This was a fairly dull day with periods of heavy snow but I was fortunate to capture this image during a dry spell.
At this time of year the deer are driven from the mountain tops to the lower slops and the floor of the glen as they seek some shelter, this makes it a bit easier to get a reasonable image of these impressive creatures.
links to official websites in sebastien mamy's profile
Senegal #1, Girafon
Senegal
Bandia Forest and Wildlife Reserve is not very big, but offers very nice landscapes and African typical species, like this little giraffe (girafon in French), which was 6 weeks old when I saw it in the distance .
Senegal, Africa, December 2011
Explore Dec 21, 2011 #23
Tiny doesn't begin to describe this delightful gray, orange-eye spotted butterfly! Albert and I have been looking for one for months and today he screamed out..." I think I got a Hairstreak!" At the same moment I yelled, "Over here There are two on this plant!"
This Hairstreak's full wing span is only 9/10 of an inch! Be sure to notice the two tail-like extensions on the wings. And the whimsical pattern of black spots outlined in white and their white hairy wing edges. They fly rapidly, flitting from side to side or in circles which make it difficult for human eyes to follow them!
Wait till you see the brilliant blue of its upper open wings!
Waltheria indica is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. Its crinkly leaves are minty-green, thick and juicy. Its yellow flowers are tiny and almost inconspicuous! Keep in mind this is 10 times magnification! The image below gives a better perspective.
Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Strymon istapa modesta
Waltheria, Waltheria indica
Arch Creek East Environmental Preserve, North Miami, FL
setting over West Hills as seen from Vista Bridge, Portland, OR Lightbox with shadow detail view. N57100
Paper wasps will defend themselves if disturbed... as I know all too well! In my environmental zeal, a few months ago I picked a discarded bag in the woods where I walk and discovered all too soon ( and too painfully) that it had a Chinese honey sauce packet inside it... and a swarm of Wasps that attacked and stung me repeatedly!
Paper wasps are 3⁄4 to 1 inch long. They gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, mix them with saliva, and use the resultant gray or brown papery material to construct water-resistant nests. Paper wasps are also sometimes called umbrella wasps due to their nests' distinctive design.
Their nests are constructed in protected places, under the eaves of buildings or in dense vegetation. There are 22 species of paper wasps in North America and about 700 worldwide. Most are found in the tropics of the western hemisphere. Paper wasps are black, brown or reddish in color with yellow markings.
Adults forage for nectar, their source of energy, and for caterpillars to feed their young so they are natural enemies of many garden insect pests.
A widespread North American species is the Golden Paper Wasp. Paper wasps are in the genus Polistes in the family Vespidae, which also includes potter wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets.
Golden Paper Wasp, Polistes fuscatus
Pink Powderpuff, Calliandra surinamensis
