Insects And Other Stuff Up Close, A Hike With My Macro Lens At The PPL Wetlands.

It was another busy week, between work and looking for wild mushrooms,  and I’m  just now getting some time to throw together this quick blog post from one of my hikes last weekend at the PPL Wetland were I took some photographs of some insects. . 

It is now mushroom season here in Northeastern Pennsylvania so I spend much of my time exploring the woods looking for edible  wild mushrooms. Sorry but I am not going to share those locations here on my blog. like most mushroom hunters we keep those spots secret. I spent most of my Saturday looking for mushrooms, and found some, but also had some time to get a quick hike in the PPL Wetlands with my macro lens.

 I am continually amazed every time I get to walk with my macro lens, since it   always   allows me to see  beauty in almost everything in nature. 

The waters of the wetland are now warm and covered in a deep green layer of duckweed.  The frogs and turtles are harder to find since they can now stay hidden in the warm waters but occasionally I would still see a turtle or frog one a log or along the banks of one of the ponds or canals. 

It is now mid summer and the blackberries are now becoming ripe. 

And the black walnut trees,

 and hickory nut trees will soon be providing food for the wildlife in the wetlands. I may gather a few of the hickory nuts myself, if I can get them before the squirrels. 

I again took some photographs of the many dragonflies and damselflies that are now darting above the waters of the wetlands. 

It seems, like snowflakes, no two, even of the same species are alike. Here is a link to some more photographs of the dragonflies I saw on my walk. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-2017/nggallery/photographs-2017/PPL-Wetlands-dragonflies-July-22-2017-

Two weeks ago  I found the milkweed in bloom and visited by a wide variety of butterflies. Last week I found the thistle blooming and, like the milkweed, it too attracts a wide range of butterflies, bees and wasp and other insects. 

I took some close up photographs of this eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly.  

The delicate and intricate wings are amazing seen up close.

There were also a number of different wasps, and bees  of all sizes and shapes visiting the bright purple flowers. 

I spent much more time then I had planned observing, and photographing the many insects that visited this one thistle plant. Here is a link to some of the photographs. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-2017/nggallery/photographs-2017/PPL-Wetlands-thistle-July-22-2017–

I also encountered a lot of insect on my hike, including this large wasp.

And. with so many insects in the wetlands there were plenty of flycatchers and other birds perched on the branches waiting for an easy meal. 

I also saw a few birds including the usual catbirds, robins red winged blackbirds and this great blue heron who heard me coming this week and didn’t wait around for a picture. 

And these elusive young wood ducks. 

I wish I could have spent more down exploring this wonderful place but I was off to my mushroom woods to look for dinner. It was another great summer day, they all are. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike in the wetlands. https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-2017/nggallery/photographs-2017/PPL-Wetlands-July-22-2017-

“Around a flowering tree, one finds many insects.”
–  Proverb from Guinea