The Insects Don't Seem To Mind The Heat

            <![CDATA[It was another hazy, hot and humid day here in Northeastern Pennsylvania yesterday. Temperatures again hovered in the mid 90's. I decided to stay close to home, and took a few shorter hikes in the heat, the first at the local Rails to Trails, with my macro lens. <a href="https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Insects-15.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-56811" src="https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Insects-15-300x200.jpg" alt="Insects -15" width="300" height="200" /></a>

There are not many flowers in bloom now, but the many species of insects sure were able to find those that were.  It was amazing to see the many types of insects attracted to the queen anne’s lace growing along the trail.

The most common now were the many types of grasshoppers. They seemed to be everywhere. 

The beautiful thistles are also blooming now. And they too attracted many insects, including these beautiful moths. 

It is amazing how many different types of bees and wasps there are in our area. I tried to photograph a very small, thin and unusual wasp but they would flee at the slightest move. 

And I came across these unusual insect, it seems to be some type of mantis with those large  pincers .  Here is a link to some more of the photographs from my morning hike. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-page-2/nggallery/photographs-page-two-blog/Insects-macro-August-13-2016-

I walked for about an hour in the heat, returned home for some water and a break, and then decided to take another hike out to one of our many local parks and lakes, this one only a few mile from my home, Lake Irena at the Community Park in Hazle Township. 

It was now midday and the heat was intense but there were still a lot of folks enjoying the shade of the old oak trees and having a picnic or just getting out of the sun. The insect, however didn’t mind the heat or sun. 

I first walked along the shore  of the lake, and found plenty of dragonflies darting about. I didn’t want  to stand in the hot sun to try and get close ups, that will wait for some cooler weather. 

Again I saw a lot of grasshoppers jumping about and this poor fellow who jumped into the lake. He was really struggling and seemed to look at me for help, well probably not, but I helped him get out of the water anyway. 

And this strange insect flew into the frame of my glasses and didn’t want to leave. 

I left the lake, to get out of the intense heat and sun, and walked along a path under some ancient oak trees. The shade was refreshing, and  the many mushrooms I found growing there, also seemed to appreciate it. 

The heat was exhausting so I left the park. I really enjoyed having an up close look at nature and the world of the insects and may do it again today. Here is a link to some more photographs from my walk at Community park. https://www.keepyoureyespeeled.net/photographs-page-2/nggallery/photographs-page-two-blog/-Community-Park-macro-August-13-2016-

“In summer the empire of insects spreads.”
― Adam Zagajewski

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