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An iridescent dogbane leaf beetle found during BiodiversiTREE, #SERC's long-term #citizenscience project investigating the power of diversity in forests.http://www.serc.si.edu/citizenscience/biodiversitree/home.aspx Photo by @coraline_k (at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland)
A small butterfly on clover at #SERC. (at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland)
Calledapteryx dryopterata, Brown Scallopwing Moth
Photo by Robert Aguilar, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland.
Baby praying mantis in the grass at #SERC. Photo by @coraline_k (at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center)
A swamp milkweed leaf beetle, Labidomera clivicollis, sequesters toxic steroids from the milkweed it eats in its body, making it poisonous to predators. Its Halloween-ish colors warn predators it doesn’t make a good snack!
Photo by Robert Aguilar, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Taken during SERC’s BugBlitz in Edgewater, Maryland.
A banded tussock moth, Halysidota tessellaris. The species name tessellaris refers to the tessellated checkered patterns on its wings.
Photo by SERC, taken at BugBlitz in Edgewater, Maryland.
A summer azure (Celastrina neglecta) on a clover head. This small butterfly has a wingspan of about one inch.
Photo credit to Bonnie Ott. Taken during SERC’s BugBlitz in Edgewater, Maryland.
Happy fourth day of National Pollinator Week!
This beautiful bee photo is from smallforever.
Yucca is a genus in the family Agavaceae. Members of this genus have a mutualistic relationship with species of moths, which exclusively pollinate the flowers. The insects in this picture are not the pollinating moths, however. These are beetles in the genus Mycterus, commonly known as yucca beetles. These bugs are attracted to the new flowers of the yucca plant and eat the petals for sustenance. Follow for more plant facts and photos!
We’ll celebrate day three of National Pollinator Week with this Appalachian Brown butterfly. Check out those blue eyes and eyespots!
Photo credit to Bonnie Ott. Taken during SERC’s BugBlitz in Edgewater, Maryland.
Photo credit to Jim Fowler.
A horsefly is less attracted to a zebra’s stripes than a plain horse hide.
Photo credit to Bonnie Ott. Taken during SERC’s BugBlitz in Edgewater, Maryland.
These moths look a bit like Rorschach tests.
Photos by Robert Aguilar, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland. Taken during SERC’s BugBlitz.
Damselflies and dragonflies...what’s the difference?
Damselflies are more slender and their wings come to their sides at rest. Dragonflies have thicker bodies and their wings remain extended when perched.
Photo credit: Bonnie Ott. Taken during the BugBlitz at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.
An iridescent find from SERC’s recent BugBlitz! The dogbane beetle eats and lives on dogbane and milkweed plants.
Photo by Robert Aguilar, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland.
