I have a collection of insects that feed on milkweed. Except for ladybug and lacewing larva eating the aphids, almost nothing eats any milkweed feeders. Taste the sap. You will then know why. And remember, a little dab will do you.
Bill

Still monarchs here, but milkweed gone as of mid month. Withered, dry, plenty of bugs on seedpods though.
Bill

Have been beautiful. Photo opps every where. Here in Annapolis we have more waterfront than you may imagine. I wander and shoot. Carry dog treats for ladies dogs. Have a lot of dog friends. And a lot of lady friends. Some of these are from Blackwater area of Dorchester Co. Too early for eagles, only saw one. But soon many. And waterfowl.
So hope these please. Comments welcome.
Bill

Over three feet wide

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Brrr!!!!! Winter coming!

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Far as the eye can see. Marsh.

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Working/ teaching skipjack. Ooh, the sleek line.

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Downstream from Conwingo dam. Postage lable got a lot of laughs

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To say this weighs a ton is an understatement

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And by the way. I raised about thirty monarchs this summer. Rescues from road bushhogging.
Also found lots of other interesting critters.
Bill

Never cease to be amazed with frittalary pupa. Look like nothing else in nature for color and ornamentation. Four or five days to enclosure is my guess. A pool. I say Sat. three Nov. by 10 A.M your time.

Agree, except with me it would go out drunk. In a vial of 70% ethyl alcohol.THEN I might take a picture.I found one in AAco. Md.in 1980. Had people tell me they were not in Md. Found three more in Md.since. They are spreading. We are the vector.
I do suffer from aracnophobia a bit. Can handle turantulas, but the small ones give me the willie's. Same as Scutigera coleoptera. Never liked those things. If you have a set of the soft touch tweezers used in film developing, they are great for grabbing wasps, centipedes, biting true bugs, stink bugs, you get the idea.
Nicely shot.
Bill

Ain't that the truth!!!
No thesis needed.
Bill

Here Here. I noted your fresh, minty pseudonym.
I am a biologist manque. Life interrupted school.
No complaints.
Bill

I don't know so much about sex in plants, but I know that sex with female humans can be complex. I do not think that straightforward fits human sex for pleasure,either. Just another problem to dwell on in old age.
Bill

A post in macro of a wasp brought this up. Why are wasp and bee faces different in the sexes? Same for beetle horns in male beetles, stingers in wasps, etc. Many larger animals. Female Hawks the larger. Male deer larger, and antlers. Different reasons. If you consider bee and wasp faces, what are the jobs of the faces. Male makes no nest, no tunnels, no mud molding.needs. The female needs these adaptions. Large horned beetle males fight to mate. Bigger horns, more mating. Female doesn't need horns. Male deer fight, large horns needed. Male wasps do not sting. No sting. Why? it is a modified ovipositor, males do not lay eggs. Nature does not waste, and loves to recycle old ideas. Convergent evolution. But that ,as 'Firesign Theater' might say, is another story.
Goodnight all.
Bill

I think, since we touched on sexual dimorphism, that a bit more info may be useful. I am moving this to main photo discussion so as to not hijack this post. My thoughts and a few observations on the why's.
Bill

The female study a joke, however if you can call it a hobby, forensic anthropology would be one of mine. Have read the writings of many Dr. William Bass students.
He and others have a lot of stories of the days before forensics would be a reality. Dr. Snow was the subject of many. Never watched a human return to the earth, but many a roadkill to see succession of insects. Wrote on UHH about looks I got collecting. I used chopsticks as tweezers.
None of my studies have led to a degree. A lot of things I haven't used in years. Then came this site. NONE of my face to face friends are even remotely 'into' this.
One last bit. My Grandad used a 'coon' os , sharpened as a toothpick. I grew up coon hunting with him. Bring up theme to All in the family.
Bill
P S, I bet he was more of a character in person. Dr. Snow.

I looked a bit into this bug's bio.
Common in large areas of US. Feeds on seedpods of Mallows(Malvacae).
Used to control an invasive Albutalon in Midwest.
Hibernate in leaf litter, en masse, emerging in spring to mate and lay eggs.
Egg to adult one month, so many generations a year.
And now,R. I. P. Niesthrea louisianica.
Bill

Fly fishing, tying and repairing rods was about a twenty year phase. I am 71, like your likes, sir.
Bill. PS Did you know Hoagy Carmicheal' s son hand crafted bamboo rods about thirty, forty years ago?

And lastly. Look at that wasp. How can anything be so delicate and dainty, yet be so deadly?
Bill