A female Gila woodpecker, the mate of the male in the previous picture, prepares to land at the nest with a moth in her beak. They fly in at full speed, throwing up their legs and flaring their wings at the last moment, it’s a delight to watch.
Tag Archives: insect
Morning Makeup
I took a couple of days off work last week but it wasn’t to do anything fun, I was laid low by a cold and didn’t feel much like getting off the couch. I was watching some Gila woodpeckers in the backyard with my binoculars and something felt off, I couldn’t figure out what at first until I realized their faces were the same color as their heads. I had been editing pictures from the spring, like this male holding a freshly caught moth, and was used to seeing them with their faces dusted yellow from the pollen of saguaro flowers.
Mellow, Yellow
A sleepy master blister beetle isn’t quite ready to shake off its slumber and rise to meet the world. From the heavily chewed flower petals you can see why the brittlebush is both bedroom and dining room for the lovely little ones, at least on the one and only time I saw them this spring.
Bugs for Breakfast
This canyon towhee had a mouthful of bugs, perhaps it had a nest nearby full of hungry youngsters.
Looking Over the Edge
A young katydid nymph looks over the edge of its home, a rose blossom beside our house. At this age it has no wings so it walks everywhere it goes.
Is It Safe To Come Out Yet?
An adult fork-tailed bush katydid nestles in a blossom of one of our rose bushes.
Two Bees or Not Two Bees?
Clearly there are two bees. I’m glad we’ve been able to answer this age-old question, let’s move on.
