the threat of a bombardier beetle

 

with abdomen in the air

ready to spray

keep poking, i dare you

 

(by julia mlynarek)

 

cold windy day in may

 

clumps of bright green sedges scattered on the forest floor

gently swaying leaves decorated with closed gray wings

mayflies dreaming of warming before swarming

 

(by marcia waterway)

 

morpho release

 

swirling the greenhouse, elusive blue

ringed eyes in formation watching from closed wings

sipping on papaya

 

(by marcia waterway)

desert pollination

 

carpenter bees in the morning

honey bees in the afternoon

creosote bush doesn’t seem to care

 

sun spider in the night

 

a sun spider ran into the circle of our lantern light

stole an insect from the swarm there

and dragged it back into the darkness

 

on progress in evolution

 

organisms don’t strive to evolve

merely passengers

no final destination

 

(a student on my final exam in evolution)

 

winter’s end

 

first to walk the melting snow

winter stoneflies brave the day

spring is on its way

 

(by julia mlynarek)