Wool Carder Bee

August 29th, 2007

Black, yellow, and white bee on a leaf

Wool Carder Bee, Anthidium manicatum
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007-08-25
Thanks to John S. Ascher for the ID.
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Fall Webworm

August 28th, 2007

Caterpillar
Caterpillar of the Fall Webworm Moth, Hyphantria cunea
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge 2007-08-26

Like many moths, this one is easier to find as a caterpillar than an adult. This picture is quite a bit larger than life-size. They’re only about an inch long.

Thanks to Bobby Grizzard for the ID.
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Small Milkweed Bug

August 27th, 2007

Black and red-orange true bug
Small Milkweed Bug – Lygaeus turcicus
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007-08-25
Thanks to John and Jane Balaban for the ID.
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Large Milkweed Bug

August 25th, 2007

Black and orange true bug
Large Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2007-08-25
Thanks to John and Jane Balaban for the ID.

Restless Bush Crickets

August 22nd, 2007

Red crickets, male pursuing female
Restless Bush Cricket, Hapithus agitator
Lookout Hill, Prospect Park, 2007-08-19

Thanks to Stephen Schueman for helping out with the ID. He also tells me this is a male pursuing a female.

My First 5

August 20th, 2007

The ABA ranks species known to occur in North America north of Mexico by order of difficulty, 1-6. Most birds that regularly occur here are 1’s, which covers a lot of ground: everything from House Sparrow to Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, American Avocet to Willet. Some of the 1’s are actually quite difficult to find. Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow and Yellow-billed Cuckoo both gave me a lot of trouble for a couple of years, and I missed them repeatedly.
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