Camera Critter #101

Around five years ago, I traveled to the northwestern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan to visit my brother. Of course, I took my camera and throughout the four days I was there, spent a lot of time photographing the local fauna of all sizes.

The evening before I left, I was checking out his garden when I noticed a moving branch. Curiosity got the best of me and I took a closer look. To my surprise, that branch turned into a caterpillar. As I looked around, there were more and more. As I began pointing them out, he began removing them.

However, before he could eliminate all of them from the garden, I was able to get portraits of a couple of the invaders.

Carolina Sphinx Hornworm

Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar

Misty Dawn's Camera Critters Meme is a great way to see critters of all kinds. Go to the meme homepage here and check out more. Then join the fun with your own critter.

Camera Critter Meme #31

When I was a young kid growing up in Illinois, my family was visiting our grandparents farm in the central Illinois area. When we arrived on the farm, generally, the rest of the aunts, uncles and cousins would also arrive.

On one particular visit to the farm, myself and a group of cousins had decided it would be a good idea to play in the corn crib. On the way there, one of us found a bumble bee hive and without thinking, jabbed a stick into it.

Well, you can imagine the mass panic which ensued. If I remember correctly, my youngest uncle and one of my cousins (the poker) were the only ones stung. But that area of the farm was not a place to visit for the rest of the day.

Several years ago, while I was wandering around looking for birds to photograph, I came across a flower garden containing dozens of different flowers. And on each flower was a bumble bee. I stood there watching them for a moment and realized there were several different species. It was at that point I decided that I would also photograph bumble bees...which on my next next photo safari, turned into anything flying or crawling around on more than two legs.

Below are some of my better bumble bee shots. The first two were taken in Michigan, near the town of Kaleva. The rest were photographed during my safaris around my hometown of Redmond, Oregon. I have done my best to identify the critters, but please don't take my identification as gospel. I have been known to be wrong.

Michigan Bumble Bees

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Golden Northern Bumble Bee

Oregon Bumble Bees

Red Saddle Bumble Bee

Morrison's Bumble Bee

Red Saddle Bumble Bee

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Morrison's Bumble Bee

Red Saddle Bumble Bee

Red Saddle Bumble Bee

Golden Northern Bumble Bee

These days, you can find me running to a bumble bee I see in the distance. And you will find me dejected when I arrive to late to image the critter. But one thing you can bet on...I will always be looking for bumble bees when I'm out...among other critters.

If you enjoyed my collection of bee photos, go to Misty Dawn's Camera Critter Meme and check out some of the other players. Better yet, join in the fun with your own critter pics.