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Sunday, November 7, 2010

A Macro Look at South Beach

After a stormy night last night, today dawned surprisingly calm and sunny. It was a perfect afternoon to go for a long walk at South Beach and play with the new macro lens. It was also a good opportunity to soak up some much-needed Vitamin D, because with last night's "fall back" it is now dark out at 5 PM! Ugh, needless to say, not my favorite day of the year. But at least the sun was out!

Here are some highlights from my photo excursion....

November flowers

Beach rocks through a jellyfish

Water droplet on a blade of grass

Leaflets on a rock

Close-up look at moss

Interesting-looking insect....ID, anyone?

Grass shadows on a rock with lichen growth

Burnt driftwood

Sun shining through beach pea leaves

4 comments:

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Hi Monika - if that ichneumeon fly was over here I'd call it Ophion obscurata.
Like the stones through the jellyfish shot - weird or what.

Cheers
Davo

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Hi again - just had another look and although it's tricky to see the venation in the wings it could be O. luteus also depending on whether that species is found in NAm.
Deffo an Ophion sp. whatever sp it is.

Cheers
D

The K said...

From Kaufman's Field Guide to Insects of North America: "Ophionines are typically internal parasites of large caterpillars. New adults emerge from the pupa or cocoon of the host. Curiosly, one species of Ophion is parasitic on white grubs of Phyllophaga May beetles." Strange critter. I agree with Dave, the rocks through jellyfish is cool.

Monika said...

Thanks for the direction on the ID Dave, I'd have had no place to start. Interesting info about them being internal parasites, too, The K - ick!

Yet another of the bizarre creatures right under our noses!