Not Hydra as in flower - Hydra as in a many headed serpent from Hades.
Heracles and the Hydra
Technically Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra, but heroic Heracles and the Hadean Hydra is more alliterative.
The Beauty Of The Changing Seasons
- Thread starter Lady Cannafan
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Not Hydra as in flower - Hydra as in a many headed serpent from Hades.
Heracles and the Hydra
Technically Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra, but heroic Heracles and the Hadean Hydra is more alliterative.
Smokey, in the last picture...what are those yellow and red flowers in the middle?
And PeeJay, beautiful shot of the Red Admiral butterfly....he really gets around!
While also a Vanessa (hairy footed) butterfly, this one is know as a Painted Lady, rather than a Red Admiral .
hmmm Admirals, painted ladies, worn out looking butterfly wings
A variety of pictures from wandering around yesterday morning:
Worn out butterfly wings?
Not so worn out butterfly wings...
Ms. Bumble
Bitty Bee
My favorite critter pic from yesterday (it's hard to beat Ms. Bumble) is this tiny insect nymph that I didn't even see until I zoomed in while editing shots!
A couple of nice roses
Various other things.
Worn out butterfly wings?
Not so worn out butterfly wings...
Ms. Bumble
Bitty Bee
My favorite critter pic from yesterday (it's hard to beat Ms. Bumble) is this tiny insect nymph that I didn't even see until I zoomed in while editing shots!
A couple of nice roses
Various other things.
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- #1,564
Outstanding PeeJay! I am in total awe of the variety and excellent shots. I can count the hairs on Ms. Bumble!
I'm having a tough time with focus lately on the little critters, mostly due to the danged wind around here.
One of the pictures made me hungry for a nice ear of roasted corn on the cob, it looks just like a peeled corn cob.
Fantastic beauties, I'm going to take another looky see.
Thank you for that this morning, my outside plans on my day off have been hampered by darkened skies and thunderboomers. Blast it!
I'm having a tough time with focus lately on the little critters, mostly due to the danged wind around here.
One of the pictures made me hungry for a nice ear of roasted corn on the cob, it looks just like a peeled corn cob.
Fantastic beauties, I'm going to take another looky see.
Thank you for that this morning, my outside plans on my day off have been hampered by darkened skies and thunderboomers. Blast it!
- Thread starter
- #1,565
Sue, that is one small flower from the Allium I posted a while back. They are very tiny.
Not Hydra as in flower - Hydra as in a many headed serpent from Hades.
Heracles and the Hydra
Technically Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra, but heroic Heracles and the Hadean Hydra is more alliterative.
Thanks Rado! It was driving me crazy. I'm going to read up on that, it sounds very readable.
Was Heracles also called Hercules? I love greek mythology.
Thanks Canna. You got me interested in macro photography. It's cool that we both use the same picture taking device - a Samsung Galaxy phone. Pretty amazing for a phone camera...
Yesterday morning was a perfect storm for macro pictures. We had not had hard rain for two days in a row but in general things have been monsoon wet with strong t-storms in the afternoon for a couple of weeks. We only got a sprinkle the night before as evidenced by the dew drops on the roses. The day was cool. The area is notorious for intense sunshine. Bright sun causes a bunch of shadowing issues... Yesterday morning there was a lacy film of cirrus clouds to dim the light a little... And, it was very still, hardly a breeze. All those pictures were taken within about an hour on a walk. I had a bunch of fun semi-private gardens and public gardens to stroll by and take pictures. It was completely relaxing.
The corn cob flowers are Mexican hat (Ratibida Columnifera). They grow in poor soil well and are a great meadow plant. They tend to look a little sad from a distance. They are not majestic blooms. When you look at them up close they are way fun. They throw out bright colored petals to attract pollinators. Then little mini flowers bloom up the cone bottom to top. What a great strategy to prolong the sexual reproduction period!
Yesterday morning was a perfect storm for macro pictures. We had not had hard rain for two days in a row but in general things have been monsoon wet with strong t-storms in the afternoon for a couple of weeks. We only got a sprinkle the night before as evidenced by the dew drops on the roses. The day was cool. The area is notorious for intense sunshine. Bright sun causes a bunch of shadowing issues... Yesterday morning there was a lacy film of cirrus clouds to dim the light a little... And, it was very still, hardly a breeze. All those pictures were taken within about an hour on a walk. I had a bunch of fun semi-private gardens and public gardens to stroll by and take pictures. It was completely relaxing.
The corn cob flowers are Mexican hat (Ratibida Columnifera). They grow in poor soil well and are a great meadow plant. They tend to look a little sad from a distance. They are not majestic blooms. When you look at them up close they are way fun. They throw out bright colored petals to attract pollinators. Then little mini flowers bloom up the cone bottom to top. What a great strategy to prolong the sexual reproduction period!
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- #1,567
Whatizit?
While outside today doing a special project....in unbearable heat (it went to 95 degrees at one point out there), this butterfly decided to land right where I was working. The open wing shot might be a bit blurry, but I was taking the pics upside down with the phone and she wouldn't leave those wings open. I must have shot 15 times before I got them completely open. ;-) So what kind is it?
I just love how they hold their little heads up like they are some kind of royalty.
While outside today doing a special project....in unbearable heat (it went to 95 degrees at one point out there), this butterfly decided to land right where I was working. The open wing shot might be a bit blurry, but I was taking the pics upside down with the phone and she wouldn't leave those wings open. I must have shot 15 times before I got them completely open. ;-) So what kind is it?
I just love how they hold their little heads up like they are some kind of royalty.
- Thread starter
- #1,568
It certainly sounds and looks like you had a perfect photo shoot day Peejay.
I can't get away from wind here lately, but next time I go out I'm going to take my 11 x 8 white card with me to block wind and reflect soft light...that usually works well.
The hardest colors for me to get true are yellows and whites. They get way too reflective and the color washes out. I'm working on those, shade is best for sure.
We're supposed to get another round of thunderstorms here shortly, we had some this morning but it cleared out before 9 ish. I worked outside all day...shouldn't have. One sunburned body, a smucked thumb and one pass out from heat....I should have come inside. LOL Now I get to see if what I created will hold up to a good storm. Perfect.
Now I'm in and planted on the couch....don't think I'll move again. Wait.........I hear boomers in the distance....maybe I'll go lay down on the swing on the deck and watch.
BTW, what is that purple velvety beauty in the last photo?
I can't get away from wind here lately, but next time I go out I'm going to take my 11 x 8 white card with me to block wind and reflect soft light...that usually works well.
The hardest colors for me to get true are yellows and whites. They get way too reflective and the color washes out. I'm working on those, shade is best for sure.
We're supposed to get another round of thunderstorms here shortly, we had some this morning but it cleared out before 9 ish. I worked outside all day...shouldn't have. One sunburned body, a smucked thumb and one pass out from heat....I should have come inside. LOL Now I get to see if what I created will hold up to a good storm. Perfect.
Now I'm in and planted on the couch....don't think I'll move again. Wait.........I hear boomers in the distance....maybe I'll go lay down on the swing on the deck and watch.
BTW, what is that purple velvety beauty in the last photo?
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- #1,569
Well, I showered all the dirt off me...the sunburn wouldn't come off. LOL Then I headed outside for a couple of after-the-storm pictures.
I took a few and walked down to the pond. I noticed something small moving in the grass and took a closer look and followed it. It's a baby Hummer Moth! I've never ever never been able to get a picture of one of these, despite how friendly they are, I never had camera in hand when the time was there.
This little guy is less than an inch long, his wings are not yet fully developed. He is starting to color out, notice the blue already.
He should get a bit smaller than a hummingbird, which is the reason they are called what they are. The way they fly is exactly like a hummingbird, the fast wing beat etc. You can actually feel wind on your hand if you hold it under them while they fly about on the honeysuckles.
Anyway, I am just too excited that I captured some photos of this!
Side note: I had to lay down to get the shots. I must have looked like a mad woman lying in the wet grass and dirt in my jammies. Damn, JUST washed all that dirt off me.
I took a few and walked down to the pond. I noticed something small moving in the grass and took a closer look and followed it. It's a baby Hummer Moth! I've never ever never been able to get a picture of one of these, despite how friendly they are, I never had camera in hand when the time was there.
This little guy is less than an inch long, his wings are not yet fully developed. He is starting to color out, notice the blue already.
He should get a bit smaller than a hummingbird, which is the reason they are called what they are. The way they fly is exactly like a hummingbird, the fast wing beat etc. You can actually feel wind on your hand if you hold it under them while they fly about on the honeysuckles.
Anyway, I am just too excited that I captured some photos of this!
Side note: I had to lay down to get the shots. I must have looked like a mad woman lying in the wet grass and dirt in my jammies. Damn, JUST washed all that dirt off me.
Well, I showered all the dirt off me...the sunburn wouldn't come off. LOL Then I headed outside for a couple of after-the-storm pictures.
I took a few and walked down to the pond. I noticed something small moving in the grass and took a closer look and followed it. It's a baby Hummer Moth! I've never ever never been able to get a picture of one of these, despite how friendly they are, I never had camera in hand when the time was there.
This little guy is less than an inch long, his wings are not yet fully developed. He is starting to color out, notice the blue already.
He should get a bit smaller than a hummingbird, which is the reason they are called what they are. The way they fly is exactly like a hummingbird, the fast wing beat etc. You can actually feel wind on your hand if you hold it under them while they fly about on the honeysuckles.
Anyway, I am just too excited that I captured some photos of this!
Side note: I had to lay down to get the shots. I must have looked like a mad woman lying in the wet grass and dirt in my jammies. Damn, JUST washed all that dirt off me.
The wings grow!!! That is really unusual in an adult stage (after cocoon.)
Magnificent looking creature for sure.
Such clarity on the coiled proboscis ... mwah
And that butterfly .... still a Red Admiral, probably a male, (though Red Admiral are notoriously hard to sex.)
Now if you had asked about the Black Swallowtail? or Tiger Swallowtail? a few posts back I would have had to google them to be sure.
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- #1,571
Thanks Radogast. I should have looked back at the beat up Red A I posted, and I would have known.
I'm not sure that the wings on the Hummer Moth are going to grow any more....I'll have to research a bit on that. I know that he couldn't quite get the hang of using them yet, he tried a couple times but didn't get too far. :
: Maybe he was fairly fresh from the cocoon. He was pretty small that's for sure.
Hopefully I'll see him hanging around the flowers when he's up and flying.
I googled them last night and the array of colors they are is truly amazing!
I'm not sure that the wings on the Hummer Moth are going to grow any more....I'll have to research a bit on that. I know that he couldn't quite get the hang of using them yet, he tried a couple times but didn't get too far. :
: Maybe he was fairly fresh from the cocoon. He was pretty small that's for sure.Hopefully I'll see him hanging around the flowers when he's up and flying.
I googled them last night and the array of colors they are is truly amazing!
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- #1,572
I woke up feeling "colorful"...
Shadow Theater star...
Please speak into the microphone...
The flying Nun's hat...
Shadow Theater star...
Please speak into the microphone...
The flying Nun's hat...
i love the way you see stories when looking at flowers.
I see that way when walking in the woods
I see that way when walking in the woods
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- #1,574
Now that the heat is over with, it has turned out to be a very pretty afternoon. Calm and brilliant blue sky.
My new garden addition Tiger Lily's are turning orange and about to bloom. YEY!
I wonder if bugs have a catalog they go through when they're born to choose the color they want to live their life in?
"Hmmmmm.....so many choices....I think...I'll take the Metallic Green, please. Do you take V.I.B. Bee-sa cards for payment?"
My new garden addition Tiger Lily's are turning orange and about to bloom. YEY!
I wonder if bugs have a catalog they go through when they're born to choose the color they want to live their life in?
"Hmmmmm.....so many choices....I think...I'll take the Metallic Green, please. Do you take V.I.B. Bee-sa cards for payment?"
- Thread starter
- #1,575
I'll have photos back up in a bit ya'll. The pictures took so long to upload again, I forgot to choose the off-topic option.
Okay, all fixed.
Now on to the end of the day's story.....
I spent two days with power tools, ladders, heat exhaustion, smucked thumb, hauling and cutting and measuring. Just that one minor injury to the thumb.
I felt pretty damn good, that meant I was cautious and careful on what I was doing.
It's a damn shame that I suffer an injury that's going to last awhile on something as stupid as trying to get a critter out of my house.....
So, I come inside to rest a while ago and see the cats watching something on the ceiling. I know the look, that means there's a wasp or a hornet flying around.
I grab the flyswatter, a very cheap plastic one that barely can kill and ant, and start trying to pin the bee down to one area to swat it.
It got to a corner, I took a swat..missed...the bee came straight at me and I very quickly went backwards.
I ran into the foot rest of the couch which was fully extended, and my leg went under it as I fell in a very awkward position...the foot rest came down with me and pinned my leg with my weight.
THANK THE LORD I am such a skinny minny and didn't have more weight, I thought I broke it...but it pinched into the calf muscle in two places and my ankle.
After a few minutes of chanting to myself "Shut up and take the pain", I was able to hobble around and try to get him again. I managed a good swipe that sent him into the window screen. Stunned him, didn't kill it.
I let Sassy check it out for awhile before I moved it outside:
The odds.....
Okay, all fixed.
Now on to the end of the day's story.....
I spent two days with power tools, ladders, heat exhaustion, smucked thumb, hauling and cutting and measuring. Just that one minor injury to the thumb.
I felt pretty damn good, that meant I was cautious and careful on what I was doing.
It's a damn shame that I suffer an injury that's going to last awhile on something as stupid as trying to get a critter out of my house.....
So, I come inside to rest a while ago and see the cats watching something on the ceiling. I know the look, that means there's a wasp or a hornet flying around.
I grab the flyswatter, a very cheap plastic one that barely can kill and ant, and start trying to pin the bee down to one area to swat it.
It got to a corner, I took a swat..missed...the bee came straight at me and I very quickly went backwards.
I ran into the foot rest of the couch which was fully extended, and my leg went under it as I fell in a very awkward position...the foot rest came down with me and pinned my leg with my weight.
THANK THE LORD I am such a skinny minny and didn't have more weight, I thought I broke it...but it pinched into the calf muscle in two places and my ankle.
After a few minutes of chanting to myself "Shut up and take the pain", I was able to hobble around and try to get him again. I managed a good swipe that sent him into the window screen. Stunned him, didn't kill it.
I let Sassy check it out for awhile before I moved it outside:
The odds.....
Dennise
Well-Known Member
Ummm I am afraid that would have been one dead wasp...
....
....- Thread starter
- #1,577
I'm sorry you injured yourself defending your house against attack. Darn flying stingy things.
The most physical thing I did this weekend was bring home a massage table found free beside the road (I think it came from 'one of those' massage businesses,) wipe the top cover, spray the wood underneath with SNS217 Rosemary oil, set it up in a corner of the bedroom, and give my wife a 1 hour massage. After that I was free to do as little as I wanted the rest of the weekend
The most physical thing I did this weekend was bring home a massage table found free beside the road (I think it came from 'one of those' massage businesses,) wipe the top cover, spray the wood underneath with SNS217 Rosemary oil, set it up in a corner of the bedroom, and give my wife a 1 hour massage. After that I was free to do as little as I wanted the rest of the weekend
SmokesDaKush
New Member
Smokey, did you mean a hint on my little jelly people? Beautiful pics too! I can see the hair witch.
No, I meant the hint on the Sangre flower I did the whatizit on. I wanted to say sorry but I won't..
The peas seem to be everywhere in the country but those were from my garden. All the wild ones seem to be white or pink-ish purple. A beautiful site driving around, that's for sure. You can also grab some pea pods as well but I hear they are very hard to get rid of once established, something about they grow underground.Those are Sunflowers that are dyed to give that torch type effect.
Beautiful pictures though everybody!
Radogast, I think I will have a different butterfly for you to identify tomorrow if you'd like.
Some roses for everybody!
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- #1,580
I haven't been given roses in years! Mine just won't grow to any decent flowering point. I'm going to move them, the thorny weeds are choking them out I think. Rabbits chew on them in the winter too. This year I'm putting "cages" around them to thwart them.Bee-you-ti-ful pictures as always Smokey!
Can't wait to see your butterfly.
And curious, how do they dye flowers?