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  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 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 from a Knapweed (Centaurea) flower in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    05ALP_0127-moths-Knapweed-Centaurea.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-120.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
  • 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 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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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-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-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-7424.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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 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 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
  • 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
  • Swallowtail butterfly, in the family Papilionidae. Imnaha River Trail, Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Imnaha, Oregon, USA
    1405OR-157.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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Trees reach into the mist of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-2070_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • green plant in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-2037_Bellavista-Ecuador.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
  • 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
  • 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, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09ECU-1839_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
  • 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
  • Orange butterflies with black spots gather in alpine Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.
    08CAN-2086_butterflies.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
  • 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
  • Butterfly. Photographed in the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington.
    0809ZOO-129.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
  • 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
  • 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
  • An insect hovers onto pink flowers along the Skyline Divide trail under Mount Baker (elevation 10,781 feet) in Mount Baker Wilderness, in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, USA.
    1309BAK-096.jpg
  • A crawling insect with knobby white shell eats leaves in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America.
    09EQUCIMG_3000_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A hoverfly (flower fly or syrphid fly, insect family Syrphidae) feeds on a crocus in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe.
    05ALPC_582.jpg
  • A quadcopter drone buzzes noisily above Goblin Valley State Park, San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA. While I was quietly absorbed in taking pictures of the amazing Goblin Valley, behind me the sudden sound of a swarm of angry insects made me jump in fright. I then spotted the annoying source: a quadcopter drone piloted under remote control by a distant person who was recording me and the State Park scenery with a flying camera. I suggest that use of drones should be banned in pristine, formerly-quiet natural areas such as State and National Parks, with the exception of special flying permits charged a fee to support the park.
    1503SW-0543_quadcopter-drone.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
  • After pollination, the Dragon Arum plant produces green fruits that later turn red. Photographed on the island of Crete, in Greece, Europe. The purplish-red spathe (specialized leaf or bract) and foul-smelling stench of the dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris, also called dragonwort, dragon lily, or voodoo lily) attracts flies to the base of its erect, flower-bearing spadix. The purple spadix can reach over a meter long. With an odor of dung or rotting meat, the Dragon Arum entices flies deep inside into the bulbous chamber of its spathe where the flowers are actually located. The insects can sometimes get trapped overnight but are later freed, covered in pollen to find other flowers for pollination.
    01GRE-24-08_Dragon-Lady-plant-fruits...jpg
  • The purplish-red spathe (specialized leaf or bract) and foul-smelling stench of the dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris, also called dragonwort, dragon lily, or voodoo lily) attracts flies to the base of its erect, flower-bearing spadix in Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete, in Greece, Europe. The purple spadix can reach over a meter long. With an odor of dung or rotting meat, the Dragon Arum entices flies deep inside into the bulbous chamber of its spathe where the flowers are actually located. The insects can sometimes get trapped overnight but are later freed, covered in pollen to find other flowers for pollination.
    01GRE-20-22_Dragon-Lady-plant.jpg
  • The purplish-red spathe (specialized leaf or bract) and foul-smelling stench of the dragon arum (Dracunculus vulgaris, also called dragonwort, dragon lily, or voodoo lily) attracts flies to the base of its erect, flower-bearing spadix in Samaria Gorge on the island of Crete, in Greece, Europe. The purple spadix can reach over a meter long. With an odor of dung or rotting meat, the Dragon Arum entices flies deep inside into the bulbous chamber of its spathe where the flowers are actually located. The insects can sometimes get trapped overnight but are later freed, covered in pollen to find other flowers for pollination.
    01GRE-20-30_Dragon-Lady-plant-Crete.jpg
  • The least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus) is the smallest and most widespread species of chipmunk in North America. Photographed in Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho, USA. Chipmunks are small, striped squirrels, which are rodents in the family Sciuridae. All species of chipmunks are found in North America, except for the Siberian chipmunk of Asia. The least chipmunk lives across north-central and western United States and from British Columbia and southern Yukon to western Quebec in Canada, in habitats including mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, boreal forest, and sagebrush plains. They have three dark lines with white in between along their face and five black stripes with brown edges with white in between along their back. They are grey and reddish-brown on the sides and greyish white on their underparts. Their tail is orange-brown. These animals are active during the day and eat seeds, berries, nuts, fruits and insects. They breed in early spring. Females produce one litter usually of 5 or 6 young. They store food in an underground burrow, where they spend the winter. They go into a state of torpor for extended periods, but do not hibernate. Chipmunks have facial stripes, whereas golden-mantled ground squirrels lack facial stripes.
    07SAW-0246.jpg
  • A Blue-tongued skink mother gives birth to live young at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Its large blue tongue can startle or warn potential enemies. Blue-tongued skinks (or blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua genus, Scincidae family) are found in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. The only species of blue-tongue native to Tasmania is Tiliqua nigrolutea. Most blue-tongue skinks are diurnal ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits, and berries.
    04AUS-30189_mother-newborn-Blue-tong...jpg
  • Blue-tongued skink, Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Its large blue tongue can startle or warn potential enemies. Blue-tongued skinks (or blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua genus, Scincidae family) are found in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. The only species of blue-tongue native to Tasmania is Tiliqua nigrolutea. Most blue-tongue skinks are diurnal ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits, and berries.
    04AUS-30181_Blue-tongued-Skink.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
  • In Australia, Argiope keyserlingi and A. aetherea are known as St. Andrew's Cross spiders, for their habit of resting in the web with legs outstretched in the shape of an X. The large white zigzag in the centre of its web is called the stabilimentum or web decoration. The genus Argiope includes spectacular spiders with a strikingly colored abdomen and is well distributed throughout the world in temperate or warmer climates. Photographed in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, 25 km north of Sydney, in New South Wales, 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-10569_Saint-Andrews-Cross-spid...jpg
  • Cunningham's Skink (Egernia cunninghami) is native to southeastern Australia and can reach up to 30 cm in length. They vary from dark brown to black, with or without blotchy patches, speckles or narrow bands. It is a diurnal omnivore with its diet including insects, flowers, berries, fungi, leaves and young shoots. It gives birth to six or more live young in a litter. Photo is from Taronga Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
    04AUS-10184_Cunninghams-Skink.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
  • Tom Dempsey photographed this male White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora; or Great Jacobin; or Collared Hummingbird) hummingbird at the lower elevations (about 1400 meters) of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. This large and attractive hummingbird ranges from Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and south Brazil. The approximately 12 cm long male White-necked Jacobin is unmistakable with its white belly and tail, a white band on the nape and a dark blue hood. Immature males have less white in the tail and a conspicuous rufous patch in the malar region. Females are highly variable, and may resemble adult or immature males, have green upperparts, white belly, white-scaled green or blue throat, and white-scaled dark blue crissum, or have intermediate plumages, though retain the white-scaled dark blue crissum. Females are potentially confusing, but the pattern on the crissum is distinctive and not shared by superficially similar species. These birds usually visit flowers of tall trees and epiphytes for nectar, and also hawk for insects. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-2194_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • A Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) feeds at the lower elevations (about 1400 meters) of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird which breeds from east-central Mexico, through Central America and Colombia, east to western Venezuela and south through western Ecuador to near the border with Peru. This is a common to abundant bird of open country, river banks, woodland, scrub, forest edge, coffee plantations and gardens up to 1850 m (6000 ft). The adult throat is green (edged whitish in the female), the crown, back and flanks are green tinged golden, the belly is pale greyish, the vent and rump are rufous and the slightly forked tail is rufous with a dusky tip. The almost straight bill is red with a black tip; broadest on the upper mandible, which may appear all black. Immatures are virtually identical to the female. The female Rufous-tailed Hummingbird is entirely responsible for nest building and incubation. She lays two white eggs in a compact cup nest constructed from plant-fibre and dead leaves 1-6 m high on a thin horizontal twig. Incubation takes 15-19 days, and fledging another 20-26. The food of this species is nectar, taken from a variety of flowers, including Heliconias and bananas. Like other hummingbirds it also takes small insects as an essential source of protein. Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds are very aggressive, and defend flowers and scrubs in their feeding territories. They are dominant over most other hummingbirds.
    09ECU-2190_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
  • Tom Dempsey photographed this male White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora; or Great Jacobin; or Collared Hummingbird) hummingbird at the lower elevations (about 1400 meters) of Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, in the "Mindo Area of International Importance for Birds," Tandayapa Valley, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. This large and attractive hummingbird ranges from Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and south Brazil. The approximately 12 cm long male White-necked Jacobin is unmistakable with its white belly and tail, a white band on the nape and a dark blue hood. Immature males have less white in the tail and a conspicuous rufous patch in the malar region. Females are highly variable, and may resemble adult or immature males, have green upperparts, white belly, white-scaled green or blue throat, and white-scaled dark blue crissum, or have intermediate plumages, though retain the white-scaled dark blue crissum. Females are potentially confusing, but the pattern on the crissum is distinctive and not shared by superficially similar species. These birds usually visit flowers of tall trees and epiphytes for nectar, and also hawk for insects. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-2177_Bellavista-Ecuador.jpg
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