

The name derives from the earlier name 'Judas's Ear'. (Judas supposedly hung himself from an Elder Tree, after his betrayal).

[mustang]

on the ranch we hunt on my uncle bought 2 pet pigs(when first died he got the second) and let them loose in a farel hog infested ranch i hear many stories of the first one. they called her judas because she would bring a bunch of the wild ferals back to the barn and theyde shoot em and shed go right to the feed trough waitn for food :P (really its true)

[guidofatherof5]

I had no idea it was edible. Thinking about going back and getting some. Jew's Ear Soup.
I think Auricularia auricula judae Soup sounds better:D

Heading to the pond to collect some and a few turtles if they will cooperate. Fungus for soup and turtles for fun.:D

[mustang]

It's Jew's Ear fungus. (Auricularia auricula judae)
Edible when young.young fungas or young human to eat it (is it pottent only as the fungus is mature or is it potent to adult humans)



Quote:
Originally Posted by guidofatherof5 http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/garter-snake-lounge/531-nature-photography-thread-post136635.html#post136635)
I had no idea it was edible. Thinking about going back and getting some. Jew's Ear Soup.
I think Auricularia auricula judae Soup sounds better:D

Heading to the pond to collect some and a few turtles if they will cooperate. Fungus for soup and turtles for fun.:D
make sure ya dont get bit and make sure fungus is prepared right

[guidofatherof5]

make sure ya dont get bit and make sure fungus is prepared right

Will do, Robert.;)
Walking out the door now. Boy, it sure is nice not having to worry about work. I have to drive by the old office to get to the pond.
I think I will wave at everyone there.(A normal wave:D)

[mustang]

haha have fun

[mustang]

this is me and slimey (a long time ago)
i held him up for camera doin the singn bass mount impersination with him
"take me to the river drop me in the water":o


http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy158/JJmustang/SCAN0098.jpg
slimey... R.I.P.
i had 4 catfish slimey lived 5 years then he died and i caught a bad catfish which eggs spread by birds my uncle said and i kept him instead of killn him he was slimey#2 and then he died the same way slimey did and then i got another named muddy (the bad type of catfish) and he died....then my uncle got me a fancy catfish and he dissapeared before i could name him...:( i left to go home and the next week the kids said it wasnt there and i went down the weeend after that and he wasnt....i emptied the whole trough killn 100s of fragile tadpoles (tried to save em picked up a few 100 and put em back in the trough but none of em made it )i love catfish as pets one at bass pro thought i would feed him or could sense my awesomness and started wriggling through the rocks climbing up (1/5 his body got above water his gills were barley under his eyes and mouth was out) to get to me....after a few min he went back down...ill upload the pic i got as soon as i can get it off my phone.

[guidofatherof5]

Robert, the Catfish whisperer:D

[guidofatherof5]

While out herping for turtles I came across this interesting fungus. I have not been able to identify it. Anybody know its name?
It was very soft to the touch and found on a dead tree trunk.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/fungus.jpg




Looks like I arrived a little too late for soup. The beautiful looking fungi that was once on the tree had dried and shriveled.
I guess I'll have to wait until next year for my soup. "No soup for you"(The soup Nazi):D

[Calift]

I haven't been on much due to work...I'm still at the field station, and one of my tasks is mapping trails. I took these yesterday:


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4809918814_0b1fe3bd71.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4809292623_760596e1d7.jpg


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4809923658_c52ac5ffe4.jpg


Now I'm off to go do it again....will take more photos if I see anything cool! :)

[infernalis]

what a rough job you have....

[infernalis]

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip1.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip2.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip3.jpg

[mustang]

Robert, the Catfish whisperer:D
i could make him do a barrel roll in da water!(really)

[mustang]

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip1.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip2.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/chip/chip3.jpg
"christmas christmas time is near
time for toys
and blah blah blah" :)

[ConcinusMan]

It's Jew's Ear fungus. (Auricularia auricula judae)
Edible when young.


What the? :eek: did a bunch of Nazi's sit down to dinner one day and say, "hey, this is pretty good, reminds me of..."

[drache]

goodness - it's been days
very nice photos, everybody, and I really want to go where Nate went to take those amazing photos - even if I'd see only a fraction of the animals

[Stefan-A]

What the? :eek: did a bunch of Nazi's sit down to dinner one day and say, "hey, this is pretty good, reminds me of..."
Not to get into politics, but the West does have a 2000+ year history of antisemitism. The Nazis just took the whole thing one "tiny" step further than what the church and numerous states had done in the past.

Then again, we have dozens of plants with (Swedish) common names referring to Russians. :D

[MasSalvaje]

Last night I went into the snake room to check on everyone. I looked into the cage with my female Desert Hairy scorpion and saw this.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/Massalvaje/100_0222.jpg

They have a nasty habit of eating their young in captivity so I am hoping I can change that with this girl. I need to get them to their 2nd instar (after they molt for the first time) before I can take them from mom and into their own enclosure. I just hope they make it!

-Thomas

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome. I once had a yellow scorpion that looked much like that one. Used to find them in San Diego. Not sure of the species, they pretty much all look the same to me.

[guidofatherof5]

Last night I went into the snake room to check on everyone. I looked into the cage with my female Desert Hairy scorpion and saw this.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn48/Massalvaje/100_0222.jpg

They have a nasty habit of eating their young in captivity so I am hoping I can change that with this girl. I need to get them to their 2nd instar (after they molt for the first time) before I can take them from mom and into their own enclosure. I just hope they make it!

-Thomas

That is awesome, Thomas.

[adamanteus]

Excellent photo too.

[MasSalvaje]

Thanks guys! They are still doing well but it is going to kill me to have to wait the 2 weeks to be able to put them in their own container.

-Thomas

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks guys! They are still doing well but it is going to kill me to have to wait the 2 weeks to be able to put them in their own container.

-Thomas

Thomas,
I know nothing about Scorpions so you'll have to educate me.
Why do they have to say with Mom?

[MasSalvaje]

We don't know all of the reasons. Some say the mother feeds the young, which is not actually true. Some say the mother helps regulate the humidity allowing the young ones to molt when it comes time. But the majority of scholars believe it is strictly for protection. The babies have a very week exoskeleton when born and will stay that way until after they molt. The are unable to sting or use their claws to catch food or defend themselves until they are in their 2nd instar so they need mom to help out.

Here is what the San Diego Zoo has to say about it:



Babies on board

Unlike most other invertebrates, female scorpions give birth to live young 2 to 18 months after mating, depending on the species. The babies look like miniature adults, except that they are usually very light in color (adults are dark), have no pedipalps, and cannot sting. The newborns immediately climb onto their mother's back, where they will remain for several days until their first molt. (http://javascript<b></b>:;) Some young will remain there much longer, depending on the species. She won't feed them, but she does carry them around and protect them until they are able to hunt and defend themselves. This is a tricky time for the young, however, because if the mother gets hungry, she will no longer recognize them as her young and may eat them! After that first molt, the young scorpions will leave to establish territories of their own and will be sexually mature after their sixth molt.

-Thomas

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks for the education.

Once again, they are very cool.

[ConcinusMan]

Well then I suppose you better keep her well-fed and hopefully she won't eat the babies.

[MasSalvaje]

Well then I suppose you better keep her well-fed and hopefully she won't eat the babies.

That is the key Richard!

-Thomas

[CelestiHel]

Oh, that's awesome! I've never seen baby scorpions before.

[drache]

very cool
and a very nice photo

[guidofatherof5]

While cutting the lawn this morning I located the beautiful moth. I think it may be a Cecropia silkmoth. Correct me if I am wrong.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/moth4.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

I don't think so, I used to find silk moths in San Diego and they are enormous and more colorful,(can be mistaken for a bird flying overhead) but I can't offer an alternate I.D. for the moth you found.

http://www.pikespeakphoto.com/images/butterflies/cecropia.jpg

[Snakers]

man the only real giants we have are luna moths which i've only seen one live one in my life, the rest I have found were all dead

[Mommy2many]

I'm with Nolan. We have the Luna moths here as well and I have been lucky enough to have seen a few of them on occasion over the past few years. They have usually landed on my kitchen window for a day. They are absolutely beautiful moths and quite large. I hear they only live to breed in the moth stage and do not eat, surviving only about a week I think. Too bad for such an amazing creature.

[HazAnga]

We saw a Luna moth when we were on vacation in Florida. Yes it was Dieing... but it was huge and my parents thought it was a butterfly, but soon found out the truth. I never knew they only lived in moth mode for breeding.

[CelestiHel]

Luna moths are common here in New England (yay), but it is true that if you are seeing them in daylight it is because they're dying. Some only last about a week, a month is on the long side. They are quite something to see at night flying in the headlights of your car or around a porch light, though. Very fast fliers they are! I frequently have to rescue them from webs around my workplace lights when I work the night shift, since the wolf spiders love those lights, too! Never seen a spider get one, though, they're so big they just tear up the web too fast.

[mustang]

i love elephant hawkmoths they look really cool and the catapillars have a defensive ability to inflate their head to look like a snake...but iv never seen a ive one

http://searsandnewman.co.uk/ESW/Images/Elephant_Hawkmoth.JPG?xcache=1464
catapillar image(snake defense)
http://bioweb.wku.edu/faculty/lienesch/225/225images/hawkMoth.JPG

[guidofatherof5]

While cutting the lawn this morning I located the beautiful moth. I think it may be a Cecropia silkmoth. Correct me if I am wrong.



http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/moth4.jpg

I think this may be a Polyphemus Moth. Mine has different antenna than the one pictured in the link but that may just be a difference in the sexes.
File:Polyphemus Moth.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Polyphemus_Moth.jpg)

[guidofatherof5]

Found this Cicada this morning. It has an injured wing and is probably coming to the end of its life cycle. Cicada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada)
My daughter Hailee named him John.http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/DSC07702_Quick_e-mail_view_john.jpg

[infernalis]

that's a big ugly bug Steve...

[guidofatherof5]

Great images, Robert.

[Snakers]

found a cicada in my pool this morning!he was still alive!

[mustang]

shannon should be all over this thread now, were talkn bout bugs

[ConcinusMan]

I hear them every year in my backyard on a maple tree but I never get to see them.

[Snaky]

Long time that I had taken a look in the thread. Some great pictures of everybody, very nice! :)

The last one's with the moths are also awesome.

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Awesome insects! Love the moths! I'm a sucker for dragonflies tho...

[Steven@HumboldtHerps]

Here are two we found on the South Fork of the Salmon River in Siskiyou County.

[ConcinusMan]

Speaking of moths, I just went to go down the hall to relieve myself and got accosted before I got to the bathroom. A very large moth, on it's way to the only light in the house, smacked me on the arm at warp speed. man, that hurt.(me) Moth kept right on going and smacked into the light cover(glass) and it sounded like someone through a rock at it, I mean, it was loud "ding!" didn't see the moth again.

[Selkielass]

Just for the fun of it...

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/call_me.jpg

Need a lift?

[mustang]

lol love the snake towing service

[guidofatherof5]

I found this nice tree frog while cleaning out my kayaks.
I believe it's Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/frog7.jpg

[Barak666]

Today my girlfriend and I walk on top of a small mountain (840m) into the Parc de la Gaspésie, around us are other summit between 800m and 1200m, the weather was cloudy today.

http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac44/Barak_666/ernest-Laforce2010006.jpg
http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac44/Barak_666/ernest-Laforce2010005.jpghttp://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac44/Barak_666/ernest-Laforce2010004.jpg


and we saw 2 moose female while going down, here one
http://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac44/Barak_666/ernest-Laforce2010012.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like a wonderful spot. Iowa is so flat.:mad:

[Snakers]

Wish we had more moose in my area, some idiot shot the one I've been watching, he's now in jail......

[Barak666]

Wish we had more moose in my area, some idiot shot the one I've been watching, he's now in jail......

Ten years ago while working at the Parc de la Gaspésie, there was about 2-2.5 moose by km², fews kilometer from here at the Reserve de Matane is the higher density of moose in Québec with 5 moose /km². So around here there is to much moose without enough predator.

I don't have time this fall, but next year I will start bow hunting, moose meat is so good :D.

Otherwise into the Parc the la Gaspesie is the only place where we can find the Virginia deer, moose and caribou on the same territory (the forest caribou in Gaspesie are the only one left south of St-Lawrence River, they are genetically distinct from the northern caribou, but sadly they are endangered (small population with to much predation from coyotes and black bears))

[ConcinusMan]

I found this nice tree frog while cleaning out my kayaks.
I believe it's Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/frog7.jpg

Snake food!

OK, maybe not. Beautiful frog. Looks very much like a pacific chorus frog. In fact, if that frog had been found in the west, I would swear it is one. Billions of them here.

[guidofatherof5]

On Monday I took my kids to school for their first day of the year.
I found this beautiful Dragonfly on the building. I moved it to a safer location.
Green Darner Dragonfly - Anax junius
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/dragonfly2.jpg

[kibakiba]

On Monday I took my kids to school for their first day of the year.
I found this beautiful Dragonfly on the building. I moved it to a safer location.
Green Darner Dragonfly - Anax junius
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/dragonfly2.jpg



That's a beautiful dragonfly! I found one similar at my house. It was green, yellow and blue. It had green fading into yellow stripes on its back. Those guys are always so fascinating.

[ConcinusMan]

I think that one is pretty common actually. I see lots of gorgeous and highly variable dragonflies when I'm out observing garter snakes. Especially at the concinnus hot spots. This time of year they are always in or near stagnant water so yeah, lots of dragonflies and damselflies. Very beautiful ones.

[Mommy2many]

I love dragonflies. They are such beautiful creatures!

[kibakiba]

They are. The only thing I don't like is when they get stuck in the house and when you pick them up to take them back outside... They bite! The colourful one I was talking about did exactly that and it somehow drew blood! Evil, yet beautiful, little things.

[ConcinusMan]

Cannot forget that they are bloodthirsty aggressive predators. I've seen their aquatic larvae skewer large tadpoles and even fish, to have for a snack and in the absence of abundant prey, they turn on each other. It's vicious!

[mustang]

they bite? iv caught lots and never been bit/stung/hurt

[ConcinusMan]

Yes, dragonflies have powerful slicing jaws. Damselflies do not since they don't eat as adults. Or is it the other way around? I forget.

[kibakiba]

I've never had a damselfly bite, but I've had one that tried to. They have the same looking jaws that dragonflies do, but on a lesser scale. Around here they're so tiny that I don't think they could break the skin of they bit, unless it was really thin.

[ConcinusMan]

One has mouthparts to bite with, the other doesn't if I remember correctly.

[guidofatherof5]

I've handled a number of dragonflies. I guess I've just been lucky not to get bit.

[Stefan-A]

One has mouthparts to bite with, the other doesn't if I remember correctly.
You're probably thinking of mayflies.

[kibakiba]

We have what seem to be mutated bugs here. People say spiders aren't aggressive but the ones here don't care how big you are, they'll go after you. We have weird earwig-like worm things that will bite if you go anywhere near them and... Dragonflies that will slam into your face and bruise you... And then they might bite :D

[mustang]

We have what seem to be mutated bugs here. People say spiders aren't aggressive but the ones here don't care how big you are, they'll go after you. We have weird earwig-like worm things that will bite if you go anywhere near them and... Dragonflies that will slam into your face and bruise you... And then they might bite :D
do you live near the mist (refrence to a movie stephan king directed)

[kibakiba]

Nope. I live in the middle of nowhere... The mystical place where all bugs are out to get you. I am not crazy... Much :D

[Spankenstyne]

Hrmm I can't recall if I posted these or not. Looked back a ways and didn't se ethem so here goes:

Bullsnake in Southern Alberta that I came across a couple of months ago:

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj267/spankenstyne/field%20herpin/bs3bjun2010.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj267/spankenstyne/field%20herpin/bs3fjun2010.jpg

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj267/spankenstyne/field%20herpin/bs3ijun2010.jpg


and my favorite shot

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj267/spankenstyne/field%20herpin/pcscrossingroad.jpg

[Stefan-A]

They're all good, but I REALLY like that last picture.

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, me too. It's like the snake is praying "please let me make it across without getting run over..."

[BUSHSNAKE]

Illinois sand praries
first was the dor chicago garter...bummer

[BUSHSNAKE]

some habitat

[BUSHSNAKE]

first and second bull

[BUSHSNAKE]

amphibians

[BUSHSNAKE]

blue racer and misc

[BUSHSNAKE]

seeing herps in the wild is where it all started for me and to me there is still nothing better

[guidofatherof5]

That is prime man made cover in the first group of photos.
Love the Bull snakes. Looks like they were pretty docile since I didn't see any blood.:D

[BUSHSNAKE]

the Illinois sand praries are legendary, people come from all over to herp there

[ConcinusMan]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that. Very nice. I wonder what's in the blue tarp? The body of Susan Powell? A meth lab dump?:p

[BUSHSNAKE]

thanks Richard i dont remember who or what was in the blue tarp

[drache]

nice photos - especially the one Stefan commented on
great bull snakes - very cool

does anybody know what this is?
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4972463056_3ab7b6ac02_b.jpg

it really likes the carrot tops, but lettuces and radish greens are fine too
seen here munching on some basil

can I feed it to my beardie?

[guidofatherof5]

I'm sure the Breadie would eat it(garbage guts).
I'd keep it as a pet and see what it turns into.
My kids and I will be collecting Wooly Bears in the next few weeks.
Pyrrharctia isabella - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrharctia_isabella)

[kibakiba]

I hate those things. They leave little hairs on my and leave me itching all day. They are interesting though. When I was young my had had accidentally stepped on one and a huge barb came out of it. :eek: Creepy little guys.

[Mommy2many]

The mystical place where all bugs are out to get you.


That would be anywhere near me!

[Mommy2many]

Looks like it could be a gypsy moth worm. They were/are quite plentiful around here. (East Coast) They eat trees, actually just about anything with leaves. They create "tents" to live in. I'll see if I can find a picture somewhere. In the late 70's they were an extreme nuisance, so much so that people would actually burn the nests. They were everywhere! When I say everywhere, you couldn't walk without stepping on one.

Footnote: Got it wrong, not a gypsy moth. Which is a good thing!

[ConcinusMan]

Hey! that's the moth that has been terrorizing me in my house. Finally got the sucker the other day and put it outside.

[CelestiHel]

Looks like it could be a gypsy moth worm. They were/are quite plentiful around here. (East Coast) They eat trees, actually just about anything with leaves. They create "tents" to live in. I'll see if I can find a picture somewhere. In the late 70's they were an extreme nuisance, so much so that people would actually burn the nests. They were everywhere! When I say everywhere, you couldn't walk without stepping on one.

We still do burn the nests in Vermont, although it's not the Gypsy Moths that tent (which is a very, VERY common misconception) but rather the Forest Tent Caterpillar. Not that Gypsy Moths aren't plenty problematic, too. Between the two of them we're lucky to have any trees left at all.

We make our bread and butter on Maple Syruping and Tent Caterpillar's looooooove to eat Sugar Maples....and anything else with leaves. Of course, there are more sophisticated traps now, but nothing beats handing your kid a long stick and telling them to go make a difference. Of course, when I was a kid, I would save one a year to watch it metamorphosize. Could never find Monarchs no matter how many milkweeds I inspected ;P

[guidofatherof5]

This great spider was living in my shed. I was able to get it and out without disturbing the web. I love seeing these guys. I'm not sure which spider this is, help please.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/spider.jpg

[ConcinusMan]

Same thing that happened to me and many others in the Northwest has happened again:

Spider bite leads to complications for WA man


Saturday, July 3, 2010

PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) -- What seemed like a minor spider bite almost turned deadly for a Port Angeles plumber.
The Peninsula Daily News reports that Joel Robertson was working on a plumbing job in May when a tiny spider bit him. A few days later his leg had swollen to twice its size, then fevers set in, and after a few days improving, a skin rash.
The bite had let in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- commonly known as MRSA.
Robertson had to undergo surgery to stave off the damage to his body. He is now recovering, but before the bite he had canceled his medical insurance and now faces debt.


----------------------


That spider pictured isn't the culprit. Those usually don't bite. That's a European cross spider. (Araneus diadematus) Plenty of those around here this time of year.


Here's a spider I have watched grow in my garage for quite some time now. It's actually the 6th generation of these spiders in that same spot. This one is actually 2 years old. I was thinking an egg sack would show up this year but nothing from her yet. I saw a tiny male courting her a few weeks ago but she ate him. Maybe she'll have eggs this year.


http://a.imageshack.us/img259/2782/today003large.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/spider.jpg

I think it may be an Orb Web Spider (Araneus Diadematus)

[ConcinusMan]

I think I just said that.;)

This one is a good example of why they are sometimes called "cross spiders"

They are native to Europe but do quite well here too. Females can get huge, a little bigger in diameter than a quarter dollar, with webs bigger around than a basketball. Every spring I find babies hatching out. It's quite a spectacle.

http://www.ivory.org/spiders/araneus.diadematus-7.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

I think I just said that.;)


Then maybe I'm wrong:D

[ConcinusMan]

OK fathead. That's about enough of that.:p

[Mommy2many]

I can tell both you boys, "Not in MY house!!!"

[guidofatherof5]

Spiders are cool. Come on Mom, please.

[Mommy2many]

Ok, one word...EEEWwwww!!!!
The only way they are in my domain is if I don't know that they are there!
I'm not saying that the are not cool, or incredible or amazing...just that they are eeewww!!!

I will not kill one but I will vaccuum one up:eek:

Sorry my arachnid friends. We cannot co-habitate in my house.(unless I don't know you are there and you eat all of the other bugs I don't like):rolleyes:

[mustang]

when i find my dream girl shell like snakes like to hunt like to fish....and kill all the creepy crawlies that scare me (any bug that stings / bites(except dragon flies))

[kibakiba]

I hate spiders too, the ones that come into my house are as big as my hand, I'm not exaggerating one bit. The fact they are so huge terrifies me and I don't want to have it anywhere near my house... We kill them. But they are aggressive. If they see you move, they go for your hand or foot, anything that's closest to them. It's terrifying. Luckily if I move in with my boyfriend, he's not scared of spiders and he can take care of them... I just hope he'd put up with my screaming or crying when I see them ;) He thought it was pretty hilarious when a smaller (but still larger than a quarter) spider ran across my floor. I screamed for my mom and started crying hysterically. Those things scare the heck out of me.

[guidofatherof5]

I hate spiders too, the ones that come into my house are as big as my hand, I'm not exaggerating one bit. The fact they are so huge terrifies me and I don't want to have it anywhere near my house... We kill them. But they are aggressive. If they see you move, they go for your hand or foot, anything that's closest to them. It's terrifying. Luckily if I move in with my boyfriend, he's not scared of spiders and he can take care of them... I just hope he'd put up with my screaming or crying when I see them ;) He thought it was pretty hilarious when a smaller (but still larger than a quarter) spider ran across my floor. I screamed for my mom and started crying hysterically. Those things scare the heck out of me.


I've got a great idea.:rolleyes:
I sure I'm not the only one that would love to see some pictures or even video or your house spiders.:D

[kibakiba]

Luckily, the worst was last year. We had about 20 of them in the house. It was horrifying, I didn't even want to be in my room, that's where they ended up the most. This year only one showed up. As my boyfriend has said, in my area.... There are some pretty mutated bugs. Last year the company next to our house were doing a lot of digging and bulldozing, I figured it was what caused all the spiders, bugs and mice to come into our house. If I do find another mutant spider Ill take out my camera. If I had gotten a video you'd probably hear me screaming or crying if it moved :P. I really hate spiders.

[Selkielass]

I tolerate spiders so long as they stay in out-of-the-way corners. I'd rather have the spiders than whatever they are eating!

If they venture out into 'people space' they quickly get squished or relocated outdoors. My tolerance only extends so far.

[guidofatherof5]

I tolerate spiders so long as they stay in out-of-the-way corners. I'd rather have the spiders than whatever they are eating!

If they venture out into 'people space' they quickly get squished or relocated outdoors. My tolerance only extends so far.

Some spiders at my house get relocated to the basement. If they do their thing I don't have to spray poisons.
I avoid that at all costs. I'd rather have a few spiders that the poison.

[CelestiHel]

Ok, one word...EEEWwwww!!!!

I will not kill one but I will vaccuum one up:eek:



My BF does the same things with our spiders because he's grossed out by them. I have to prove they're useful on an individual basis for them to be spared. So they are judged based on productivity.

Although, I will tell you, I am terrified of wasps/bees/etc. and I suck them up in the machine. I had a couple hornet queens in my living room that were HUGE and I sucked them up after much theatrics and, I kid you not, one of them crawled back out of the bag 1/2 hour later...all covered in vac bag dust...I was horrified. I DID NOT know they could do that!

[Selkielass]

I'm a beekeeper- special vacuums are actually used to remove bees from where they aren't wanted and some are designed to harm the bees as little as possible so you can move the colony to a new hive.

Insects are pretty tough creatures.

[guidofatherof5]

I'm a beekeeper- special vacuums are actually used to remove bees from where they aren't wanted and some are designed to harm the bees as little as possible so you can move the colony to a new hive.

Insects are pretty tough creatures.

That is interesting.

[Mommy2many]

I don't use any poisons in my house. I'm afraid of what it may do to my snakes & frogs & fish. My husband will use them rarely outside if a nest is encountered (usually for bees, wasps or hornets).

Therefore, the vaccuum is my most powerful weapon of choice! Clean and effective. Spiders, I have caught on a piece of paper, slid under a container and then unceremoniously dumped outside. If they are the little kind that live in the corner of the ceiling, like in my bathroom, they can stay. It's the ones with the big hairy legs (that I can actually see the hairs on) that have to relocate quickly!

[kibakiba]

The smaller ones, I mean really tiny, usually are allowed to stay in my house mostly because we cant get them... The huge ones, however, have to go. I cant risk being bit again by one of those mutant spiders after how bad my last 3 bites were. I was lucky to not have an infection on any of them.

[Selkielass]

That is interesting.
Beesource Beekeeping » Bee Vac (http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/bee-vac/)

[guidofatherof5]

Beesource Beekeeping » Bee Vac (http://www.beesource.com/build-it-yourself/bee-vac/)

Thanks for the link.

[CelestiHel]

I'm a beekeeper- special vacuums are actually used to remove bees from where they aren't wanted and some are designed to harm the bees as little as possible so you can move the colony to a new hive.

Insects are pretty tough creatures.

I've seen that done, it's amazing! Honeybees fascinate me; I'd love to be a bee keeper. Except I think paralyzing fear is prohibitive in most things!

[the_edsta]

When I lived in Boston, spiders were a nusance.

Here... in Florida,

Spiders aren't so neatly defined. Spiders are garments, they're cowboy neckties. Spiders are garters on a thigh... they are substantial, agressive. They are 3 inch across. They watch one another -- and you. They grow larger as the season progresss, establish territory, strengthen. Their webs become tensile like the strings on a tennis racket. They easily catch the light and become wide when the sun captures them. The spiders in this place intimidate you. When you walk to you car during dusk, you are sure to wave a stick in front of youself to make sure you don't walk in front of their webs.

The size of spiders is a game changer.

black and yellow garden spider (http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm)

Golden Silk Spider [Nephila clavipes] (http://www.jaxshells.org/hill019.htm)