Steve Shinn:
Monarch butterflies at Pismo Beach, a mosaic in Monarchs at dawn. They don't start flying until they are warmed up.
Steve Shinn:
Monarch butterflies fighting, sexual assault in butterflies or just mating? Read below.
Steve Shinn:
Tachinid fly (Microphthalma disjuncta) on a Monarch caterpillar. The fly lays and egg on the caterpillar which then hatches and bores in. The resulting maggot eats the living host until it dies. It then bores out and decends on a thread to create a pupa
Steve Shinn:
Tachinid fly infestation on Monarchs
Steve Shinn:
Monarch metamorphis sequence, the old hangout. Monarch metamorphosis
Steve Shinn:
Monarch butterfly showing torn and damaged wings from a few too many fights.
Steve Shinn:
Monarch Butterfly A composite shows the difference.
Steve Shinn:
Monarch Butterfly cluster
Steve Shinn:
Monarch Butterfly, female, on chrysalis with autumn leaves. A late fall arrival in afternoon sunlight.
Steve Shinn:
Merry Chrysalis
Steve Shinn:
The night before chrysalis, a Monarch caterpillar prepares for metamorphosis. There have been a lot of Monarch larvae growing on our milkweed. I've been bringing them inside where they've set up a family tree.
Steve Shinn:
"The World's Smallest Butterfly", by a nose. Westen Pygmy Blue butterfly, Brephidium exilis.
Steve Shinn:
Western Pygmy Blue, Brephidium exilis, female, may be the world's smallest butterfly.
Steve Shinn:
Western Pygmy Blue, Brephidium exilis, male, the smallest butterfly in North America and maybe the World
Steve Shinn:
Western Pygmy Blue butterfly, Brephidium exilis, male,
Steve Shinn:
Tiny Jumping Spiders in a courtship dance. Note; the body of the larger one, female, is barely 1/4 inch long.
Steve Shinn:
Jumping Spiders mating; here the male inserts sperm into the epigynum of the female. I'm guessing that is according to the arachnid section of the Kama Sutra; he inserts sperm from his palp into her epigynum.
Steve Shinn:
Pucker up!! Giant African land snail portrait (Achatina achatina)
Steve Shinn:
California Dogface butterflies drop in to swarm a local mineral bar. How many do you see? There are at least 26, more after a few drinks........
Steve Shinn:
Crambid Snout Moth, Pyrausta volupialis. This little beauty caught my eye as it sat on a Basil leaf in the yard. This is only a "safety shot" but the little bugger took off before I could get a better angle.
Steve Shinn:
Convergent Ladybugs, Hippodamia congergens,
Steve Shinn:
Convergent Ladybug, Hippodamia congergens.
Steve Shinn:
Common Earthworm on tiny, wet mosses, showing setae and prostomium (uh-huh.. that's what I said....)
Steve Shinn:
Earthworm showing this part in the stretch phase of traveling move. The setae at the rear of the worm would be exteded to allow it to push the forward portion ahead.
Steve Shinn:
Earthworm in "grabbing" mode/ phase of movement using its setae allowing it to pull the smooth segments behind it.
Steve Shinn:
Earthworm eating soil, mouth is just behind prostonium
Steve Shinn:
Tiger Swallowtail on Rothrock's Lobelia
Steve Shinn:
Wild Honey Bee comb or hive (higher res. image available on request)
Steve Shinn:
Orb weavers, Black and yellow Argiope Spider (Argiope aurantia) female and tiny male on web.
Steve Shinn:
Crab spider eating fly "....and we'll do breakfast together!"
