Pollinators at Work

Today’s post features an image I captured over the weekend. I have 3 patches of Showy Goldenrod planted in the church butterfly garden and all are profusely blooming right now. Being an “end of season” bloomer, the Goldenrod is near the top of the pollinator’s wish list at the buffet table, this late in the season.

The Goldenrod’s bright yellow flower is a “can’t miss” sight for lots of pollinators, like this bee I caught seeking nectar from the flowers:

Bee seeking nectar from a Showy Goldenrod flower

As the end of the blooming season nears, I’m sure many more pollinators will be visiting the butterfly garden … I will be there, camera in hand, to capture the beauty that visits us!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm macro lens + 36mm Extension Tube
  • Handheld
  • ISO 800
  • Aperture f/3.5
  • Shutter 1/8000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published September 20, 2023
Posted in: Insect Photography, Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: ,
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Let’s Get Really Small!

Today’s post features an image I captured over the weekend. With the annual fall Monarch migration in full swing, there have been lots of Monarchs visiting the church butterfly garden, here in the Missouri Ozarks.

This featured image shows the sizes of a Monarch egg (upper, lefthand edge of image) and a freshly-hatched Monarch caterpillar, as compared to a dime:

Monarch butterfly egg and very small caterpillar

As you can readily see, both are very, very small! I will have some more images, even videos, available soon. I have been spending LOTS of time over the past few days, monitoring and photographing both hatching eggs and the chrysallis formation of older caterpillars. I even spent an “all nighter” Sunday night/Monday morning, capturing images and videos of these processes. Hope to have them available soon!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm macro lens + 36mm Extension Tube
  • Bogen 3021 tripod, with ballhead
  • ISO 3200
  • Aperture f/13
  • Shutter 1/6 sec.
By James Braswell | Published September 12, 2023
Posted in: Butterfly Photography, Macro Photography | Tags: , ,
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Arachna-Thursday

CAUTION ARACHNOPHOBICS … You might not want to check out this beautiful spider!!!

Today’s post features a camera photo I captured yesterday while working in the church butterfly garden, here at the Lake of the Ozarks (Missouri).

While weeding, deadheading some of the flowers, and spreading fresh mulch, I noticed this beautiful and brilliantly-colored Goldenrod Spider casually walking across the mulch:

Goldenrod Spider

I do have several large clumps of Showy Goldenrod wildflowers in the garden, so I guess this little guy knew where he was and what he was doing!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Google Pixel 3 phone camera
By James Braswell | Published September 7, 2023
Posted in: Insect Photography, Nature Photography | Tags:
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The End of Summer is Near!

Today’s post features a few images I captured over the weekend while working in the church butterfly garden. Once you see Monarchs arriving in numbers, you know summer is coming to an end!

An adult Monarch collecting nectar from a Mexican Sunflower:

Monarch butterfly

A Monarch laying an egg on a milkweed leaf:

Monarch butterfly

A Monarch laying an egg on a whorled milkweed plant:

Monarch butterfly

A couple of Monarch caterpillars checking each other out:

Monarch caterpillars

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 100-400mm IS lens
  • Handheld, with IS “On”
  • ISO 400 and ISO 500
  • Aperture f/5.6 and f/11
  • Shutter 1/90 sec. to 1/2000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published September 6, 2023
Posted in: Butterfly Photography, Nature Photography | Tags: ,
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The One That Didn’t Get Away!

Today’s post features an image I captured a few years ago, near Port Aransas, Texas.

Whooping Crane with crab

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 500mm IS lens + Canon 1.4x TC
  • Bogen 3021 tripod and Wemberly gimbal head
  • ISO 200
  • Aperture f/5.6
  • Shutter 1/160 sec.
By James Braswell | Published August 30, 2023
Posted in: Bird Photography, Nature Photography | Tags: ,
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A Stick that Walks

Today’s post features an insect I have always been interested in … the Walking Stick. Every time I see one, I am amazed at the camouflage ability of this guy in the garden. I was lucky this time … as he moved across the mulched garden bed, it was easy to see him as he rested in my cast shadow on the bed!

Walking Stick

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Pixel 3 phone’s camera
By James Braswell | Published August 22, 2023
Posted in: Insect Photography, Nature Photography | Tags: ,
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