From Homebase in Oak Harbor, Kimberly Writes: On August 1, 2014, I removed what I thought was a dead Harnessed Tiger Moth from a spider web outside our house. I don't make a habitat of denying spiders a meal, but the moth was freshly "dead" and still looked beautiful, so I wanted to photograph it. When I did, I was stunned to see that in the final moments of her life, she had laid several eggs! I somehow felt personally responsible for these tiny pearls she bestowed upon me, and I set about to raise them as best I could. Here's a photographic journey though that amazing experience. 08.01.2014 - Female Harnessed Tiger Moth lays eggs in the final moments of life I actually watched the caterpillars hatching under a microscope. Here they are on 08.06.2014, one day old. These are magnified many times. Caterpillars on 08.20.2014 Feeding on oak leaves and growing seemingly by the hour! Close-up view of caterpillar on 08.20.2014 0 8.24.2014 - Preparing to pupate by silking ...
That is just waaaaaay too nice of a sunset!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful picture. I already miss it. Thanks for making my first birding festival amazing!
ReplyDeleteA stunning sunset, the colors are awesome as is the reflection.
ReplyDeleteAwesome sunset! Can't wait to read more about your trip!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sunset with amazing colors - almost unreal
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Corey - It really was powerfully beautiful.
ReplyDeletePeter - I miss it too! And, I have to say that meeting you and Adam made this festival especially great for us!
Eileen - If it weren't for the all the birds in the photo (mostly Dunlin) I would have trouble telling up from down. Just another reason birds are good to have around!
Rob - We have done so much on this trip that it's going to take forever to get things posted. It's so hard to find time to fit everything in!
Dan - I know what you mean. The moments just before the sun dipped below the horizon were so powerful that it felt unreal! The colors were beyond belief. Kenn and I stood there in silent awe with nothing but the sounds of shorebirds softly calling. It was one of those moments where I gave thanks for all of my senses and for being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.
Thanks for visiting our blog, everyone. It means a lot to us!
Good birding to all of you ~ Kim
That sunset looks sooo much prettier than the snow storm I'm watching right now...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, we LOVED Loxahatchee when we were there!
I assume this is Texas(?)...would think that would be mentioned somewhere.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful picture. I just love sunsets! Thanks for sharing yours!
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning sunset!! Deserves to be hanging on the wall!! ~karen
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ReplyDeleteDave, Bianca, and Karen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments about the photo. It was an amazing thing to behold!
To Anonymous / Chops Buster:
If my instincts are correct, then you must be the same "anonymous" who took Kenn to task for not identifying the squirrel in a recent post. We apologize for any inconvenience that our oversights may have caused you. However, while Kenn's raging lack of attention to detail in his post about the squirrel was obviously done in a blatant attempt to confuse everyone, in my post, I do, at least, mention that the photo was taken at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. But, you're right, of course, I should have pointed out that the refuge is in Florida.
One thing I DO want to point out in this comment is the irony of someone with a name like yours objecting to us allowing some of the subjects of our photos to remain "anonymous." ; )
At any rate, thanks for visiting the blog and keeping us on our toes. (The ones on our feet, which are at the ends of our legs, just beyond our ankles....)
~kimmer
Way to go Kimmer! I guess these people have nothing better to do. Maybe they should learn Google? I always wondered what toes were.
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