a bug’s life

There are so many ladybugs around this spring, and they seem to be particularly active. This one was on some top-secret ladybug mission and wouldn’t stop moving.

Daisy, the jumping spider (5 images)

Allow me to introduce you to Daisy, a jumping spider that has taken up residence in our garden.

Do not get sucked into a staring contest with a jumping spider. You will lose.

 

With a total length of about one centimetre and distinctive red-orange markings, Daisy was easy to identify as a female Johnson jumping spider, one of the largest and most common jumping spiders in western North America.

Surveying her domain, or maybe looking for a Mr. Daisy?

 

On warm days she likes to hang out on a leaf or wall, sunning herself while keeping a lookout for her next meal. She doesn’t have a web, instead relying on superb vision (eight eyes providing an almost 360 degree view) to spot her prey. Then she pounces, immobilizing the hapless bug with venom.

Daisy is a shy little thing, and doesn’t like sudden movement. If I make too much of a ruckus, she’ll retreat into the depths of the nearest vegetation.

 

But most of the time, her curiosity gets the better of her and I’ll soon see her peeking over the edge of a leaf, watching me fiddle with my camera. I wonder if to her my camera and tripod combo looks like a gigantic three-legged one-eyed insect.

 

I’ve read that sometimes jumping spiders, attracted by their reflection, will leap right onto a camera lens. So far Daisy seems content to maintain a respectful distance, and that’s fine by me.

Gotta love that ‘do. The fringe really sets off her eyes.

hunting for dragons

Out at the lake, late afternoon. Lots of these blue dashers around.

I spotted a beautiful iridescent green dragonfly the likes of which I’d never seen before, but it flew away before I had a chance to photograph it. I’ll have to go back and look for it again.

rufous hummingbird

Female rufous hummingbirds feed on red hot poker plants. The males are elusive! Only one male has come near me, and I missed the shot.

Anna’s hummingbird

The red-hot pokers are in full bloom and are magnets for hummingbirds in our area.

I’ve been spending time sitting near a patch of pokers, becoming “part of the landscape” so to speak. It didn’t take long before the hummingbirds would fearlessly feed within a meter (3 feet) of me. That’s a good thing, because the longest lens I have for my camera is a 90mm.