Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Scolopocryptops spinicaudus is one of the many species of small-to-medium-sized bark centipedes found in the Scolopocryptopidae family that set themselves apart from other centipede families by having 23 pairs of legs instead of 21. They live in the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to Southern Alaska, where they hunt for small insects and other arthropods under rocks, dead wood and the on forest floor. This one was found scurrying across an open area next to the Carbon River near Carbonado, Washington - about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier.
    Bark Centipede (Scolopocryptops spin..dus)
  • A fantastic close-up of one of the many variable (and often hard to correctly identify) wolf spiders of North America, as it hunts during the daytime on a hot springtime afternoon in the Rio Grande Valley in the Southern tip of Texas. I'm pretty sure this is the species known as Hogna antelucana, but it also might be Tigrosa annexa. Both live in the area and have so much variation between individuals that it is hard to tell the two apart. Anyway, I took a few macro shots of this one and let it go on its merry way.
    Wolf Spider
  • A wolf spider - one of one of the many variable (and often hard to correctly identify) wolf spiders of North America. I'm pretty sure this is the species known as Tigrosa annexa. This one was scrambling across some dead leaves and fallen Spanish moss in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge on a hot springtime afternoon near the US-Mexico border in Southern Texas, and paused for a brief second, just long enough for me to get this shot.
    Wolf Spider
  • A great find! A subadult Texas tan tarantula is seen out in the open in broad daylight in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas on a hot autumn afternoon. These long-lived, gentle spiders are harmless to humans and can be found throughout most of Southeast Texas.
    Texas Tan Tarantula 2
  • A female common ground crab spider of the genus Xysticus (probably X. cristatus) guards her egg sac in the sagebrush desert in Central Washington's Ginkgo Petrified Forest. This drab brown crab spider is in stark contrast to those crab spiders often found camouflaged brightly with vivd colors among flowers, and relies on active hunting over ambush predation. Sadly, this spider will complete her life cycle and die naturally before her spiderlings hatch and disperse to renew the cycle of life, but for now they are well protected and cared for.
    Ground Crab Spider with Egg Sac
  • A successful ambush - a green lynx spider eating a small green stink bug from inside a garden flower in Jefferson County, Florida.
    Green Lynx Spider
  • Green Lynx Spider photographed in Venice, Florida.
    Green Lynx Spider
  • The mouse spider is a beautiful, velvety (hence the name) brown spider and accidental European import that has established itself across much of North America. This speedy predator does not use a web to catch prey, but rather prefers to chase down and overpower insects and other spiders. At less than an inch in length, this spider is completely harmless to humans, unless you are in fact the size of a cricket. This mature female was found under a rock between Ellensburg and Vantage, Washington while hunting for scorpions.
    Mouse Spider
  • Also known as the western funnelweb spider or funnel weaver, the desert grass spider is a large highly territorial member of the Agelenidae family of spiders that can be found in the arid Southeastern United States and Northern Mexico. Although it is called a grass spider, it is most often found in prairies, rock piles and in thorny brush in its very characteristic and large non-sticky funnel web with a tubular "hole" where it waits for prey. This large female was found in a mesquite thicket just south of Mission, Texas using a Christmas cholla cactus to support its web. If you look closely, you can see she's lost a foreleg and pedipalp some time ago, and now they are growing back. Both will get closer to full-length each time she molts.
    Desert Grass Spider 3
  • Unexpectedly this whitebanded crab spider popped out of this buckthorn cholla cactus flower as I was photographing it in Southern Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on the US-Mexico border. These tiny spiders can take down  surprisingly big prey - much bigger than themselves, and this one was clearly well-fed. Bees were everywhere!
    Whitebanded Crab Spider
  • Goldenrod crab spider eating a variegated fritillary butterfly in the Lake Talquin State Forest in North Florida. This little camouflaged spider really blends in with these flowers where the butterfly feeds!
    Goldenrod Crab Spider
  • This most common of the orb weaver spiders found in Washington State, the cross orb weaver is found in a wide range of habitats. It has extremely variable markings and patterns, but they all have a white cross on the back of the abdomen. This large female was found eating its prey - some sort of flying insect - that she trapped in her web next to Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early fall afternoon.
    Cross Orb Weaver
  • A large female Carolina wolf spider hunts among the forest leaf litter in search of prey above the Florida Caverns in Jackson County.
    Carolina Wolf Spider
  • The mouse spider is a beautiful, velvety (hence the name) brown spider and accidental European import that has established itself across much of North America. This speedy predator does not use a web to catch prey, but rather prefers to chase down and overpower insects and other spiders. At less than an inch in length, this spider is completely harmless to humans, unless you are in fact the size of a cricket. This mature female was found under a rock between Ellensburg and Vantage, Washington while hunting for scorpions.
    Mouse Spider
  • Green Lynx Spider photographed in Venice, Florida. This little critter was very photogenic and didn't seem to mind having about 60 shots taken to get this one right!
    Green Lynx Spider
  • I was crouched down in a field in the Withlacoochee State Forest  in Central Florida photographing butterflies when I noticed this amazing sight among the wildflowers in front of me.
    Green Lynx Spider
  • This most common of the orb weaver spiders found in Washington State, the cross orb weaver is found in a wide range of habitats. It has extremely variable markings and patterns, but they all have a white cross on the back of the abdomen. This large female was found eating its prey - some sort of flying insect - that she trapped in her web next to Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early fall afternoon.
    Cross Orb Weaver
  • Brilliant and colorful, the large golden silk spider is a very common sight in nearly every Florida forest and woodland.
    Golden Silk Spider
  • Huge fishing spider carefully photographed in the Fakahatchee Strand. These guys can get aggressive and do bite hard!
    Fishing Spider
  • Huge female with distinctive "zig-zag" web under a shrub near Hickey's Creek in Lee County, Florida.
    Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider
  • Unusual and secretive, the South Texas satyr is a member of the often brightly-colored brushfoot butterfly family (monarchs, fritillaries, crescents, etc.) but are often small, a muted brown are more likely to be confused with moths as they flitter throughout the shady forests, often on the ground, blending in with fallen leaves. This small species is known only from the Rio Grande region of Southern Texas and Northern Mexico, and was found in a grove of wild oaks next to a pond in Southern Hidalgo County, Texas.
    South Texas Satyr (Hermeuptychia her..ius)
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 4
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 3
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Painted Lady - 4
  • This unusual and moth-like native to Mexico just barely reaches into parts of Texas' southern tip and have very distinctive "hooked" forewings. Males are almost "dark chocolate" in coloration, while females are significantly lighter in color. These were found feeding on a local native wildflower in the Rio Grande Valley called Siam weed that is extremely toxic to most animals, but butterflies and bees love it.
    Sickle-Winged Skipper - 2
  • A California tortoiseshell butterfly photographed in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on a hot summer day. This West Coast member of the brushfoot family of butterflies is a real beauty, and can be found mostly anywhere in the United States from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, and sometimes further east in search of its favorite larval food source, buckbrushes.
    California Tortoiseshell
  • The perfectly camouflaged underwings hide the brilliantly orange and black-pattered dorsal side of a California tortoiseshell butterfly, photographed here in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park. This West Coast member of the brushfoot family of butterflies is a real beauty, and can be found mostly anywhere in the United States from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, and sometimes further east in search of its favorite larval food source, buckbrushes.
    California Tortoiseshell (Underwing ..iew)
  • A fantastic close-up of one of the many variable (and often hard to correctly identify) wolf spiders of North America, as it hunts during the daytime on a hot springtime afternoon in the Rio Grande Valley in the Southern tip of Texas. I'm pretty sure this is the species known as Hogna antelucana, but it also might be Tigrosa annexa. Both live in the area and have so much variation between individuals that it is hard to tell the two apart. Anyway, I took a few macro shots of this one and let it go on its merry way.
    Wolf Spider
  • A pair of queen butterflies "getting busy" in a field near Edinburg, Texas on a cool December afternoon. These butterflies may look like monarch butterflies, but this act of mimicry tricks would-be predators think that they are toxic like monarchs when in reality they are not.
    Mating Queen Butterflies
  • The lyside sulphur butterfly is one of those highly active tropical pale yellow-to-white butterflies often seen flittering about patches of wildflowers and bushes, often joined by others butterfly species and bees, such as this one in South Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. This species is widespread in Texas and Mexico, and can be found in Arizona, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Caribbean Islands and South Florida.
    Lyside Sulphur
  • The lyside sulphur butterfly is one of those highly active tropical pale yellow-to-white butterflies often seen flittering about patches of wildflowers and bushes, often joined by others butterfly species and bees, such as this one in South Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. This species is widespread in Texas and Mexico, and can be found in Arizona, Nicaragua, Guatemala, the Caribbean Islands and South Florida.
    Lyside Sulphur
  • Primarily found in Central America and Mexico, the band-celled sister (also known as the Mexican sister) is a beautiful brushfoot butterfly related to admiral butterflies. It has a range that extends from the very southern tip of Texas to Columbia and Venezuela where it feeds on nectar from Cordia, Croton, and Baccharis flowers, and sometimes rotting fruit. This one was photographed on a hot summer day near Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
    Band-celled Sister
  • Like many skipper butterflies which are often brown or have dull or muted coloration, the brown longtail skipper is not usually recognized for what it is and often mistaken for a moth. This neotropical skipper is found all over Central America, Columbia and Peru, and in scattered populations across South America, particularly along the coast in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. In North America, its range extends into North America just into the south tip of Texas in the Rio Grande Valley, where this one was found and photographed near Weslaco, Texas.
    Brown Longtail Skipper (Spicauda procne)
  • These absolutely beautiful little sulphur butterflies are typically extremely difficult to photograph, but on this occasion this pair down in Cameron County, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley was more than a little preoccupied. The little yellow (Eurema lisa) is widespread and can be found throughout most of the eastern United States, southern Ontario and Quebec in Canada, and and all of Mexico and Central America.
    Breeding Pair of Little Yellows (Eur..isa)
  • This little skipper species has an enormous range, and can be found from the northeastern United States to just about all of South America to just about as far south of the equator as it lives north of the equator. This active whirlabout (it gets it's name from the pattern it flies when landing and taking off) was found actively feeding on lantana flowers in a park in Harlingen, Texas on a hot, early spring afternoon.
    Whirlabout (Polites vibex)
  • This tiny native to Southern Texas and Mexico, the Julia's skipper butterfly can be found year-round and is very easily overlooked due to its small size, and muted coloration. This one was feeding on rose vervain nectar just next to the Rio Grande under some mesquite trees in Hidalgo County, Texas in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.
    Julia's Skipper (Nastra julia)
  • This tiny native to Southern Texas and Mexico, the Julia's skipper butterfly can be found year-round and is very easily overlooked due to its small size, and muted coloration. This one was feeding on rose vervain nectar just next to the Rio Grande under some mesquite trees in Hidalgo County, Texas in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.
    Julia's Skipper (Nastra julia)
  • The energetic and tiny clouded slipper butterfly is a common southeastern butterfly that is mostly found year-round in Florida and Texas and can be found as far south as Columbia. This one was feeding on rose vervain just next to the Rio Grande under some mesquite trees in Hidalgo County, Texas on the US-Mexico border.
    Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius)
  • A beautiful male orange sulphur butterfly sips nectar from wild pea flowers near the USA-Mexico border in Southern Hidalgo County, Texas.
    Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)
  • Unique underwing view of a red admiral butterfly feeding on what looks like sap a damaged shrub stem. Although the upper-side (top of the wings) is brightly-colored you can see how expertly camouflaged it is with its wings folded while resting in the shade. This one was found next to a pond near Alamo, Texas on a bright warm sunny winter day.
    Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
  • Tucked away within the safety of a very spiny Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana), this Arabesque orbweaver patiently waits for prey to wander into its trap, lured by the bright yellow poppy above. This is one of the most common orbweavers found in North America, and the can be found all over the world. This one was found about 20 feet from the Rio Grande river on the US-Mexico border in Hidalgo County on a bright winter afternoon.
    Arabesque Orbweaver (Neoscona arabesca)
  • Unusual for a swallowtail, the clodius parnassian is mostly white-colored and is a member of the snow apollo family of butterflies. It is usually found in the mountainous regions of the western states where it feeds on a large variety of native wildflowers. This one was found about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier in a meadow feeding on wild blackberry flowers near the Carbon River in Washington State.
    Clodius Parnassian
  • This beautiful, large butterfly could easily be mistaken for a swallowtail, but the Weidemeyer's admiral is another member of the brushfoot family (same as the monarch) and is mostly associated with the forested areas near streams in the Rocky Mountains and American Great Basin where it can easily find its larval host trees: aspens chokecherries and western serviceberries. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest.
    Weidemeyer's Admiral - 1
  • This beautiful, large butterfly could easily be mistaken for a swallowtail, but the Weidemeyer's admiral is another member of the brushfoot family (same as the monarch) and is mostly associated with the forested areas near streams in the Rocky Mountains and American Great Basin where it can easily find its larval host trees: aspens chokecherries and western serviceberries. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest.
    Weidemeyer's Admiral - 2
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 2
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of local wild dandelions just outside of Aspen, Colorado on a beautiful Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Painted Lady - 2
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of local wild dandelions just outside of Aspen, Colorado on a beautiful Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Painted Lady - 1
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This male was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 7
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This female was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 4
  • This northern walkingstick was almost missed as it perched, perfectly camouflaged as a twig on a prickly pear cactus in a field in Mission, Texas. This amazingly cool, herbivorous stick insect (also known as a phasmid) has a wide geographic range in North America, and can be found in all of the 38 states east of (and including) New Mexico and North Dakota, and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
    Northern Walkingstick-1
  • This northern walkingstick was almost missed as it perched, perfectly camouflaged as a twig on a prickly pear cactus in a field in Mission, Texas. This amazingly cool, herbivorous stick insect (also known as a phasmid) has a wide geographic range in North America, and can be found in all of the 38 states east of (and including) New Mexico and North Dakota, and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
    Northern Walkingstick-3
  • A very cool find: a western pondhawk dragonfly laying her eggs in a pond in Soos Creek in Kent, Washington! When the eggs hatch, the voracious aquatic nymphs that emerge will active hunt down any kind of aquatic insect it can find, such as mosquito and mayfly larvae, and even small fish and tadpoles until it is time for them to emerge from the water as adults.
    Female Western Pondhawk
  • The western pondhawk is a common dragonfly in the western states and provinces of North America. With its oversized jaws, it can overpower and devour most large flying insects such as butterflies, damselflies and even other dragonflies. It is most often seen perched on vegetation as it scans for a potential meal to fly by. This male was seen lying in wait along Soos Creek, in Kent, Washington.
    Male Western Pondhawk
  • The national butterfly of Finland, this tiny and fast-flying gossamer-wing butterfly is found across much of the world in the Northern Hemisphere. Like most blues, the underwings are spotted and splotched in specific patterns that are important for species identification, but the upper wings are often bright blue, hence their name. Unfortunately they seldom rest with their wings spread. This one was one of about a dozen found frantically skittering around a duck pond near Soos Creek in Kent, Washington State on a very hot summer day.
    Holly Blue Butterfly
  • This extremely common grasshopper is found nearly everywhere in North America where there is sand or disturbed areas like empty property lots or roadsides, and is often seen as it does a "buzzy" flight away from intruders with what almost looks like yellowish butterfly wings, then seems to disappear due to its excellent natural camouflage. While usually harmless and unimportant agriculturally, it has occasionally been cause of concern for some crops such as wheat or tobacco. This one was found near Naches, Washington on a hot summer day.
    Carolina Grasshopper
  • If a stink bug can ever be called "pretty" then this is probably one of the only candidates. This significantly troublesome agricultural pest attacks young tender shoots and leaves of many of our crop plants by puncturing these parts with a straw-like mouthpart and drinking the nutritious juices out of the plant, often causing injury or opening it up for diseases. When it feels threatened, it emits a terrible odor which gives the stink bug its name. This one was found near an apple orchard and wine vineyard just outside of Yakima, Washington.
    Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris)
  • Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful of all of the large dragonflies of Western Canada and the United States, the eight-spotted skimmer contrasts greatly with its environment, whether it is in lowland marshes and ponds or along desert creeks and rivers. This one was seen near the bank of the Tieton river in the sagebrush desert near Naches, Washington on a very hot summer day.
    Eight-spotted Skimmer
  • Perhaps the most strikingly beautiful of all of the large dragonflies of Western Canada and the United States, the eight-spotted skimmer contrasts greatly with its environment, whether it is in lowland marshes and ponds or along desert creeks and rivers. This one was seen perching over a duckweed-covered pond near Soos Creek, part of the Green River watershed system in Kent, Washington on a very hot summer day.
    Eight-spotted Skimmer
  • This attractive aster-loving skipper butterfly is found in the western half of North America from Northern Mexico to Southern Canada, and can be quite variable in appearance,  and coloration, but the distinct wing markings make it easy to identify. This one was found near Jackson, Wyoming where dozens were seen feeding on summer wildflowers in a field.
    Western Branded Skipper
  • This absolutely stunning hoary comma butterfly was chased down and photographed in Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park on a hot summer day. Common throughout most of Canada, this member of the brushfoot family of butterflies can also be found in most of the western United States at high altitudes where it searches for wild currant flowers.
    Hoary Comma
  • Also simply known as the yellow bumblebee, this colorful and large important nectarivorous pollinator is found throughout most of the Northern United  States and Southern Canada where it lives both above ground and below ground, typically in a location within 50 meters of a large food source (large patch of wildflowers). This particular bee was busily feeding from a bull thistle by Henderson Inlet on the Puget Sound, about five miles from Olympia Washington and a hot summer day.
    Golden Northern Bumblebee
  • Also simply known as the yellow bumblebee, this colorful and large important nectarivorous pollinator is found throughout most of the Northern United  States and Southern Canada where it lives both above ground and below ground, typically in a location within 50 meters of a large food source (large patch of wildflowers). This particular bee was busily feeding from a bull thistle by Henderson Inlet on the Puget Sound, about five miles from Olympia Washington and a hot summer day.
    Golden Northern Bumblebee
  • Also simply known as the yellow bumblebee, this colorful and large important nectarivorous pollinator is found throughout most of the Northern United  States and Southern Canada where it lives both above ground and below ground, typically in a location within 50 meters of a large food source (large patch of wildflowers). This particular bee was busily feeding from a bull thistle by Henderson Inlet on the Puget Sound, about five miles from Olympia Washington and a hot summer day.
    Golden Northern Bumblebee
  • Wind scorpions get their name because they are "fast like the wind". While related to scorpions, they fit into their own category or arachnids which also includes spiders. These highly aggressive solitary predators live in very dry, arid habitats where they hunt at night by actively zigzagging across across the ground or sand until they encounter and overpower an unfortunate insect, spider, scorpion or even the occasional lizard. Once pinned down with the two large front legs (pedipalps), the wind scorpion doesn't even wait to kill its prey. It will immediately start tearing into its meal with the two dark pincers near the mouth (they look like fangs) and devour it as quickly as possible, before the wind scorpion might in turn become the prey of some even larger predator. This one was stalked/chased and photographed in rural Cibola County, New Mexico, about 70 miles west of Albuquerque.
    Pale Windscorpion
  • Primarily found in Central America and Mexico, the band-celled sister (also known as the Mexican sister) is a beautiful brushfoot butterfly related to admiral butterflies. It has a range that extends from the very southern tip of Texas to Columbia and Venezuela where it feeds on nectar from Cordia, Croton, and Baccharis flowers, and sometimes rotting fruit. This one was photographed on a hot summer day near Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
    Band-celled Sister
  • Primarily found in Central America and Mexico, the band-celled sister (also known as the Mexican sister) is a beautiful brushfoot butterfly related to admiral butterflies. It has a range that extends from the very southern tip of Texas to Columbia and Venezuela where it feeds on nectar from Cordia, Croton, and Baccharis flowers, and sometimes rotting fruit. This one was photographed on a hot summer day near Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
    Band-celled Sister
  • Relatively common across the United States, Southern Canada and Northeastern Mexico, the bold jumping spider is easy to recognize. It is large for a jumping spider, is usually black and white (some of them have orange or red spots), but the most striking characteristic is the metallic green chelicerae (part above the fangs). This one was found actively hunting on a prickly pear cactus near Weslaco, Texas on a very hot summer afternoon.
    Bold Jumping Spider
  • An absolute stunner! Probably the coolest of all the orbweaver spiders, the spiny-backed orbweaver looks like it was designed by an anime artist and not something you'd find out in the wild, especially like this particularly beautiful one found on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida. Harmless to humans, these tiny spiders are most often found after walking into one of their suspended webs while walking in between trees.
    Spiny-backed Orbweaver (Gasteracanth..mis)
  • With a wingspan of 3/4" to 1", the tiny and delicate fatal metalmark is a common metalmark butterfly of the southern United States from Texas to California and can be found throughout Mexico and Guatemala. This one was found sunning itself in a prickly pear cactus patch on a warm November day in Rio Grande City, Texas in Starr County.
    Fatal Metalmark (Calephelis nemesis)
  • The energetic and tiny clouded slipper butterfly is a common southeastern butterfly that is mostly found year-round in Florida and Texas and can be found as far south as Columbia. This one was feeding on rose vervain just next to the Rio Grande under some mesquite trees in Hidalgo County, Texas on the US-Mexico border.
    Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius)
  • The energetic and tiny clouded slipper butterfly is a common southeastern butterfly that is mostly found year-round in Florida and Texas and can be found as far south as Columbia. This one was feeding on a bright red heart leaf hibiscus flower on the side of a road in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge near Alamo, Texas.
    Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius)
  • Primarily found in Central America and Mexico, the band-celled sister (also known as the Mexican sister) is a beautiful brushfoot butterfly related to admiral butterflies. It has a range that extends from the very southern tip of Texas to Columbia and Venezuela where it feeds on nectar from Cordia, Croton, and Baccharis flowers, and sometimes rotting fruit. This one was found flying around a hackberry tree in South Texas in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge on a hot early spring day.
    Band-celled Sister (Adelpha fessonia)
  • Unique underwing view of a red admiral butterfly feeding on what looks like sap a damaged shrub stem. Although the upper-side (top of the wings) is brightly-colored you can see how expertly camouflaged it is with its wings folded while resting in the shade. This one was found next to a pond near Alamo, Texas on a bright warm sunny winter day.
    Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
  • Unusual for a swallowtail, the clodius parnassian is mostly white-colored and is a member of the snow apollo family of butterflies. It is usually found in the mountainous regions of the western states where it feeds on a large variety of native wildflowers. This one was found about 15 miles northwest of Mount Rainier in a meadow feeding on wild blackberry flowers near the Carbon River in Washington State.
    Clodius Parnassian
  • Common throughout most of North America, the variegated meadowhawk is a small-to medium dragonfly in the skimmer family that can be found near ponds and somewhat stagnant water where it actively hunts and devours large numbers of mosquitos, like this one was doing next to a recently dried-up pond in Pharr, Texas. This brightly-colored red male was easy to identify by the two yellow spots on either side of its body.
    Male Variegated Meadowhawk
  • Common throughout most of North America, the variegated meadowhawk is a small-to medium dragonfly in the skimmer family that can be found near ponds and somewhat stagnant water where it actively hunts and devours large numbers of mosquitos, like this one was doing next to a recently dried-up pond in Pharr, Texas. This female is easy to identify by the two yellow spots at the bottom of the two whitish lines on either side of its body.
    Female Variegated Meadowhawk
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 6
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 5
  • Spectacular in orange, yellow and brown, the Milbert's tortoiseshell butterfly is a large and beautiful member of the brushfoot family found mostly in the western states of the USA, and across of all of the Canadian provinces, barely reaching south into the border states of the East. This one was found high in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado in the White River National Forest on a perfect Rocky Mountain summer day.
    Milbert's Tortoiseshell - 1
  • A perfect example of a Hydaspe fritillary butterfly feeds on a showy milkweed in the Carson National Forest of Northern New Mexico. This species is a somewhat common brushfoot butterfly found in the western mountains of North America, especially in the Sierras, Cascades and Rocky Mountains.
    Hydaspe Fritillary
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Painted Lady - 6
  • One of the most beautiful and well-known butterflies found around the world, the painted lady is commonly found across all of North America, but only less so in the southeastern-most part of the continent such as Florida and South Georgia. This one was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Painted Lady - 5
  • This unusual and moth-like native to Mexico just barely reaches into parts of Texas' southern tip and have very distinctive "hooked" forewings. Males are almost "dark chocolate" in coloration, while females are significantly lighter in color. These were found feeding on a local native wildflower in the Rio Grande Valley called Siam weed that is extremely toxic to most animals, but butterflies and bees love it.
    Sickle-Winged Skipper - 1
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This female was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 6
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This female was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 5
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This male was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 2
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This male was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 3
  • Often mistaken for a little orange moth, the fiery skipper is a very common butterfly of the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America that sometimes stays as far north as Southern Canada. It is very easy to distinguish from other orange skippers by having small black spots on the undersides of solid orange wings. This male was found and photographed feeding on the nectar of the locally native Siam weed in rural Willacy County, Texas - a dozen or so miles from the Mexican border.
    Fiery Skipper - 1
  • This northern walkingstick was almost missed as it perched, perfectly camouflaged as a twig on a prickly pear cactus in a field in Mission, Texas. This amazingly cool, herbivorous stick insect (also known as a phasmid) has a wide geographic range in North America, and can be found in all of the 38 states east of (and including) New Mexico and North Dakota, and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
    Northern Walkingstick-5
  • This northern walkingstick was almost missed as it perched, perfectly camouflaged as a twig on a prickly pear cactus in a field in Mission, Texas. This amazingly cool, herbivorous stick insect (also known as a phasmid) has a wide geographic range in North America, and can be found in all of the 38 states east of (and including) New Mexico and North Dakota, and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
    Northern Walkingstick-4
  • This northern walkingstick was almost missed as it perched, perfectly camouflaged as a twig on a prickly pear cactus in a field in Mission, Texas. This amazingly cool, herbivorous stick insect (also known as a phasmid) has a wide geographic range in North America, and can be found in all of the 38 states east of (and including) New Mexico and North Dakota, and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
    Northern Walkingstick-2
  • The western pondhawk is a common dragonfly in the western states and provinces of North America. With its oversized jaws, it can overpower and devour most large flying insects such as butterflies, damselflies and even other dragonflies. It is most often seen perched on vegetation as it scans for a potential meal to fly by. This male was seen lying in wait along Soos Creek, in Kent, Washington.
    Male Western Pondhawk
  • One of those maddeningly fast and difficult to photograph butterflies, the cabbage white never seems to stop flying, even while it is feeding. Although it is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa, it was accidentally released in Canada in the 1860's and spread throughout North America where it has become a pest to Brassicaceae crops (cabbage, kale, broccoli, horseradish, etc.) as the voracious little caterpillars are better known as the cabbage worm (not a real worm). This one was seen perching on some native buttercup leaves next to Soos Creek, part of the Green River watershed system in Kent, Washington on a very hot summer day.
    Cabbage White Butterfly
  • High on the plateau north of Moab, Utah, this extremely feisty and aggressive little Beck's desert scorpion was found under a shaded rock on a hot summer day at the far northeastern end of its range. I had to consult a professional arachnologist for the correct ID of this species as far too many of these small desert species look very similar.
    Beck's Desert Scorpion (Paruroctonus..cki)
  • Common across most of the United states except for the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains states, the American snout (all known as the common snout) is a master of camouflage with its squared-off wings and long "nose" resembling a leaf stem or twig. This member of the brushfoots family of butterflies is usually associated with its larval host plant, hackberry trees. This one was one of many found darting around the trees near a dry creek near the Rio Grand in the extreme southern part of Texas in Hidalgo County.
    American Snout 2
  • Common across most of the United states except for the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains states, the American snout (all known as the common snout) is a master of camouflage with its squared-off wings and long "nose" resembling a leaf stem or twig. This member of the brushfoots family of butterflies is usually associated with its larval host plant, hackberry trees. This one was one of many found darting around the trees near a dry creek near the Rio Grand in the extreme southern part of Texas in Hidalgo County.
    American Snout 1
  • If a stink bug can ever be called "pretty" then this is probably one of the only candidates. This significantly troublesome agricultural pest attacks young tender shoots and leaves of many of our crop plants by puncturing these parts with a straw-like mouthpart and drinking the nutritious juices out of the plant, often causing injury or opening it up for diseases. When it feels threatened, it emits a terrible odor which gives the stink bug its name. This one was found near an apple orchard and wine vineyard just outside of Yakima, Washington.
    Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris)
  • One of those maddeningly fast and difficult to photograph butterflies, the cabbage white never seems to stop flying, even while it is feeding. Although it is native to Europe, Asia and North Africa, it was accidentally released in Canada in the 1860's and spread throughout North America where it has become a pest to Brassicaceae crops (cabbage, kale, broccoli, horseradish, etc.) as the voracious little caterpillars are better known as the cabbage worm (not a real worm). This one was found feeding on Himalayan blackberry blossoms in an open field near the Carbon River near Mount Rainier, Washington.
    Cabbage White Butterfly
  • This attractive aster-loving skipper butterfly is found in the western half of North America from Northern Mexico to Southern Canada, and can be quite variable in appearance,  and coloration, but the distinct wing markings make it easy to identify. This one was found near Jackson, Wyoming where dozens were seen feeding on summer wildflowers in a field.
    Western Branded Skipper
  • This attractive aster-loving skipper butterfly is found in the western half of North America from Northern Mexico to Southern Canada, and can be quite variable in appearance,  and coloration, but the distinct wing markings make it easy to identify. This one was found near Jackson, Wyoming where dozens were seen feeding on summer wildflowers in a field.
    Western Branded Skipper
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