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Backyard photo session with butterflies, bees, wasps and a hummingbird

August 9, 2021 by Tony Leave a Comment

Backyard photo session with butterflies, bees, wasps and a hummingbird
A cabbage white butterfly on a flower. (© Tony’s Takes)

I have bragged before about the beautiful job my wife did over a period of three years turning much of our backyard into an oasis for us as well as birds and insects.

After being out of town for much of a week, I desperately needed to catch up on yardwork yesterday so I skipped my usual photo excursion. After much of the work was done though, I broke out the camera and spent some time in the yard photographing some of the cool visitors.

Among them, a cabbage white butterfly, a young broad-tailed hummingbird, a European paper wasp and an orange-belted bumblebee. It was late morning by the time I took these and the light was kind of harsh but fun stuff to see no matter the time of day.

Much of the work was done thanks to Thornton Water Conservation and is a certified National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat.

A European paper wasp works on a flower. (© Tony's Takes)
A European paper wasp works on a flower. (© Tony’s Takes)
A hummingbird gets a drink from a zauschneria. (© Tony's Takes)
A hummingbird gets a drink from a zauschneria. (© Tony’s Takes)
An orange belted bumblebee holds onto a flower. (© Tony's Takes)
An orange belted bumblebee holds onto a flower. (© Tony’s Takes)

Paper wasp looks for an afternoon meal

June 16, 2020 by Tony Leave a Comment

Paper #wasp looks for an afternoon meal
A European paper wasp investigates a flower in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

This is one cool looking dude when you get a close view. As my wife’s flower gardens are in full bloom, I have been taking my macro lens out to play with the bugs.

While bees don’t really bother me, I have to admit, wasps kind of freak me out. I figure if a bee stings me, at least I have the satisfaction that it will die afterwards. Wasps though, those buggers hit you and keep coming after you – and I have had it happen.

Last week there were quite a few paper wasps sucking nectar from the flowers so I set aside my irrational fear and stuck my camera right up close to some. I really can’t help but be amazed at the intricacy and detail of their coloring. They do look pretty danged neat – as long as they aren’t chasing me. 😀

Doing some research, I learned this is a European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) – distinguished from the more common yellowjacket by its yellow / orange antennae.

They were first found on the East Coast in the 1970s and have worked their way west, first arriving in Colorado sometime soon before 2000 and are now quite common.

Interestingly enough, they are generally less aggressive than yellowjackets and some types of bees. I guess maybe I don’t need to be so freaked out by them. Haha.

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