Monday in Nature POTW Sept. 23, 2013

[jonathan_parkhouse1]

<p>We noticed a few days ago that several dozen bees were rapidly moving on, or flying an inch or so above, the surface of a rather scruffy two or three square metres of our lawn (more moss and dandelions than grass). Some of them would form aggregations of up to half a dozen insects in what a rugby enthusiast would recognise as a 'rolling maul', at the bottom of which there would be a mating pair. I suspect that these are <em>Colletes hedera</em>, a recent arrival in the UK which is gradually gaining a foothold. My main reason for this i.d. is that I don't think any similar species starts its flying season this late in the year, but alternative suggestions are welcome. Only snag is that these creatures have selected the patch of lawn where I intend to dig a pool for dragonflies next year; I don't really want to lose these delightful bees, which must be nesting just below the surface.<br>

Talking of recent arrivals, I wondered whether Steve's shieldbug might be a Southern Green Shieldbug (<em>Nezara</em> <em>viridula</em>) rather than the Green shieldbug (<em>Palomena prasina</em>) suggested by Mark. The pronotum (the wide covering to the thorax) 'bulges' more on <em>Palomena</em> and the ends of the wing membrane are usually brownish on <em>Palomena</em>. <em>Nezara</em> is a recent (2003) arrival in the UK. But all this is predicated on the assumption that Steve took his photograph in the UK, and in any case I don't claim to be an expert on bugs - could be wildly wrong!</p><div></div>

[Gup]

<p>I'm going to suggest that Steve's mystery bug is actually a Green Stink Bug, sometimes called a Green Soldier Bug (Acrosternum hilare) commonly found across North America. <br>

My research is according to a photograph in the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders and my own hundreds of encounters here in Ontario. I know I have a shot of our local guy somewhere here, although not captured with a macro lens so not nearly as sharp. </p>

[bing_huey1]

<p>Beautiful images today. Rick, I especially like your capture, but lots of fascinating critters as well. I've not much new this week. This one is from a few months back, a common ringlet on a fiddleneck. </p><div></div>

[chansonbleu]

<p>Hey Mark, actually I live in New England. Specifically New Hampshire. Guess Gup identified it correctly, however "shield bug" sounds nicer than "stink bug".</p>

<p>Looks like some field guides are in my future if I plan on posting on Mondays. It would make the experience more enjoyable.</p>

[SCL]

<p>Today was my lazy day....I was testing out a few old lenses on my E-PL2. Stepped no further than my deck to test out a "radioactive" Takumar 50 which I had recently sun-bleached, to see how it captured both distant and near objects at nearly wide open apertures. Besides autumn colors in the wild, I just love some of the domestic flowers as well during this season.</p><div></div>

[SteveH]

<p>Here comes Fall in Minnesota.</p><div></div>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Another stellar Monday. It's always good to see those who have been gone for awhile and new folks joining in.<br>

Rick DuB, welcome to MiN. That's very nice of you. Truth be known, I'm suffering from fungal photography envy with fungi from Svalbard. I can't wait to see more from the trip. Your nature photography is always a treat and I hope you'll be here often.<br>

Also welcome to Al D. We all appreciate a new lens. Hope we'll see more "test results".<br>

Steve B., your photos are an enjoyable experience for all. One thing I know about field guides, you can never have enough.<br>

Thank you to folks who have made nice comments about the morning intro. Those ideas are based in experiences that I think we all have in common, in some fashion. I always enjoy reading the narratives with photos here. Our words and images always have the potential to touch someone in ways we cannot foresee.<br>

Phil, what a great find. Well done. That must have been a great moment.<br>

Paul, those look like they walked off the set of "Goldfinger". <br>

Colin, the seagull is really nice, especially with the water in the air.<br>

Gup, good luck with a future camera purchase. The archives always come in handy.<br>

<br />Has anyone had any luck with Doug's warbler/vireo? I opened a couple of books, but they all start looking the same. They are migrating here also and every day the road up at Hawk Mountain is lined with cars of the folks out for morning warbler drop. </p>

<p>Beautiful work, everyone. </p>

[anthea50]

<p>Hi everyone! Outstanding images so far. I couldn't post this morning as it would have made me late for work (sigh) so here is my contribution for this week, though somewhat late to the nature party :)</p><div></div>

[bobbuck19]

<p>A hedgehog mushroom, mushroom and orchid season is about over, it was hard to find one I could see under to show the spines, my guess is hydnum umbilicatum feel free to correct me.</p><div></div>

[slopoki]

<p>A Kingfisher flutters before diving. It missed.<br>

D300 w 300/4 afs and tc-14e<br>

<img src="http://www.slopoki1.com/Nature/Pelicans-Ibis-Woodstork/i-GXQ28z6/0/L/D30_5933ccr-L.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="532" /></p>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Robert, I think you're right. H. repandum is shorter and more robust. Pretty shot. There's not much fungi out up here either. We haven't had much rain.</p>

[wayne_wrights]

<p>My image this week was taken yesterday and that is the reason I am late for the forum. The Elk rut is beginning in Cataloochee Valley, NC. As you can see, these guys mean business. Notice the eye contact.</p><div></div>

[stemked]

<p>Hi Laura.</p>

<p>A worst case I'll pass it along to my birding friends and let them duke out the id; whomever is left standing I'll go with their call.<br>

When you are out with real experts it drives me nuts though. I have pretty decent optics and I'm amazed how well they can spot subtle coloration or behavior. Like I say, I'm not bad at idying birds like warblers/vireos, but in the fall I am often over my head.</p>

 

[Andrew Gosden]

<p>A skipper of some sort.<br>

<img src="http://akgosdenphotos.smugmug.com/Nature/Insects-and-other-bugs/i-3xxKbMj/0/700x700/IMG_1132-700x700.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<strong>XSi, Tamron 70-300 vc with 36mm extension tube</strong></p>

[Glenn McCreery]

<p>Mud Lake, Idaho. A much more scenic location than the name would imply.</p><div></div>

[scott_ditzel1]

<p>Delete please...Can't load image from my Flickr stream</p>

<p>Scott<br /> http://www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/</p>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Hi Scott,<br>

If you can, please resize your image to 700 pixels on the long axis. Image size may be the problem. Don't give up, you've got some great images there.</p>

 

[scott_ditzel1]

<p>Let's try this again... Well, I re-sized it to "Original <small id="yui_3_11_0_3_1380149713613_435">(640 x 530)" on Flickr, but I still get the broken link icon...</small></p>

<p> </p>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>OK. Sorry to hear this is happening.</p>

<p>Can anyone who has a flicker account (or anything else that is applicable) help here? I don't have the experience to help with this.</p>

[philrichardson]

<p>Ok, Scott, try this. I don't use Flickr to link photos, but I do have an account there and tried it and it worked for me. You can try it in the Test Postings Forum like I did first. There are probably several ways to do it, but this is what I did:<br /> 1. Open your photo in Flickr<br /> 2. Go to the "More ways to share.." icon at the bottom towards the right side. It looks like a box with an arrow coming out.<br /> 3. Click on the "Grab the HTML/BBC code" option and activate the HTML aspect of the option<br /> 4. Select an image size that meets the criteria for posting, ie, max 700 pixels on any side<br /> 5. Highlight the HTML text in the box and right click and copy it<br /> 6. Go to your submittal language box for the Test Postings Forum or Nature Forum<br /> 7. Look at the row of icons above the text of your submittal to the forum and click on the far right icon, "Edit HTML Source"<br /> 8. Paste the HTML text for your image below your text language in the HTML editor box that opens<br /> 9. Click "update" to close the editing box<br /> 10. Your image should now appear in your draft message<br /> 11. Now in the "Test Postings Forum" you click "Post" and you are done.</p>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Phil, thanks for the assistance and suggestions. Hopefully all will work out.</p>

[scott_ditzel1]

<p>Thanks Phil ! Worked like a Charm ...<br>

<a title="Resize for photo.net by screaminscott, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7411/9941497513_f05880a2bd_z.jpg" alt="Resize for photo.net" width="640" height="530" /></a></p>

[Laura Weishaupt]

<p>Scott, glad it all worked out.</p>

<p>Stephen L., sorry I missed you earlier on the welcome to new folks. Welcome to both you and Scott. There is no shortage of appreciation for flowers and butterflies.</p>

[phule]

<p>I mentioned this over in Phil's Test Post Forum post, but I thought I would mention it here as well.</p>

<p>You do not have to choose "Edit HTML Source" when pasting the HTML from Flickr (described in his steps). </p>

<p>All you have to do is paste the HTML you copied from Flickr into your response, Click Submit and then <strong>click Update BEFORE</strong> you click Confirm.</p>

 

[mbkissel]

<p>I "stink" you got it, Gup! Good job! For some reason I thought Steve was in England, as in across the pond. Not New England.<br /> Scott Ditzel, I'm glad you got your photo posted here. As Laura mentioned, you have some terrific shots in your Flickr gallery.</p>

<p>Thanks, Roberta! I can never capture one of those fine looking yellow butterflies with its wings open. A really nice one you got there.</p>