FRITILLARY ON RED CLOVER

In the fierst week of July in interior Maine the fritillaries were everywhere on meadow flowers like red clover.

HONEYBEES ON THEIR PORCH

There is something very relaxing about watching honeybees as they carry out their various tasks at the entrance to their hives.

MORMON CRICKET (ADVANCED INSTAR)

Morman criskets are usually not very common in Morgan County, Colorado. This 2.5-inch bruiser is only a juvenile (no wings yet).

WORN MOURNING CLOAK BUTTERFLY ON JOE-PYE-WEED

Joe-pye-weed grows tall on the inland edges of cattail marshes and serves as a deli and landing site for many showy and less showy insects. Here a well worn mourning cloak butterfly tanks up.

ORB WEAVER WRAPPING A VICTIM

This large orb-weaver - some sort of garden spider - set up housekeeping in roadside weeds next to a marsh in the Rangeley country of northwestern Maine. Here it is packaging a kill.

CICADA KILLER WASP ON JOE-PYE-WEED

Giant cicada killer wasps (females are almost 2" long) are uncommon most years, but reach their peaks every 17 years when the cicadas hatch.

COMMON CHECKERED SKIPPERS ON WET GRAVEL

Common skippers are very active and can be found in virtually all habitats in eastern Colorado in the summer. They are about the size of a nickel.

FEMALE WIDOW SKIMMER DRAGONFLY

Look for widow skimmers patrolling cattail marshes and grassy wetlands in eastern Colorado. The male and female are differently colored.