What do you photograph when there aren't any birds around? I guess it's time to start on bugs. Now this is not something I really thought I could get into, but once you start looking, it's totally fascinating. The goldenrod seems to attract a pretty good invertebrate population....like this Ambush Bug. I swear I looked at it for the longest time before I saw it's antenna and determined it was actually a living organism. 
And then you get to the flower beetles....like this Banded Longhorn Flower Beetle (Typocerus veluntinus). We were seeing lots of this guys flying all over once we started looking for them.
Of course odonates fall into the insect category as well. Most of the time in Gate 35 I find the big dragonflies like the Calico or Halloween Pennants, but if you spend time looking for insects on flowers, you'll also find these tiny damselflies....like this male Familiar Bluet. Again thank god for Blair's book on these little creatures!
One of our best sightings for early August was of this Goldenrod Crab Spider. Yes, technically I know this is not an insect, but if you're photographing little crawlie things, I count spiders in the same broad grouping.
As the name suggests, you usually find this little guy on goldenrod, so finding it on a bright pink rose growing along the old railroad bed of Gate 35
was a special treat. He was very aware as I tried to get shots of him, he would always move to the other side of the petal when I got too close with my macro lens. After a while he moved to the goldenrod where he blended in much more appropriately.
was a special treat. He was very aware as I tried to get shots of him, he would always move to the other side of the petal when I got too close with my macro lens. After a while he moved to the goldenrod where he blended in much more appropriately.
The great thing about Quabbin is there's always something to see....if you take the time to look.
Enjoy......Sheila
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