Wednesday, September 05, 2007

As The Seasons Turn - Time Out

I've got to get something done - Anything - before the ground freezes and the shorter days become my excuse to sit and sit and sit - book in hand, computer on lap, old movies running endlessly on TV. So, here's to the Equinox and my role models - all the little and great creatures who are scurrying about as they ready themselves for the big sleep.



I couldn't figure out this Differential Grasshopper. Why was he being so patient with my nosiness.





Oh. Sorry, Madame.




Plants, insects - fungi - they're all concerned with DNA dispersal. You might easily guess the common name for this Caninus mutinus
(OK. I'll just whisper the common name: Dog Dickie )



This fly is acting in his own self interest as he gathers fungus spores for dispersal. If you've smelled this fungus you understand the fly's affinity. (For a real 'treat' - click on this fly)




This scene will go down as one of my favorites of late summer - for the glow, the leafy setting - for my best-ever encounter with this stalwart little spider.




We played a little 'hide-and-seek'. (Oh, please click, above)




He'd finally had enough and signaled, "Bug Off!" I did, smiling and smiling - holding my camera close and carefully with my recorded booty. Bev (looking through your gallery), is it Eris militaris, . . . do you have an ID on my brave little fellow? UPDATE! Bug Guide's Phidippus Audax has identical back markings. OK. So my little Bold Jumping spider is common. But he was 'uncommonly' cute.

So, think of me racing around - stowing summer away, filling the larder, organizing closets and shelves . . . . go ahead - dream a little dream of order and serenity - I am . . . . . dreaming.


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18 comments:

RuthieJ said...

Wow, Cathy, cool pictures! Did you have to lay down on the ground to take some of them?

I never seen fungi like that either (does it smell really awful? because that fly looks like the ones I see when picking up "dog deposits")

Patrice said...

Those are indeed very cool pictures! You are so talented. It seems like the snow just melted, the rain just stopped, and now summer's nearly gone...

NatureWoman said...

Your photos are really beautiful! I can't believe it's almost that time to spend more time inside again. I am so not ready for it!

Brett Hendrickson said...

Great photos! "Dog stinkhorn" wasn't exactly the first thing that came to mind! :)

Anvilcloud said...

Cuppa seems to be preparing the house for fall. :(

KGMom said...

Cathy--those are marvelous photos--no matter how steady my hand, my camera simply will not go down to such a close up resolution. So I give up.
And since I am usually walking my dog, I have little time to focus. My dog is too impatient to let me focus, focus, focus.

burning silo said...

Those are terrific macros, Cathy. Great shot of the spider. Interesting that you're seeing a grasshopper laying eggs this week. I found some laying eggs on the front porch this week. I haven't checked yet, but they usually lay them on the porch within the same few days each year.

Mary said...

Wow! I saw that fungi in Delaware and didn't know what it was... Caninus mutinus. Odd looking, don't ya think?

That jumping spider (I don't like them) has four eyes!

Cathy, you fave fall photo is incredible. You are an artist and I love seeing through your lens. Lovely!

You amaze me. Every time.

Hugs,
Mary (brain fried but I still know what I like)

Anonymous said...

Wow, such amazing macro photos you were able to capture!! The spider and grasshoper shots were my faves for sure!

dmmgmfm said...

What great pictures. I really love them all. You are so good at what you do.

Hugs,
Laurie

threecollie said...

Love the orange glowing flower/leaf/spider pictures...all of them are really. Good job!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Cathy--those colors are beautiful--I can feel the warmth of a late summer day's sunshine.
And the spider--adorable.

Julie Zickefoose said...

I adore Phidippus spiders. Look for the big black one with green fangs. They often live in birdhouses in big silken tents in the corner. They seem so sentient.

Say, would you be so kind as to email me at julieatjuliezickefoosedotcom?
I have a question for you.

Larry said...

Very Cool Pictures!-I don't mind the Cold coming-I love winter too!

cestoady said...

Neat picture of the Green Bottle Fly on the Dog Stinkhorn (Mutinus caninus). I did not realize that the fly is actually needed in a sort of cross-pollination activity -- like bees and flowers -- for the stinkorn to complete its cycle. The site :http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct2006.html has a lot more to say about this unusual mushroom that apparently is most common in the mulch of gardens.

Bonita said...

You've really got some lovely fall color there, Cathy, and great photos as usual. I'm especially fond of your little spiders black shiny eyes. My, it takes courage to make this kind of eye contact.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely LOVE the spider! (All of the pictures are terrific, but you know how I am about jumping spiders.)

Anonymous said...

Great spider picture. It looks furry enough almost to make into a pet.