A Smattering of Macrophotography ~Part X~ As Summer Begins

(All photos taken by @paradigm42)
I invite you again to journey with me into the world of macrophotography. A place where I get excited to see a tiny insect sitting on a small wildflower. Where common flowers and insects are shown to be the true gifts from nature they are.

This interesting looking little bug is called a Flower Fly. There are several different types pattern wise, but in general they all mimic a small wasp in form and pattern for camouflage against predators. The Flower Fly however does not bite or sting. The adults drink nector from flowers and their larva eat aphids and other small garden pests, making them welcome additions to any garden ecosystem.

The wildflower our little friend is taking its repast from is called Prairie Fleabane. This commonly found wildflower is native to southern Canada and large areas of the US. A member of the Astor family, the leaves have astringent qualities and some medicinal uses. The flowers attract butterflies and various pollinators like our little friend.

Here we see two Flower Flies locked in the embrace of an intimate moment on a member of the Daisy family. (Or in a full out brawl lol.) Which one it is we may never know.. ;)

I love watching Ants. This one is hard at work clearing dirt. I am not sure what kind these are, but I happen to find Ants to be absolutely fascinating. I plan on doing a full informational post on local indigenous Ants in the future to go along with my macrophotography of them.

It is not easy to get good shots of them because they are constantly working and moving around. I can't wait until I get a better camera and lens to work with.

This pretty, vibrant, and sassy looking wildflower is called Spiderwort. It is a perennial (comes back every year) flower that I am lucky enough to have had made its home year after year among my Black Raspberries. I know summer has officially arrived when these are in full bloom!

Native to Canada and the Eastern US, the plant is fairly common in my area. It prefers moist soil and partial shade, and can be found in several different soil types and ph balances.
The entire plant from flower to roots is edible. The leaves can be used in salads or cooked in soups. The flowers make a pretty addition on top of a salad as well. Spiderwort also has several medicinal qualities well known in Native American medicine.

Speaking of Black Raspberries, I can't wait for mine to ripen! I am very lucky to have them growing all over the property. I'm especially excited this year because last years crop was decimated by an extreme heat wave that lasted two weeks as they fully ripened..

I have been taking photos throughout the growing process this year and look forward to sharing them along side plant info in a post with their own featured staring role!

This is definitely not one of my better photos.. It did however come out sort of cool looking in an abstract sort of way.

I went back out in the rain after walking Malcolm to get some photos of my cool looking visitor as it used my yard as a reststop on the last leg of its migration back up north. Unfortunately out of several macro shots these were my best of the bunch..

I am pleased to introduce to you to my cool looking visitor the Twelve-Spotted Skipper! This nifty looking Dragonfly's prefered habitat is near ponds and boggy areas which is how I know my yard was definitely a pit-stop to rest and perhaps grab a snack for the road.

In remembrance of spring now that it has past, I will leave you with some pretty mystery flowers I have yet to classify.

They bloomed around mid spring (early May this year around here) and only lasted a few weeks. I think they maybe a type of Honeysuckle, but don't quote me on it lol. If anyone knows what it is, please comment below.

And for a bonus macro shot.. Some Baby's Breath! (From a store bouquet of flowers.) Just because it's super pretty and looks like something a summer pixie or fairy would wear in their hair! ;)
I hope you have enjoyed this intro to summer through macrophotography.
As always remember that it is all about the little things in life and thanks for looking in! :)