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Halloween Pennant
Eastern Pondhawk, male
Halloween Pennant
Eastern Pondhawk, male
Jumping Spider
Fragile Forktail, female
Eastern Amberwing
Azure Bluet
Jumping Spider
Box Turtles
Common Whitetail, female
Lightning Bug
Fragile Forktail, male
Green June bugs
Bee-mimic Fly
Swamp MW Leaf Beetle
Slaty Skimmer, male
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Widow Skimmer, male
Eastern Pondhawk, young male
Wandering Glider
Red Saddlebags
Bar-Winged Skimmer
Eastern Pondhawk, male
Common Whitetail, female
Common Whitetail, young male
Blue Dasher, young male
Blue Dasher, male
Common Whitetail, male
Common Whitetail, male
Widow Skimmer, male
Eastern Pondhawk, male
Widow Skimmer, female
Eastern Pondhawk, female
Blue Dasher, female
Bullfrog

DRAGONFLIES and all other nature in my habitat

SPECIES Spotlight

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle

In a perfect world, this beetle would perform a valuable service by preventing milkweed from over-taking an area. They feed on the buds and flowers of MW, mostly found on Swamp MW. Since we need as many MW plants to flower and spread seed as possible, I am not allowing this beetle to breed in my habitat. I keep empty jars all around to catch destructive insects. Catching them as soon as they arrive is the best strategy to keeping the numbers down.

Tiger Bee Fly

 

The first time I saw this insect, I thought it must be some kind of Horsefly, but it's actually a Tiger Bee Fly. The females lay eggs in the nesting cavities of Carpenter Bees, helping to keep their numbers in check. The male can be recognized by the white on his abdomen. These beneficial insects arrive in mid-July here in the Mid-Atlantic.

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