Have a look at the eyes on this little fly!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was photographing elderberrry earlier in the month (which has since gone by) and came across some interesting insects. The Mocha Emerald in that post was one of them. The tiny fly above was another.

I didn’t know what the fly was at the time and thought perhaps that the pattern on its eyes was caused by the flash on the camera, I thought that maybe the pattern was caused by some internal “hotspots” within the eyes. Not so. I uploaded the photo to BugGuide and within minutes I received two replies as to what this little gem was.

It’s a syrphid fly. Syrphid flies are familiar to most people as those little flies that look like bees (yellow and black or brown) and hover about the garden while busily visiting flowers. They sometimes hover in front of your face. I call them hoverflies. Their wings usually make quite a bit of noise for a their size which adds to the illusion that they are bees. They can be from 1 to 35 mm long.

The little (about 5 mm) fly in the photo is the only syrphid fly in the east with this unusual zig-zag pattern on its eyes and is known as Orthonerva nitida. I haven’t found a common name for the fly but if anyone can break down the scientific name let me know what you come up with. It looks to me to be straight (ortho), Roman Emperor (Nerva – an honest, kind emperor) for the genus part of the name and shiny or bright (nitida) for the species name. That doesn’t make sense though, does it? Maybe the straight part comes from the fact that flies in this genus, unlike its relative below, hold their wings straight back to the rear, on their backs?

Two other insects that I noticed that day were another, more typical, syrphid fly and a beetle.

Not much larger than the O. nitida above (about 8 mm) this is what most folks will encounter hovering over or in front of the flowers in their garden. The fly is standing on an elderberry leaf.

This beetle is on one of the tiny elderberry flowers. Its about 8 mm in length.

I thought at first that the insect in the above photo was a weevil. I’m now fairly convinced that its a beetle, a scarab beetle in the genus Valgus. Note that the elytra (el-i-truh - the hard forewings which cover the membranous flight wings) are very short on this insect, a characteristic of Valgus beetles. But, I could be wrong. Any experts out there?

Who am I?

Here's a closer view of me.

A Fabulous Prize could be yours if you’re the first person to correctly identify the subject of the photos!

This Bullfrog has another frog in its mouth. Notice the other frog's left front foot projecting from the corner of the eater's mouth (left side). I believe that's a right rear foot sticking out of the right side of the eater's mouth (just beyond right eye).

Our Great Blue Heron seems almost proud at having captured a large Bullfrog.

Last year around this time I saw a Great Blue Heron take a Bullfrog from the Wetlands. From capture to swallow, the whole process took approximately 13 minutes. On May 19 of this year the heron (or another just like it) took another big frog out of the water. This frog was dispatched in less than ten minutes.

The heron repeatedly dropped the frog onto the mud. If the frog jumped in an attempt to escape the heron stabbed it with its bill.

After many releases, stabs and recaptures the frog had several puncture wounds causing its internal organs to emerge from its skin

Dangling motionless from its bill it was now time for the heron to gulp down its prize.

First soak the frog in the water...

Position the frog...

Assure a firm grip...

And down he goes...

Mmmmm, that was good.

Just another day in the Wetlands.

Who's that?

Over the past winter I often heard loud noises coming from the attic area over the vending machines in Explore the Wild. It sounded like someone was moving furniture around! I suspected squirrels, or maybe raccoons.

On Saturday, June 4, I think I found out who was making that noise, at least the offspring of those noisemakers. I heard the soft chirping of a raccoon coming from somewhere above as I stopped in the shade to sip water in the heat of that humid, June day. Looking up I saw…

A young raccoon peered down at me as I drank water. The youngster was making a soft purring sound, probably impatient while waiting for its mother to return with some food from the Wetlands.

Never a dull one out there.

A male Mocha Emerald (Somatochlora linearis).

Back in July of 2008 I found the remains of a dragonfly on the path in Catch the Wind. There was enough of the insect to determine that it was a Mocha Emerald, a dragonfly of small, shady forest streams. I added that ode to the list of dragonflies that could potentially be encountered (alive) here at the Museum.

I based the dragonfly’s inclusion to the list on the fact that I found the insect where I did (in Catch the Wind) and assumed that a bird (or larger ode) had captured the dragonfly and dropped the remains where I had found them. There are two small shaded streams running through the property. I assumed that one of those streams was where the dragonfly had originated.

I no longer have to assume whether or not Mocha Emeralds actually do occupy part of the eighty-four or so acres here at the Museum. A few days ago, while photographing Elderberry (photos coming soon) I noticed a large, slender, dark ode flying back and forth in the shady understory of the woods near where I stood. The ode appeared to be searching for a place to perch. It perched, and I took several photos.

Mocha Emeralds are known as emeralds because, as mature adults, they have green eyes. The mocha part of the name comes from, I assume, their dark brown coloration. I think it’s safe to assume that it does not come from the dragonfly’s chocolaty taste, or that the dragonfly was first described in Mocha, Yemen. Wait, wait, did he say Yemen?

The color mocha and the chocolaty coffee mocha have everything to do with Yemen. Mocha, Yemen was and is a sea port which is known for its export of a strong, dark, sweet coffee. This coffee is said to have a chocolaty taste to it. It is brewed with mocha beans. Today, any coffee with chocolate added to it is called mocha.

I don’t drink coffee or eat chocolate, so none of this info was gained through personal experience. But, it seems to me that the dragonfly in the photo above gets its common name from a chocolaty tasting coffee bean grown in Yemen, at least in some indirect way.

Meanwhile, down in the Wetlands, Comet Darner, Common Green Darner, Red Saddlebags, Slaty Skimmer, and Great Blue Skimmer have joined the ranks of the Blue Dashers, Eastern Amberwings, and other dragonflies already patrolling and mating over the brown, mocha-colored water. All but the Green Darner of the five newcomers above were first seen this season during the last few days of May or the first few days of June.

Happy oding.

Waxing Crescent Moon.

The Black Light Insect Hunt was held last night under a waxing crescent moon. The temperature and humidity were perfect for a night out on the Wetlands.

Chimney Swifts, along with a few swallows, circled overhead as the sun sank below the horizon. Bats began to swirl about, taking over the insect hunt for their diurnal counterparts. Bullfrogs called loudly in the water below.

Slowly at first, but then with more frequency, insects began to whirl about the mercury vapor and black lights erected on the two platforms of the the Wetland’s boardwalk.

Mostly midges, a few caddisflies, and small beetles were observed. Several sphinx moths and geometers arrived later. Perhaps the best visitor to the lights was a very cooperative Luna Moth (Actias luna) that stayed on the cotton sheet after being captured and placed there by one of the many bug enthusiast of the night.

The Luna Moth (female).

Whats appears to be a peaceful scene in the Wetlands is actually a struggle for dear life. This frog has a snake attached to its right leg (underwater).

Alerted by a chaparone from one of the many school groups present that day (May 4) that a snake was swimming along the banks of the Wetlands, I saw Big Momma, a large female Northern Water Snake, swim by just a few feet off the shore. Moments later the snake had a frog in her jaws. The grip was a tenuous one as only the frog’s foot was in the snake’s mouth.

Some ten minutes after being caught by the snake the frog's right leg was completely within the snake. There was no turning back.

Two minutes later, the snake was working on the left leg.

Oddly, the frog didn’t struggle as much as I thought it would.

The snake getting a better grip on the frog. Notice in this (and above) photo how the snake's throat is stretched to where the skin is visible between the scales.

Forty minutes into the drama and the frog is less than half within the snake.

As if it wasn't difficult enough to swallow a frog more than three times the width of the snake's mouth, now our female has to deal with a suitor, a male snake looking to mate.

The suitor gone, the female works at getting the frog into its digestive tract. Nearly there.

It’s now over an hour into the event.

For some reason that I don't understand the snake partially regurgitated the frog. Perhaps one of the legs went down the wrong hole? Notice that the male is back on the scene.

The female made quick work of re-swallowing the frog. Eight minutes has elapsed from the previous photo.

The next day…

Twenty-three hours later and the male finally got what he wanted. Note the bulge midway down the larger female's body (the frog).

Animal Keeper Mikey spotted this E. Painted Turtle in the mulch next to the Red Wolf Exhibit. Here, she is dutifully covering up her nest after a morning of egg laying.

After her nest was covered and she had determined that I was not a threat to her, she headed back to the Wetlands.

Mikey backs out of the keeper's entrance to Black Bear Exhibit. Don't worry, Mikey is very careful around the animals that he loves so. He waited for the turtle to safely cross the path before proceeding.

There were many reports of turtles out and about during the past few weeks.

Ranger Sara showing excitement over seeing a Yellow-bellied Slider who was headed for the Wetlands after her egg laying trip in Catch the Wind.

"What's up wit dat?"

Kristin gets a quick shot with her phone.

Legend has it that this big yellow-bellied (Chip) was hit by the Museum train many years ago as she was walking the grounds searching for a suitable nest site.

A close view of "Chip's" damaged shell.

Here's the same turtle back in March of this year. She's the only turtle in the Wetlands that can be reliably identified on a consistent basis.

So, with all of the turtles climbing out of the water to look for nest sites, please be careful and respectful when you see them while you navigate the paths and trails of the Museum. I know that you will.

Note: The turtles above that Kristin and Sara are observing/photographing, and that I photographed, were headed back to the water after completing their missions, egg laying. If you see a turtle on or beside the path, or one that is obviously laying eggs, please leave it be. These water turtles sometimes walk great distances and cross difficult terrain to find nest sites and if disturbed will abandon their mission, even after digging a hole in which to lay her eggs. This is at a great physical cost to them. I photographed the painted turtle at a distance with a telephoto lens while hiding behind a recycling bin so as not to harass the turtle as it covered up its eggs.

They can be very difficult to locate. I’ve looked for them many times while they called just feet away from me and could not see a one. Have a look yourself next time you’re in Catch the Wind and tell me what you find.

Here’s what they look like and here’s what they sound like: sound like

Good luck!