Remembering Dad (who died a year and a half ago) on #FathersDay. It was Dad who encouraged my early interest in #nature and then, when I was in my teens, my passion for #WildlifePhotography.
Here he is in the #garden he loved so much, with some of the #wildlife he captured on camera there. Thanks Dad, and rest well.
Dad's #garden has provided me with many opportunities for #WildlifePhotography over the years, even when he was no longer able to tend to it. Pics here from 2016 to earlier this year, clockwise from top left: Common #Frog, #Robin, Seven-spot #Ladybird, and Brimstone #Butterfly.
Yesterday I was helping a friend in his garden, and saw quite a few ladybugs. We’re told the Asian Lady #Beetle is outcompeting local varieties, but I saw almost as many Western Polished Lady Beetles as ALBs. (The ALBs however were obviously engaged in furthering their success in #Oregon: Content Note for beetle sex!)
The name "ladybug" was coined by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them "beetle of Our Lady." This eventually was shortened to "lady beetle" and "ladybug." NASA even sent a few ladybugs into space with aphids to see how aphids would escape in zero gravity.
'I keep molting.
To become a shiny cool compact car that can fly.
But right now I'm still a baby.
So I'm taking a nap wrapped in a wafer paper-like blanket.' 🐞
A ladybug landing on you is supposed to be good luck! Even if you aren’t superstitious, they are good to have around. A single ladybug eats thousands of insects over their lifetime- mostly aphids & other pests.
I’m painting with more reds for #KWPrompts#IdleHues.
The ladybug has a sweet tooth for nectar and tea. It likes to visit cafés, where it can find both. It enjoys the warmth and the smell of the place. It is curious and adventurous, always looking for new flavors and experiences.