The Nature Photography Thread

[ConcinusMan]

I found this nice tree frog while cleaning out my kayaks.
I believe it's Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

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

[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

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.