04-MAY-2016
Sweat bee (Augochlora sp.)?
A beautiful small metallic green bee of early spring.
04-MAY-2016
Beetle gallery
Beetles make amazingly intricate patterns as they tunnel under the bark of trees. When the tree dies and the bark falls off (of either standing trees, stumps or logs) these galleries are revealed, as here in Barry's photo.
04-MAY-2016
Spotted lady beetles (Coleomagilla maculata)
A mating pair of our native spotted lady beetles, who converged on the just blooming dandelions in great numbers.
04-MAY-2016
Andrenid bee (Andrena)
A small ground-nesting bee.
04-MAY-2016
Long-jawed orb-weaver (Tetragnatha)
A slender elongate spider, photographed by Barry. He said it had built its web over a bucket and was catching plenty of prey. Spiders are not stupid!
04-MAY-2016
Hairy woodpecker, female
This is the woodpecker the baltimore oriole was tussling with over access to the peanut feeder.
04-MAY-2016
Mason bee (Osmia)
Appropriately enough, found on the insect hotel by the old woods area.
04-MAY-2016
Spotted lady beetle (Coleomagilla maculata)
Scores of these tiny native lady beetles were found on and near the dandelions that have just started blooming. They provide food for insects when little else is in bloom.
04-MAY-2016
Carex pedunculata)
Always one of the first sedges to flower, it grows in woodland sites.
04-MAY-2016
Chipping sparrow
Lots of chipping sparrows around now, their trilling call heard all over the place. This species nests in the garden.
