Now that I have your attention with that riveting title, I wanted to share my weekend with you all. Mainly it is just to express my excitement for finally being able to photograph my favorite insect, the Eastern Hercules Beetle (Dynastes tityus). I haven’t personally seen this species since 1998 although that may not mean much. I do have a feeling that this large beetle has become more scarce in recent years due to habitat destruction.
Admittedly, I have been on a roll lately after having had discovered another favorite for the first time, the Reddish-Brown Stag Beetle (Lucanus capreolus) at our place as well a week or so ago. There I was, with a small snake in one hand and a grasshopper in the other when suddenly, I saw the Stag. What to do? Quickly covering the grasshopper with my hat, I grabbed the beetle and everyone received a complimentary portrait session before being allowed to go on their way.
So is it a coincidence that I’m seeing a greater abundance of invertebrates at our home or is it because we’ve been allowing it to “rewild” itself over the past several years? I feel that it might be a bit of both. I decided as soon as we moved in to leave any deadfall in the woods where it lay. So far so good I think!
Did any of you photograph anything of interest this weekend? I’d love to hear about it!By the way, I used the Sigma 15mm Rectilinear Fish-eye lens for this image.
a stunning looking insect Clay and the wide angle treatment works very well. It’s great that you’re seeing such species on your patch and I’m sure the ‘rewilding’ and build-up of dead wood must be helping. Sadly I didn’t photograph anything this weekend, the incessant wind and rain put paid to that!
Hi Clay,
I’m a big fan of successes in conservation, however local or wide-scale. When I worked in the sector I found that before you saw any results a new initiative or project was being rolled out. It’s therefore satisfying to see your actions come to fruition.
I expect I had some similar weather to Matt but managed a couple of shots of some Bee Orchids. This was another case of re-wilding as they were re-colonising an old theme park car park. It was the first time I had encountered these little beauties.
Bee Orchid
This time with field studio treatment
Cheers,
Chris
What an amazing insect and a superb shot, Clay – great to know that they are on your home patch. I am sure that your active ‘rewilding’ is creating habits for all sorts of things. After eight years here we have massive banks of lavender and a host of larval food plants so the butterflies this year are the best I have ever seen them.
I know that on our land insecticides have not been used for ages if ever (poverty had its advantages!). Trouble is that not far away the local authorities spray roadsides with some horrible chemicals . Too many shops catering for the small holder still have neonicotinoid products as old stock even thought they are banned. And when the Italian government bans Imidacloprid then you know its is pretty horrendous in spite of what Bayer AG claims!
Hi Matt,
Nice to hear from you! It really does feel good to see an increase in species and a revitalization taking place around our home. It can be so easy to feel helpless in the face of so many environmental issues but when one considers what can be done with the space that we do hold some influence over and then imagine whole neighborhoods and communities linking up to do the same well…wouldn’t that be something? We received some rain on Sunday night but could use more! Send some our way!
Hi Chris,
Thanks for sharing your photos and thoughts. I would so love to see this species in person one day. I would encourage you to do a wide shot showing where these are living if you can get it all in one scene. I think that would make a very powerful statement. Love the background on the first one and glad to see you shooting some field-studio work!
Hello Paul,
I remember as child seeing the “mosquito trucks” spewing out vile clouds of chemicals through our neighborhood. Fortunately, this practice seems to have stopped and in South Carolina of all places. As if this type of mass bombing really did any good anyway. We have plenty of immune mosquitoes that did quite well in spite of it all.
I can tell from your photos and stories and that your place has come a long way as well. It really doesn’t take much to move things in the right direction but I’m still always surprised when these things “magically” appear. It is terribly exciting to me!
My best,
Clay