The Winter Dark Firefly (Ellychnia corrusca)

While outside tending the garden the other day, I noticed this bizarre-looking fellow slowly scaling the brick wall. Of course, I had a camera nearby, and of course, I took the opportunity to photograph him (or her).

The Winter Dark Firefly (Ellychnia corrusca) come out in late winter and early spring. They, like the more common fireflies seen in the summer, are bioluminescent. But the Winter Dark Firefly is much larger in size, coming in at about a half-inch or so.

There are several varieties of these lightning bugs, each with different color markings, including black, brown, red, yellow, and orange. Like other members of the beetle family, the Winter Dark Firefly defends itself by unleashing a smelly substance from its legs onto perceived predators.

Nest Building with the Queen of the Paper Wasps

Now that Spring is well upon us and the flowers are budding and the vegetable plants beginning to bear some blooms, the flying insects too are out in full force. But despite the purported benefits of wasps for gardeners such as myself (ie: they aid in pollination and eating harmful insects), I have a really difficult time allowing them to live in close proximity to my little vegetable patch, where they will fly by my ears and cause me to dance like a lunatic all season. But I would like to encourage them to visit when I'm not around.

Queen Paper Wasp (Red Wasp) building her nest alongst my Vegetable Garden

Spring's First Knockout Rose in Morning Light

The thing about getting a new macro lens, in my case the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens, is it causes you to want to photograph everything up close, really close. In this case, here's the first Knockout Rose of the Spring, pictured in early morning light.

Violets on the Rails to Trails, Black Creek Park

Although there a now hundreds of violets, and assorted other flowers, that litters the side of Black Creek Park's Rails to Trails, these were the first that I observed, as late Winter evolved into early Spring several weeks ago.

More Blue Were the Reflections at Black Creek

The later the day got, the deeper and more blue were the reflections on this early Spring day

at Black Creek, near Black Creek Park in Fultondale, Alabama.

Early Spring Reflections at Black Creek

Reflections in Early Spring at Black Creek, near Black Creek Park, Fultondale

Late Winter Dandelion in Monochrome

A Dandelion has sprouted in late Winter, the forebear of Spring to come.

Ants Scavenge a Dandelion in Late Winter

Before Winter's heavy curtain falls revealing the promise of Spring, the storehouses deep within the labyrinth grow thin and the pangs of hunger set it. The laborers are sent out to scavenge for whatever can be found in this dreary hour. Dandelions and other winter flowers are combed for any treasure they might contain. Finding little, the ant invaders move on tirelessly attempting to meet the needs of the tribe.

Moon Sets, Sun Rises, Tree Abides

The Sun and Moon daily dance across the sky, but steady tree, 

rooted, bides its time until lively Spring beckons and Life resumes.

This and other such scenes around Alabama can be seen at the gallery, Alabama the Beautiful.

Spring Has Sprung and Fall Has Fell, Part 3

In order to make sure credit is given where it is due, I must recognize that this photograph would not have been taken had not Darby gotten a wild hair about her and taken off down a side trail on Black Creek Park's Rails to Trails. There is seemingly no accounting for her urges, but once in a while, I find myself grateful for them.

White Oak Leaves Lying Nestled on the Forest Floor in Fultondale, Alabama

Also found in the "Flora" Gallery, here

Spring Has Spring and Fall Has Fell, Part 2

The last vestiges of Color cling to a Sweetgum Leaf amidst a dreary Winter Pallet

on the Rails to Trails at Black Creek Park in Fultondale, Alabama

Spring Has Spring and Fall Has Fell, Part 1

A Sweetgum Leaf stands out against the seasonal carnage in late Autumn

on the Rails to Trails at Black Creek Park in Fultondale, Alabama

This photo can be found in the "Flora" gallery, here.

Blackberry Bloom in Early Spring, Fultondale

Blackberry Flower Blooming in Early Spring in Fultondale, Alabama

Roiling Waters at Turkey Creek

The recent rains have the waters of Turkey Creek running and roiling. 

Panorama of Turkey Creek Falls, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, Pinson, Alabama

I went with Blake and Darby down to Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson, Alabama, the other day. There's a smallish hiking trail along the creek, and I wanted to get Darby some off-the-leash experience out in the woods to see how she'd do, and I'm not sure but that she had the best time of her short little life.

This particular trip didn't yield a great many pictures, but I was able to catch some colorful reflections (above) and some early spring flowers. Several times I set up for shots of flowers, but just as I was ready, Darby would run by and bite the heads off of them. I think she found it greatly amusing.

Other posts involving Turkey Creek can be found here. And finally here's some video of the trip, involving Blake and Darby:

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The Carpenter Bee, a Victim of Curiosity

With Spring just around the corner, there are also sorts of critters flitting about. And it's just about more than Darby can stand. She wants to meet, or eat, or bark at each of them. Her most recent victim, the carpenter bee. I saw her pawing and nipping at something in the yard, so I went to inspect. Just about the time I got to her, she put him in her mouth, only to spit him out a moment later - apparently the buzzing was unappetizing. After a couple more repeat cycles of this, I was able to apprehend the victim; he was still alive, but not doing well.

I then immediately grabbed my camera and Tokina AT-X 35mm macro lens, and set about taking a few photos of the carpenter bee before he recovered enough to fly off...

...but the poor fellow never got that chance. The wind blew him off the table, and Darby gobbled him up for a mid-afternoon snack.

Note: According to Penn State's entomology department, male carpenter bees (which are the ones most often seen) are incapable of stinging.

Technorati Tags: alabama, carpenter bee, entomology.