May fly hatch in late October

I did not identify, but there was a very large hatch on October 24 near the falls. As the evening went on towards dark, the hatch increased to the point where breathing became hard and my eyes where filled with may flys.

Hummingbird, NO; Moth, YES

This hummingbird moth is fascinating. He is feeding on the nectar of Wild Bee Balm or Oswego Tea (Monarda). I have seen several at River of Life Farm in 2008 and 2009. Since I am always watching for hummingbirds, these always catch me by surprise. They are fairly common, however.

Next time you see a hummingbird working some flowers at ROLF, look again and see if it is a Hummingbird moth.

Morarch and Cabbage on old Liatras and Mint

A new Monarch on an old Liatras. A cabbage butterfly on mint.

Common Cabbage Butterfly

Taken at ROLF in May, flying.

Tiger Swallowtail on Thistle Head

Taken late May 2009 with Canon 1DS Mark II and Canon 100mm Macro lens.

Lightning Bugs and Mayflies

Photo of lightning bugs at 11:00 PM from the  the porch a the Getaway (notice the outline of the river bank) and of Mayflies the next morning on the car windshield. 

Odoanta (dragon and damsel flies) of the North Fork

Here are just a few of the many Dragon Flies and Damsel Flies is saw in my August 2008 visit to ROLF.

Missouri Tarantula visits ROLF

This picture taken in September 2006 (can you see the angle of the sun?), is of a beautiful Missouri Tarantula. These spiders are actually quite common in the southern 1/3 of the state. This spider is easily 3-4 inches long and is probably a female.

Courtesy MDC: "This hairy species is Missouri's largest spider. Female tarantulas average approximately 60mm in length, the males 50mm. Body and legs are uniformly dark chocolate-brown, with reddish hairs on the carapace. 

The tarantula's large size and shaggy appearance is frightening to many people, leading them to believe it has a ferocious nature. It actually is a shy creature, quick to evade humans. Taranthulas are typically at home in areas seldom frequented by people. They appear to prefer dry, rocky glades, where they spend their days in silk-lined burrows in abandoned rodent or reptile tunnels or in other natural cavities. Like many hunting spiders, tarantulas are active at night, when they hunt for insects such as crickets. In late summer and fall, south Missourians often see these large arachnids crossing roads. This wandering phenomenon has been documented in male tarantulas in southern California, but it has not been studied in Missouri."

Hummingbird - NO !!! Hawk Moth - YES !!!

Last time I stayed at ROLF 8/7/08 there were plenty of hummingbirds drinking nectar from trumpet vines and then I saw this. Only today, 8/15, did I learn that this is a Hawk Moth. What a beautiful insect and quite an impostor too.

North Fork Butterflies

Here a few pictures taken 8/7/08 of summer flowers and butterflies along the North Fork.

Autumn Caddis hatch in 1990 on the North Fork

Pretty good numbers of adult caddisflies here as they climb up my shirt. On the North Fork in  autumn 1990. I have never seen this many since.

North Fork Stone Fly from below the Falls

A fair picture of a medium sized golden stone fly I caught below the falls; released unharmed. Obviously, these are much liked by wild trout in their nymph stage.