Tag Archives: macro photography

Photo of the Week – September 6, 2013

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Here are three photos from the last couple weeks that didn’t fit into any particular story or theme.  Each is from a different prairie, and each was the result of a quick opportunistic stop in the midst of doing something else.  The pitcher sage photo (immediately below) came after I walked past a patch of the flowers and then backed up to capture the image that stuck in my head when I first walked past.  I noticed the soldier beetle (second photo) as I was walking back to take more photos of the praying mantis eating the sphinx moth.  Finally, I spotted the bee sitting on a dew-covered gayfeather flower (third photo) as I got out of my truck to work on a fence project at our farm.

Pitcher sage (Salvia azurea) in our plant diversity research plots. Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.

Pitcher sage (Salvia azurea) in our plant diversity research plots. Platte River Prairies, Nebraska.

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A soldier beetle on a grass leaf. Lincoln Creek Prairie - Aurora, Nebraska.

A soldier beetle on a grass leaf. Lincoln Creek Prairie – Aurora, Nebraska.

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A male long-horned bee (Melissodes sp) on dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata). Helzer family prairie - south of Aurora, Nebraska.

A male long-horned bee (Melissodes sp) on dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata). Helzer family prairie – south of Aurora, Nebraska.

Photo of the Week – August 29, 2013

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One of the great things about living in Aurora is that Prairie Plains Resource Institute has done some very nice prairie restoration projects right on the edge of town.  That works out really well for me on days when I don’t have time to go out to our Platte River Prairies, but can’t stand to stay inside because conditions are perfect for photography.  Last Friday was one of those times.

When I looked out my window at about 8:15 Friday morning, there were nice diffuse clouds covering the sun and only light winds blowing.  Knowing that I had to be on a conference call by 9am, I sprinted to the car and headed to Lincoln Creek Prairie (less than a mile from my house).  For about next 20 minutes, I wandered around the tiny restored prairie with my camera, shooting photos of flowers and bugs, and generally enjoying myself.  Within a half hour from the time I left my computer, I was back in the office and ready to join my conference call. It’s a pretty good life.

Here’s a shot from that morning walk:

A praying mantis nymph on rough blazing star (Liatris aspera). Lincoln Creek Prairie - Aurora, Nebraska.

A praying mantis nymph on rough blazing star (Liatris aspera). Lincoln Creek Prairie – Aurora, Nebraska.

I was surprised to see a small mantis nymph this late in the season, especially because there were some full-grown Chinese mantids nearby (I don’t know what species this nymph is).  The little critter was hanging out near the top of a blazing star plant and eating a small fly when I first spotted it.  As I set up my tripod, it spit out (?) the remainder of the fly and turned to stare at me.  That worked out very nicely for me – but I hope it didn’t miss out on the last part of its meal on my account.

I was enjoying my little interaction with the nymph, but after taking a few shots at this angle, I decide to try a slightly different photo angle.  As I adjusted my tripod, I accidentally dislodged a big grass stem that had been trapped under one of the legs.  The stem whipped around and hit the flower right below the nymph – knocking the nymph into the vegetation below.  I’m sure it wasn’t hurt, but it did kind of spoil the moment.

Oh well, it was time to head back for my conference call anyway…