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  • Cicada insect, Queen Charlotte Track, South Island, New Zealand. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    07NZ_5159_cicada-insect.jpg
  • A sphinx moth (or hawk moth, Sphingidae family, order Lepidoptera) is attracted to night lights in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Sphingidae is best represented in the tropics but species inhabit every region. Sphingidae are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid, sustained flying ability, assisted by narrow wings and streamlined abdomen. Some hawk moths, like the hummingbird hawk moth, hover in midair while they feed on nectar from flowers and are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds. This hovering capability has evolved only three times in nectar feeders: in hummingbirds, certain bats, and these sphingids. Sphingids can swing hover (move rapidly from side to side while hovering). Some of the sphingids are some of the fastest flying insects, capable of flying at over 50 km/h (30 miles per hour). They have a wingspan of 35-150 mm.
    09ECU-1815_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • The chorus cicada, Amphipsalta zelandica, is the most common species of cicada in New Zealand, where it is endemic and found in most areas. They typically live in forests and areas with open bush, where their left-over nymph skins can be seen on tree trunks and branches during the summer months. Cicadas are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals. Photographed on the Pororari River Track in Paparoa National Park, between Westport and Greymouth in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. The track follows an impressive limestone gorge along the river with big rocks set in deep pools, through strikingly beautiful forest subtly transitioning between subtropical and temperate ecozones. Pororari River flows northwest from its sources in the Paparoa Range to reach the Tasman Sea at Punakaiki. Stroll 1 km to a seat overlooking an attractive river bend. At about 3.5 km turn left at the Inland Pack Track to soon reach the swing bridge, a good turnaround point.
    1901NZ1-4726.jpg
  • Boisduval blue butterfly (Plebejus icarioides, in the Lepidoptera order of insects), on the Church Mountain trail in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, in the North Cascades mountain range, Washington, USA.
    04WA-0058_Boisduval-blue-butterfly.jpg
  • A camouflaged Crab Spider (Family Thomisidae) kills a bee in a pinkish magenta thistle flower on the hike to Rachel Lake in Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, Washington, USA. Crab Spiders can change their coloration to match the flower within 24 hours. They are widespread in Washington and other states. Spiders have eight legs and are not insects. Spiders (order Araneae, class Arachnida) are air-breathing arthropods that have chelicerae, grasping mouthparts with fangs that inject venom. Unlike spiders, insects have six legs and a pair of antennae.
    05RAC_41-Crab-Spider-kills-bee-in-th...jpg
  • Shedded cicada skin. The chorus cicada, Amphipsalta zelandica, is the most common species of cicada in New Zealand, where it is endemic and found in most areas. They typically live in forests and areas with open bush, where their left-over nymph skins can be seen on tree trunks and branches during the summer months. Cicadas are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals. Pororari River Track in Paparoa National Park, between Westport and Greymouth in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. The track follows an impressive limestone gorge along the river with big rocks set in deep pools, through strikingly beautiful forest subtly transitioning between subtropical and temperate ecozones. Pororari River flows northwest from its sources in the Paparoa Range to reach the Tasman Sea at Punakaiki. Stroll 1 km to a seat overlooking an attractive river bend. At about 3.5 km turn left at the Inland Pack Track to soon reach the swing bridge, a good turnaround point.
    1901NZ1-4706.jpg
  • The chorus cicada, Amphipsalta zelandica, is the most common species of cicada in New Zealand, where it is endemic and found in most areas. They typically live in forests and areas with open bush, where their left-over nymph skins can be seen on tree trunks and branches during summer. Cicadas are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals. Photographed at Gillespies Beach, near Fox Glacier, in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
    1901NZ1-4357.jpg
  • The chorus cicada, Amphipsalta zelandica, is the most common species of cicada in New Zealand, where it is endemic and found in most areas. They typically live in forests and areas with open bush, where their left-over nymph skins can be seen on tree trunks and branches during summer. Cicadas are a superfamily, the Cicadoidea, of insects in the order Hemiptera (true bugs). They have an exceptionally loud song, produced in most species by the rapid buckling and unbuckling of drumlike tymbals. Photographed at Gillespies Beach, near Fox Glacier, in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
    1901NZ1-4377.jpg
  • Boisduval blue butterfly (Plebejus icarioides, in the Lepidoptera order of insects), gather in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    08CAN-2041_alpine-blue-butterflies.jpg
  • A walking stick insect (probably in the order Phasmatodea) in the Cordillera Negra, Andes Mountains, above Huaraz, Peru, South America.
    14PER2-057_walking-stick.jpg
  • A Dobsonfly (or king bug, an insect of subfamily Corydalinae, part of megalopteran family Corydalidae) with long black mandibles (pincers) clings to a wood ceiling in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Their closest relatives are the fishflies. Distributed throughout the Americas, dobsonflies can be rather frightening in appearance. The males have extremely long mandibles and females have shorter mandibles. The most well-known of the numerous species is Corydalus cornutus, the Eastern Dobsonfly, a long, dark-colored insect found in North and Central America.
    09ECU-1795_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • Six-spot Burnet moths (Zygaena filipendulae, a black insect with 6 red wing spots, in the Zygaenidae family) sip nectar from a Knapweed (Centaurea) flower. Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    16SWI-7413.jpg
  • Brown, black, and white moth. A moth is an insect related to the butterfly and also belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site, Texas, USA.
    1404TX-1179_moth.jpg
  • The painted locust (schistocerca melanocera, in the family of Acrididae, or short-horned grasshoppers) is the brightest and most conspicuous galapagos insect. This black, red, green and yellow painted locust was at Puerto Egas accessible via a wet landing on Santiago (or San Salvador, or James) Island, in the Galápagos archipelago, a province of Ecuador. Grasshoppers are popular prey for lava lizards.
    09ECU-4146_Galapagos.jpg
  • A Six-spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae, a black insect with 6 red wing spots, in the Zygaenidae family) and a tan colored Lepidoptera (butterfly or moth) sip nectar. We loved hiking to the quiet retreat of Berghotel Obersteinberg, which offers tremendous views of waterfalls and peaks in Upper Lauterbrunnen Valley, in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, Europe. Lit by candle light at night, this romantic escape built in the 1880s recalls an earlier era without power. The main luxuries here are flush toilets down the hall, and traditional Swiss hot meals. The private double rooms lack electricity, and bowls of water serve as bath and sink. Obersteinberg is a 2-hour walk from Stechelberg, or 4 hours from Mürren, in one of the world's most spectacular glaciated valleys. From Obersteinberg, don't miss the 2-3 hours round trip to the deep-blue tarn of Oberhornsee in the upper glacial basin, beneath snowcapped Grosshorn, Breithorn and Tschingelhorn. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4028.jpg
  • A Six-spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae, a black insect with 6 red wing spots, in the Zygaenidae family) sips nectar from a Knapweed (Centaurea genus) flower in the Dolomites, Italy, the Alps, Europe. Geisler/Odle Group, near St. Magdalena (Santa Maddalena). See the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30033_Six-spot-Burnet-moth_kna...jpg
  • The weta is a giant flightless cricket endemic to New Zealand. Weta is the common name for 70 insect species in the families Anostostomatidae and Rhaphidophoridae. Preyed upon by introduced mammals, some of the weta species are now critically endangered. Hollyford Track, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-2630.jpg
  • Cicada insect shell. Nydia Track, South Island, New Zealand
    07NZ_5067.jpg
  • Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio polyxenes (order Lepidoptera, suborder Macrolepidoptera, superfamily Papilionoidea, family Papilionidae or swallowtail butterflies). There are at least 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica. Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. The adults are often tailed like the forked tail of some swallows, giving the insect its name. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-132.jpg
  • Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio polyxenes (order Lepidoptera, suborder Macrolepidoptera, superfamily Papilionoidea, family Papilionidae or swallowtail butterflies). There are at least 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica. Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. The adults are often tailed like the forked tail of some swallows, giving the insect its name. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA.
    0809ZOO-116.jpg
  • A Six-spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae, a black insect with 6 red wing spots, in the Zygaenidae family) and a tan colored Lepidoptera (butterfly or moth) sip nectar from a Knapweed (Centaurea) flower in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    05ALP_0127-moths-Knapweed-Centaurea.jpg
  • Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly, Papilio polyxenes (order Lepidoptera, suborder Macrolepidoptera, superfamily Papilionoidea, family Papilionidae or swallowtail butterflies). There are at least 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica. Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. The adults are often tailed like the forked tail of some swallows, giving the insect its name. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA.
    0809ZOO-120.jpg
  • A moth with blue wings and orange head contrasts with red and orange window drapes at Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Tandayapa Valley, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-1840_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A moth (order Lepidoptera) is attracted to night lights at Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Tandayapa Valley, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-1803_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • Meandering pine bark beetle trails are exposed on a bare log. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.
    1807CCAN-42.jpg
  • Meandering pine bark beetle trails are exposed on a bare log. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada.
    1807CAN-1109.jpg
  • Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum). Skunk Cabbage Trail, Revelstoke National Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    1807CAN-038.jpg
  • A female Hawaiian Garden Spider (Argiope Appensa) waits in its web at Allerton Garden, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Introduced to Hawaii, the Hawaiian Garden Spider (Argiope Appensa) is found on several islands in the western Pacific Ocean from Taiwan to Guam to New Guinea. The females are strikingly black and yellow 2-2.5 inches long, while the males are brown and much smaller at 0.75 inches. Allerton Garden, on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Address: 4425 Lawai Rd, Koloa, HI 96756. Nestled in a valley transected by the Lawai Stream ending in Lawai Bay, Allerton Garden is one of five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (ntbg.org).
    1701HAW-1903.jpg
  • A female Hawaiian Garden Spider (Argiope Appensa) waits in its web, silhuoetted against blue sky, on Awaawapuhi Trail, Kokee State Park, Kauai, Hawaii, USA. Introduced to Hawaii, the Hawaiian Garden Spider (Argiope Appensa) is found on several islands in the western Pacific Ocean from Taiwan to Guam to New Guinea. The females are strikingly black and yellow 2-2.5 inches long, while the males are brown and much smaller at 0.75 inches.
    1701HAW-1746.jpg
  • Orange butterfly on pink/magenta Knapweed (Centaurea) flower, in Trift Valley, Zermatt, Pennine Alps, Switzerland, Europe.
    16SWI-8029.jpg
  • From Zermatt, hike the scenic Höhbalmen Höhenweg loop via Bergrestaurant Edelweiss, Trift Hut and Zmutt, in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland, Europe. With delightful views of the Matterhorn plus other peaks and glaciers, this strenuous walk went up and down 1200 meters over 21.6 km (13.4 miles).
    16SWI-7987.jpg
  • Butterfly on Edelweiss flower, in Trift Valley in the Pennine/Valais Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum) is in the Asteraceae/daisy/sunflower family. Ideal for hiking in a natural setting, Trift is the only Valley in Zermatt free of railways, lifts or ski runs.
    16SWI-7988.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7426.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7420.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7418.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4947.jpg
  • A fly lands on an Alpine yellow composite wildflower blooming at Bötzel pass in the Alpstein limestone range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Compared to bees, flies (as pictured) have just one set of wings (not two) which stay out when at rest (not folded), and their bodies just get dusted with pollen (not caked). The aster, daisy or sunflower family (Asteraceae or Compositae) is the largest family of vascular plants. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
    16SWI-1518.jpg
  • A marbled orb-weaver spider (Araneus m. marmoreus, in the family Araneidae) spins its silk in Letchworth State Park, near Portageville, New York, USA. Araneus marmoreus is found in most habitats of the world's northern continents. Two main forms of this species are known: the main (nominate) form Araneus m. marmoreus has an orange abdomen with black or brown marbling; while araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus (found only in Europe, where the two varieties are seldom found together) is much paler, sometimes almost white, with a single dark blotch towards the rear of the abdomen. The female has a body length (excluding legs) of up to 14 mm, while the male is rather smaller at 9 mm.
    1410NY-798_Marbled-orb-weaver-spider.jpg
  • A bee gathers nectar and pollinates a purple knapweed flower (Centaurea genus), at Passo Cibiana, Dolomites, part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Italy, Europe. Centaurea is a genus of hundreds of species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants (commonly called knapweed, starthistle, centaury, or centory) in the family Asteraceae. Centaurea are found only north of the equator. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-50305_bee_Centaurea.jpg
  • Indian Camas (Camassia quamash) blooms with a blue flower on Vendovi Island, Skagit County, Washington, USA. A black ant forages on a colorful petal. The Indian Camas (or Indian hyacinth or Wild hyacinth, Camassia quamash) is native to western North America. Its flowers bloom in various shades of blue. DNA and biochemical studies by  the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group have reassigned Camassia from the Lily family to the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. The scientific species name "quamash" is from a Nez Perce term for the plant's bulb, which was gathered and used as a food source by tribes in the Pacific Northwest. On the San Juan Islands, native tribes burned forest to maintain sunny fields for growing this plant. Vendovi Island was named after a Fijian High Chief Ro Veidovi who was brought to North America by the 1841 Wilkes Expedition. The San Juan Preservation Trust, a land trust for conservation in the San Juan Islands, purchased the island in December 2010 from the family of John Fluke Sr.
    1205VE2-001_Vendovi-Island.jpg
  • Trees reach into the mist of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-2070_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A moth (order Lepidoptera) is attracted to night lights at Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-1839_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • Orange butterflies with black spots gather in alpine Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    08CAN-2086_butterflies.jpg
  • A black beetle in the French Valley. Torres del Paine National Park is listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
    2002PAT-6119.jpg
  • Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). The Cynthia group of colourful butterflies (painted ladies) comprises a subgenus of the genus Vanessa in the family Nymphalidae. Green River Lakes, Wind River Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, USA.
    1909US1-0092.jpg
  • A white butterfly, Juneau, Alaska, USA.
    1906AKH-3671.jpg
  • A yellowjacket (a yellow and black striped wasp) crawls on old wood siding with badly peeling paint. Dawson City, Yukon, Canada.
    1906AKH-1277.jpg
  • Ladybird beetles hybernate in Feather Falls Scenic Area, along the trail to Feather Falls, within Plumas National Forest, Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Butte County, California, USA. Coccinellidae is a widespread family of small beetles commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Britain, though entomologists prefer the more accurate name ladybird beetles.
    1812CA-14.jpg
  • From Zermatt, hike the scenic Höhbalmen Höhenweg loop via Bergrestaurant Edelweiss, Trift Hut and Zmutt, in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland, Europe. With delightful views of the Matterhorn plus other peaks and glaciers, this strenuous walk went up and down 1200 meters over 21.6 km (13.4 miles).
    16SWI-8032.jpg
  • From Zermatt, hike the scenic Höhbalmen Höhenweg loop via Bergrestaurant Edelweiss, Trift Hut and Zmutt, in the Pennine Alps, Switzerland, Europe. With delightful views of the Matterhorn plus other peaks and glaciers, this strenuous walk went up and down 1200 meters over 21.6 km (13.4 miles).
    16SWI-8031.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7431.jpg
  • Translucent white moth or butterfly, black & red spots, order Lepidoptera. Verbier, Switzerland, Alps, Europe. Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWIC-728.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7424.jpg
  • Jungfraujoch "Top of Europe" is the highest railway station in Europe (3454 meters elevation). Here, visitors can admire a high-Alpine wonderland from platforms atop the Aletsch Glacier or carved inside, in the Ice Palace. Jungfraujoch is a col at 3466 m between the peaks of Jungfrau and Mönch in the Bernese Alps, on the boundary between the cantons of Bern and Valais, halfway between Interlaken and Fiesch, in Switzerland, Europe. Engineering this dramatic cog-wheel railway required 16 years (1898-1912) to carve through the Eiger and Mönch for 7 kilometers (4.3 mi), with gradients of up to 25%. Kleine Scheidegg entry station can be reached by trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. The ride from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch takes 50 minutes including stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer viewing portals. Downhill return takes just 35 minutes. Jungfraujoch hosts an important station of Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW), plus the Sphinx Observatory for astronomy at 3571 meters or 11,716 feet. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4948.jpg
  • We loved hiking to the quiet retreat of Berghotel Obersteinberg, which offers tremendous views of waterfalls and peaks in Upper Lauterbrunnen Valley, in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, Europe. Lit by candle light at night, this romantic escape built in the 1880s recalls an earlier era without power. The main luxuries here are flush toilets down the hall, and traditional Swiss hot meals. The private double rooms lack electricity, and bowls of water serve as bath and sink. Obersteinberg is a 2-hour walk from Stechelberg, or 4 hours from Mürren, in one of the world's most spectacular glaciated valleys. From Obersteinberg, don't miss the 2-3 hours round trip to the deep-blue tarn of Oberhornsee in the upper glacial basin, beneath snowcapped Grosshorn, Breithorn and Tschingelhorn. The Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    16SWI-4026.jpg
  • A metallic blue-green Mint Beetle (Chrysolina coerulans, in the Chrysomelidae family) crawls on a pink flower. Chrysolina is a large genus of leaf beetles in the subfamily Chrysomelinae. The Chrysolina species are phytophagous, feeding on specific food plants. August is a good month to see many attractive alpine wildflowers blooming in the Alpstein limestone range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe.
    16SWI-1246.jpg
  • A bumblebee crawls on a purple Centaurea flower. Centaurea is a genus of hundreds of species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants (commonly called knapweed, starthistle, centaury, centory) in the family Asteraceae. Centaurea are found only north of the equator. August is a good month to see many attractive alpine wildflowers blooming in the Alpstein limestone range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
    16SWI-1173.jpg
  • A marbled orb-weaver spider (Araneus m. marmoreus, in the family Araneidae) spins its silk in Letchworth State Park, near Portageville, New York, USA. Araneus marmoreus is found in most habitats of the world's northern continents. Two main forms of this species are known: the main (nominate) form Araneus m. marmoreus has an orange abdomen with black or brown marbling; while araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus (found only in Europe, where the two varieties are seldom found together) is much paler, sometimes almost white, with a single dark blotch towards the rear of the abdomen. The female has a body length (excluding legs) of up to 14 mm, while the male is rather smaller at 9 mm.
    1410NY-801_Marbled-orb-weaver-spider.jpg
  • A marbled orb-weaver spider (Araneus m. marmoreus, in the family Araneidae) spins its silk in Letchworth State Park, near Portageville, New York, USA. Araneus marmoreus is found in most habitats of the world's northern continents. Two main forms of this species are known: the main (nominate) form Araneus m. marmoreus has an orange abdomen with black or brown marbling; while araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus (found only in Europe, where the two varieties are seldom found together) is much paler, sometimes almost white, with a single dark blotch towards the rear of the abdomen. The female has a body length (excluding legs) of up to 14 mm, while the male is rather smaller at 9 mm.
    1410NY-800_Marbled-orb-weaver-spider.jpg
  • The Jersey Tiger, Euplagia quadripunctaria, is a day-flying moth of the family Arctiidae (in the order Lepidoptera). Euplagia quadripunctaria has a zebra-like black and white pattern and is widely distributed in Europe from Estonia and Latvia in the north to the Mediterranean coast and islands in the south, plus West Russia, South Urals, Asia Minor, Rhodes and nearby islands, the Near East, Caucasus, South Turkmenistan, and Iran (Dubatolov, 2010). Photo is from Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvicka jezera, in Croatia, Europe), which was founded in 1949 and is honored by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
    13ITA2-6317.jpg
  • A female field cricket (family Gryllidae), in Val di Funes (Villnöss), Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy, Europe. Females have an ovipositor at rear, extending out between two cerci (spiky protrusions from the back of the abdomen). See the valley and municipality of Funes (Villnöss) in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), Italy. Enjoy great hiking here in the vast Nature Park of Parco Naturale Puez-Odle (German: Naturpark Puez-Geisler; Ladin: Parch Natural Pöz-Odles). The Dolomites are part of the Southern Limestone Alps, Europe. UNESCO honored the Dolomites as a natural World Heritage Site in 2009.
    13ITA-30030_cricket.jpg
  • A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo) shimmers with metallic blue-green color. Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvicka jezera, in Croatia, Europe) was founded in 1949 and is honored by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Waters flowing over limestone, dolomite, and chalk in this karstic landscape have, over thousands of years, deposited travertine barriers, creating natural dams, beautiful lakes and waterfalls. Warming conditions after the last Ice Age (less than 12,000 years ago) allowed the natural dams to form from tufa (calcium carbonate) and chalk depositing in layers, bound by plants. Plitvicka Jezera is a municipality of Lika-Senj County, in the Republic of Croatia.
    13CRO-143_Plitvice-Lakes-Croatia.jpg
  • A male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo) shimmers with metallic blue-green color. Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvicka jezera, in Croatia, Europe) was founded in 1949 and is honored by UNESCO as World Heritage Site. Waters flowing over limestone, dolomite, and chalk in this karstic landscape have, over thousands of years, deposited travertine barriers, creating natural dams, beautiful lakes and waterfalls. Warming conditions after the last Ice Age (less than 12,000 years ago) allowed the natural dams to form from tufa (calcium carbonate) and chalk depositing in layers, bound by plants. Plitvicka Jezera is a municipality of Lika-Senj County, in the Republic of Croatia.
    13CRO-142_Plitvice-Lakes-Croatia.jpg
  • A grasshopper stands on a pink prickly pear cactus flower (Opuntia genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae) at Callville Bay, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, USA. Like all true cactus species, prickly pears are native only to the Western hemisphere; however, they have been introduced elsewhere on earth. Formation of Lake Mead began in 1935, less than a year before Hoover Dam was completed along the Colorado River. The area surrounding Lake Mead was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936. In 1964, the area was expanded and became the first National Recreation Area established by US Congress. Three desert ecosystems meet in Lake Mead NRA: Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, and Sonoran Desert.
    1303NV-4083.jpg
  • A grasshopper hides in a pink prickly pear cactus flower (Opuntia genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae) at Callville Bay, in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, USA. Like all true cactus species, prickly pears are native only to the Western hemisphere; however, they have been introduced elsewhere on earth. Formation of Lake Mead began in 1935, less than a year before Hoover Dam was completed along the Colorado River. The area surrounding Lake Mead was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936. In 1964, the area was expanded and became the first National Recreation Area established by US Congress. Three desert ecosystems meet in Lake Mead NRA: Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, and Sonoran Desert.
    1303NV-4081.jpg
  • A metallic green Cetonia aurata (rose chafer or goldsmith beetle) crawls on a magenta/pink thistle in Aoos River Valley, in Vikos-Aoos National Park, Zagoria, Epirus/Epiros, Greece, Europe. Green and magenta hues are "complements" of Color Theory. Zagori (Greek: ΖαγÏŒρι) is a region and a municipality in northwestern Greece containing 45 villages collectively known as Zagoria (Zagorochoria or Zagorohoria). Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    01GRE-39-30_Beetle-thistle_Aoos-Vall...jpg
  • green plant in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-2037_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A rhinoceros beetle is attracted by night lights in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. The rhinoceros beetles or rhino beetle are a subfamily (Dynastinae) of beetles in the family of scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae). Among the largest of beetles, their common name refers to the characteristic horns borne by the males of most species in the group. The males use their horns in mating battles against other males. Their larval stage is long, several years in some species. The larvae feed on rotten wood while the adults feed on nectar, plant sap and fruit. Rhinoceros beetle larvae are sometimes fried and eaten as a bush delicacy. Rhinoceros beetles are popular pets in Asia. They are clean, easy to maintain, and safe to handle. In Asian countries, male beetles are also used for gambling fights since they naturally compete for female beetles with the winner knocking the other off a log. Rhinoceros beetles are also the strongest animals on the planet in relation to their own size. They can lift up to 850 times their own weight.
    09ECU-1842_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
    16SWI-7416.jpg
  • The metallic green "rose chafer" (or goldsmith beetle, Cetonia aurata) reaches 20 mm long and has a distinct V-shaped scutellum (the small area between wing cases). Reflection of circularly polarised light makes the beetle appear metallic green in color. Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvicka jezera, in Croatia, Europe) was founded in 1949 and is honored by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
    13ITA2-6326.jpg
  • Caterpillars feast on green leaves in Western Australia. Stirling Range National Park was declared in 1913 and is now an ecological island in a sea of farmland. 1500 species of flora are packed within the park, more than in the entire British Isles. 123 orchid species grow here. 87 plant species found in the Stirling Range occur nowhere else on earth.
    04AUS-11152_caterpillars.jpg
  • Tom Dempsey photographed this Collared Inca (Coeligena torquata) hummingbird in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. This species is found in humid Andean forests from western Venezuela, through Colombia and Ecuador, to Peru.
    09ECU-2031_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • This is most likely a common yellow scorpion (hadruroides lunatus), found under a rock at Puerto Egas, visited via a wet landing on Santiago (or San Salvador, or James) Island, in the Galápagos archipelago, a province of Ecuador, South America. Frequently, the male is eaten by the much larger female after mating. The common yellow scorpion (Hadruroides lunatus) is yellow with stockier pincers, and is found on most of the major Galapagos Islands (except for Espanola, Genovesa, Marchena and Pinta). (In comparison, the endemic Galapagos scorpion, Centruroides exsul, is uniformly reddish-brown to dark brown with slender pincers, and is only found on Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Pinta, Espanola and Floreana). Stings can be painful but not serious.
    09ECU-4157_Galapagos.jpg
  • Swallowtail butterfly, in the family Papilionidae. Imnaha River Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Imnaha, Oregon, USA
    1405OR-157.jpg
  • The Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus) emerges from its chrysalis. It is a North American butterfly with a range from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its wings feature an orange and black pattern, and over most of its range it is a Müllerian mimic with the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). In Florida, Georgia, and the Southwest, Viceroys share the pattern of the Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) and in Mexico they share the pattern of the Soldier Butterfly (Danaus eresimus). The caterpillar feeds on trees in the willow family Salicaceae, including willows (Salix), and poplars and cottonwoods (Populus). The caterpillars sequester the salicylic acid in their bodies, which makes them bitter, and upsets predators' stomachs. As further protection, the caterpillars, as well as their chrysalis stage, resemble bird droppings. Adults are strictly diurnal, they fly preferentially in the late morning and early afternoon. The Viceroy is the state butterfly of Kentucky. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA.
    0809ZOO-114.jpg
  • An orange, black and yellow butterfly in Nepal, mating with another.
    07NEPC_179.jpg
  • A yellow moth held by hand, at Chomrong (alternative spellings Chhomrong, Chhomrung, Chhumro; 7250 feet elevation) in the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal.
    07NEP-2752.jpg
  • A hoverfly flies over a purple knapweed flower. Centaurea is a genus of hundreds of species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants (commonly called knapweed, starthistle, centaury, centory) in the family Asteraceae. Centaurea are found only north of the equator. A lift from Corvara in Badia to Col Alt reaches a scenic alp plateau with pleasant signed walks to mountain hotels including Pralongia, in the Dolomites, Italy, Europe. Corvara is a prestigious tourist center in Alta Badia, at the top of Val/Valle/Valley of Badia in the province of Südtirol/South Tyrol/Alto Adige, Italy. Corvara is surrounded by the peaks of the Dolomites (or Dolomiti), a part of the Southern Limestone Alps in Europe. The Dolomites were declared a natural World Heritage Site (2009) by UNESCO.
    11ITA-8248.jpg
  • Butterfly. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-129.jpg
  • The metallic green "rose chafer" (or goldsmith beetle, Cetonia aurata) reaches 20 mm long and has a distinct V-shaped scutellum (the small area between wing cases). Reflection of circularly polarised light makes the beetle appear metallic green in color. Plitvice Lakes National Park (Nacionalni park Plitvicka jezera, in Croatia, Europe) was founded in 1949 and is honored by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
    13CRO-112_Plitvice-Lakes-Croatia.jpg
  • A cave cricket (Hadenoecus subterraneus) walks a cavern's stone ceiling. Mammoth Cave National Park was established in 1941 in Edmonson County, Kentucky, USA and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 and international Biosphere Reserve in 1990. With over 390 miles (630 km) of passageways, the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System is the longest known in the world. Mammoth Cave developed in thick Mississippian-aged limestone strata capped by a layer of Big Clifty Sandstone. Descending limestone layers include the Girkin Formation, Saint Genevieve Limestone, and Saint Louis Limestone.
    10MAM-067.jpg
  • The Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) is a fairly black swallowtail found in North America. It is the state butterfly of Mississippi. Adults can be identified by their spoon-shaped tails and by their bright green (male) or iridescent blue (female) hind-wings. Ivory spots may be visible on the forewings, and orange spots may appear on the hindwings. Wingspan may be 3 to 4 inches. The Spicebush Swallowtail is found only in the Eastern US and extreme southern Ontario, with occasional strays in the American Midwest and even Cuba. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-148.jpg
  • This is probably a Dryas iulia (incorrectly spelled julia), commonly called the Julia Butterfly or Julia Heliconian, a species of brush-footed butterfly. The sole representative of its genus Dryas, it is native from Brazil to southern Texas and Florida, and in summer can sometimes be found as far north as eastern Nebraska. Over 15 subspecies have been described. Its wingspan ranges from 82 to 92 mm, and it is colored orange (brighter in male specimens) with black markings; this species is somewhat unpalatable to birds and belongs to the "orange" Batesian mimic complex. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-147.jpg
  • The Cloudless Giant Sulphur (Phoebis sennae) is a small to midsized butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the New World.  The caterpillar will form a chrysalis that is pointed at both ends and humped in the middle. The chrysalis will be either yellow or green with pink or green stripes. From the chrysalis comes a large butterfly (2 1/8-2 3/4 inches) with fairly elongated but not angled wings. Their range is wide, from South America to southern Canada. They are most common from Argentina to southern Texas and Florida, but are often visitors outside this range becoming more rare further north. The common habitats of this butterfly are open spaces, gardens, glades, seashores, and watercourses. The adult butterfly feeds on nectar from many different flowers with long tubes including cordia, bougainvillea, cardinal flower, hibiscus, lantana, and wild morning glory.  Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA.
    0809ZOO-112.jpg
  • The Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus) is a North American butterfly with a range from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its wings feature an orange and black pattern, and over most of its range it is a Müllerian mimic with the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). In Florida, Georgia, and the Southwest, Viceroys share the pattern of the Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) and in Mexico they share the pattern of the Soldier Butterfly (Danaus eresimus). The caterpillar feeds on trees in the willow family Salicaceae, including willows (Salix), and poplars and cottonwoods (Populus). The caterpillars sequester the salicylic acid in their bodies, which makes them bitter, and upsets predators' stomachs. As further protection, the caterpillars, as well as their chrysalis stage, resemble bird droppings. Adults are strictly diurnal, they fly preferentially in the late morning and early afternoon. The Viceroy is the state butterfly of Kentucky. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-126.jpg
  • The Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus) is a North American butterfly with a range from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its wings feature an orange and black pattern, and over most of its range it is a Müllerian mimic with the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). In Florida, Georgia, and the Southwest, Viceroys share the pattern of the Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) and in Mexico they share the pattern of the Soldier Butterfly (Danaus eresimus). The caterpillar feeds on trees in the willow family Salicaceae, including willows (Salix), and poplars and cottonwoods (Populus). The caterpillars sequester the salicylic acid in their bodies, which makes them bitter, and upsets predators' stomachs. As further protection, the caterpillars, as well as their chrysalis stage, resemble bird droppings. Adults are strictly diurnal, they fly preferentially in the late morning and early afternoon. The Viceroy is the state butterfly of Kentucky. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington, USA.
    0809ZOO-125.jpg
  • Orange butterfly (an insect of the order Lepidoptera) in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Since 1932, Canada and USA have shared Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, which UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site (1995) containing two Biosphere Reserves (1976). Rocks in the park are primarily sedimentary layers deposited in shallow seas over 1.6 billion to 800 million years ago. During the tectonic formation of the Rocky Mountains 170 million years ago, the Lewis Overthrust displaced these old rocks over newer Cretaceous age rocks.
    07GLA-0498.jpg
  • A white butterfly with black spots (order Lepidoptera) sucks nector from a blue aster flower, in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. The aster, daisy, or sunflower family (Asteraceae or Compositae) is the largest family of vascular plants.
    07GLA-0673.jpg
  • Black butterfly with white and orange spots, on Dawson Pass Trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    10GLA-2258.jpg
  • This may be a "Mormon Cricket" (Anabrus simplex), a shieldbacked katydid, in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA.
    07GLA-1243-Mormon-Cricket_katydid.jpg
  • Orange hairy caterpillar in Montana, in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Since 1932, Canada and USA have shared Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, which UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site (1995) containing two Biosphere Reserves (1976). Rocks in the park are primarily sedimentary layers deposited in shallow seas over 1.6 billion to 800 million years ago. During the tectonic formation of the Rocky Mountains 170 million years ago, the Lewis Overthrust displaced these old rocks over newer Cretaceous age rocks. Glaciers carved spectacular U-shaped valleys and pyramidal peaks as recently as the Last Glacial Maximum (the last "Ice Age" 25,000 to 13,000 years ago). Of the 150 glaciers existing in the mid 1800s, only 25 active glaciers remain in the park as of 2010, and all may disappear by 2020, say climate scientists.
    07GLA-1228.jpg
  • Purple bee balm flowers, Grinnell Glacier Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Monarda (bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea, or bergamot) is a genus consisting of roughly 16 species of erect, herbaceous, annual or perennial plants in the family Lamiaceae.
    10GLA-2658.jpg
  • Pipevine (genus: Aristolochia), Bidwell Park, Chico, California, USA. The aromatic flowers attract and trap insects with a specialized pollination mechanism. Insects are attracted deep into the bend of flower by the smell of nector and further by light transmitted through the more transparent top of the flower. The inner part of the perianth tube is covered with inward directed hairs which trap insects. The hairs later wither to release the fly, covered with pollen.
    1012CAL-058.jpg
  • Pipevine (genus: Aristolochia), Bidwell Park, Chico, California, USA. The aromatic flowers attract and trap insects with a specialized pollination mechanism. Insects are attracted deep into the bend of flower by the smell of nector and further by light transmitted through the more transparent top of the flower. The inner part of the perianth tube is covered with inward directed hairs which trap insects. The hairs later wither to release the fly, covered with pollen.
    1012CAL-055.jpg
  • Cobra lilies thrive at Darlingtonia Wayside, 5 miles North of Florence, Oregon, just east of Highway 101. This 18 acre Oregon State Park (free entrance) protects Darlingtonia californica, the only carnivorous plant in Oregon. Also known as the Cobra Lily, it's main nutrients are obtained not from the soil, but from passing insects. Insects looking for food are lured into the plant by the promise of nectar but get trapped by false exits in the bowels of the plant.
    06COA_033-Cobra-Lily.jpg
  • Cobra lilies thrive at Darlingtonia Wayside, 5 miles North of Florence, Oregon, just east of Highway 101. This 18 acre Oregon State Park (free entrance) protects Darlingtonia californica, the only carnivorous plant in Oregon. Also known as the Cobra Lily, it's main nutrients are obtained not from the soil, but from passing insects. Insects looking for food are lured into the plant by the promise of nectar but get trapped by false exits in the bowels of the plant.
    06COA_028-Cobra-Lily.jpg
  • A hoverfly explores a daisy on Mount Dickerman, Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA. Hoverflies are expert hoverers, and they mimic the appearance of wasps & bees as a defense. Syrphid flies, flower flies, or hover flies are in the family Syrphidae, of which there are 1000 species in North America (in the order Diptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda). Hoverfly larvae commonly eat aphids and other small, soft-bodied insects. Adult hoverflies feed on pollen, nectar, and honeydew, and are true flies with only two wings instead of four which most insects have (such as bees & wasps).
    05DIC_14.jpg
  • A spider waits for prey in the center of its web. Seattle, Washington, USA. Spiders have eight legs and are not insects. Spiders (order Araneae, class Arachnida) are air-breathing arthropods that have chelicerae, grasping mouthparts with fangs that inject venom. Unlike spiders, insects have six legs and a pair of antennae.
    1210ARB-036_spider.jpg
  • A large spider lurks in a web near Perth in Western Australia. Spiders have eight legs and are not insects. Spiders (order Araneae, class Arachnida) are air-breathing arthropods that have chelicerae, grasping mouthparts with fangs that inject venom. Unlike spiders, insects have six legs and a pair of antennae.
    04AUS-10668_spider.jpg
  • A black and yellow banded spider climbs a plant in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Spiders have eight legs and are not insects. Spiders (order Araneae, class Arachnida) are air-breathing arthropods that have chelicerae, grasping mouthparts with fangs that inject venom. Unlike spiders, insects have six legs and a pair of antennae.
    09EQUCIMG_2997_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
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