What's eating your GRAPE leaves?

The culprits may be members

of the scarab family.....

like this attractive couple!

(click on image to enlarge)

Backyard Nature Photograph of Grapevine Beetle

Pelidnota punctata was taken by Carolyn Hietala

Robber's Roost

HAPPY house hunting!

Searching for just the right condominium can be a passionate experience..... especially if you're a newlywed ;0)

Robberfly - Diptera - Richmond, Virginia - Chesterfield County

Nature Passion Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

ROCKETMAN!

Re-Entering The Earth's Atmosphere.....

The "Burn"

Copyrighted "Alien" Photograph aka Rocket Man ;0)

Image by Carolyn Hietala

Robberfly - Diptera - Richmond, Virginia - Chesterfield County

Robbing a little Afternoon Delight!

IT MUST BE LOVE! (quoting words spoken by Kyra Sedgwick from the TV show "The Closer"...... but in the episode it was used to describe a murder though.....hmmmmm... anyway I adore the quote)
Robberflies In A Passionate Love Embrace..... sorry, I couldn't resist adding a bit of "mood" lighting ;0)
Insect Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Robberfly - Diptera - Richmond, Virginia - Chesterfield County

Luna Light..... imperfect beauty.

Luna Moth - Evening Rest In Holly Tree

Actias luna?

Richmond, Virginia - Chesterfield County

Nature Insect Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Dragonfly On Gravel

Blue & Green Insect Predator

A Frequent Driveway Visitor

Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

A recipe for soft iridescent eye candy ;0)

Ingredients to combine.....

1 bright sunny day

1 cherry tree

1 small colorful fly

1 ground covered in dead leaves

1 macro lens

1 camera

1 photographer

1 imagination

1 or more dumb lucks (optional)

Mix well and serve immediately!

Nature Photography & Recipe by Carolyn Hietala

It's Hot, I'm Tired, I'm Hungry..... just leave me be! NOT happy!

Sulking Squirrel

Someone's not in the mood for pictures this day. His time at the bird feeder was abruptly interrupted for a frivolous human pastime..... namely backyard nature photography ;0)
Richmond Virginia - Chesterfield County - Oak Tree & Woodland Wildlife

Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Dragonfly! Brilliant green & blue Pondhawk specimen.

Need to exercise?

You can surely get a good workout

chasing these guys!

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) - ID via bugguide.net

Male Insect Resident of Richmond, Virginia - Chesterfield County

Backyard Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

High 90's are expected today in Richmond. Lack of rainfall has my backyard exhibiting colors of Autumn!

Brilliant Oranges Are Dominating

Summer Shades Of Green

We desperately need RAIN here in Richmond, Virginia! Hope you have your rain barrels ready to catch those precious drops of water ;0)

Tree Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Robberfly..... waiting for prey on a cantaloupe leaf.

Robberfly - Hanging Thief

Diogmites neoternatus

(ID via Bugguide.net..... thanks again!)

I hope to get more pictures of these as would love to capture one feeding ;0)

A gray robberfly eating an insect landed on my forearm yesterday and of course my camera was not with me..... bummer! I walked about 50 feet to the porch where I attempted to coax it onto the railing..... then I could go get my rebel..... that's when it flew away ;0(

richmond virginia - chesterfield county

Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Leaning Leaffooted Bug on our native Sweet Bay Magnolia Tree.

Leaf-footed Bug

Magnolia virginiana L. - A Native Tree Of Virginia

canon rebel xt / sigma 150 / macro / uncropped image / partial shade / backyard woodland insect nature / richmond virginia
Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

How can a lowly weed be viewed as beautiful?

Buy a macro lens and find out!!!!!

This image was taken with a Sigma 150 lens

on my Canon Rebel XT camera ;0)

Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk crying "feed me, feed me!"

Young Red-shouldered Hawk calling in hunger while impatiently waiting on a dead Tulip Poplar Tree limb for Mom and Dad to bring food..... and this image also shows one BIG dragonfly captured in flight (tree is about 60 feet tall - click on image to enlarge)

canon rebel xt / sigma 150 - full setting / backyard insect bird raptor nature / richmond virginia - chesterfield county

Nature Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Virginia White-tailed Deer - Strolling in my yard

Dear Deer..... What can the matter be?

I'd expect that a drive in the country would bring me the opportunity to photograph our native Whitetail but I live a few minutes from the Richmond City line and this doe is a daily visitor to my yard. She still wisely employs a wary demeanor. Isn't it amazing how our local wildlife have adapted to an urban environment? Nature rules!

Nature Art Image by Carolyn Hietala

Life in a neglected birdbath.

A very small insect emerging from its pupa.

The possibility for any future insect procreation ended when the rainwater eventually evaporated. Now freshly cleaned, the bath is strictly for the birds! This is either a Sad or Happy occasion I suppose..... depending on if you are seeing it from an insect or bird point of view.

(Insects are possibly biting gnats in the family Ceratopogonidae)

Nature Art Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

INSECT EYE CANDY! An Iridescent Beauty..... Salticidae - Jumping Spider - Tutelina

I couldn't help spotting this small arachnid creeping along the Cherry Tree leaves..... once you see one they are not easily forgotten..... real eye-catchers in our insect world ;0)

canon rebel xt / sigma 150 / macro / cropped / bright sunshine / backyard woodland iridescent arachnid / richmond virginia

Nature Art Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Bristly Locust - Macro images can bring us even closer to the beauty of nature.

Bokeh Of Soft Dreamy Pinks

It's amazing how different our views of the world can be when captured through the eyes of a macro lens. The tiniest creation can become so magically important. I used a Sigma 150 with my digital SLR Canon EOS Rebel XT camera to take these pictures.

Photo's taken in my Richmond, Virginia (Chesterfield County) backyard flower garden.

Nature Art Photographs by Carolyn Hietala

Huckleberries - One Of Virginia's Native Pleasures

Yummm..... have you ever had Huckleberry pie?

They aren't ripe yet (dwarf variety - G. baccata - fruit is shiny black) but I have every intention of picking at least one serving of these delicious berries this year.

My dog Maggie ate them last year with a little help from the birds. I put up a temporary fence around the patch to keep Maggie out so am hoping the birds leave me some!

Maggie is already munching on the blackberries even though they are still mostly green..... yes I do feed her well..... ha. Since I found her abandoned and living in a hole in an embankment at Swift Creek Reservoir, I guess she had to eat anything she could find to survive. Her favorite indoor treat is a great big raw carrot. ;0)

Richmond Virginia - Chesterfield County

Nature Art Photograph by Carolyn Hietala

Waiting for "permission" to return to the bird feeder

It wasn't me..... promise!

I've been here the whole time.

The bird feeder is on the other side of this tree. NOT innocent. Sibling to the "partner in crime" is shown below resting on the fence.

As always..... permission is granted

whenever I'm not in plain sight!

Eastern Gray Squirrels - Residents of Richmond, Virginia

Nature Art Photograph by Carolyn Hietala