Insects & Spiders: Butterflies and Dragons Galleries

Dragons and Damsels : Note: September 1, 2011 - Deleted 51 photos. Amazing what a year or two will do. I used to settle for any capture. Now, I'm more discriminating. They've been around for 300 Million years, have lasted longer than we will, and they deserve a gallery of their own. The first 35 are of individual species, then it becomes a collection as I've taken them from mating to in-flight shots to damselflies (which aren't as well represented) to dragonflies in better and better settings. Almost all should be enlarged since the background initially may seem to interfere with subject. The latest photos are usually taken and posted because of the pose or surroundings rather than because they are of a "new" species, new to me. Want one secret to photographing dragons in particular? Know this about their behavior: the will land on one stalk or perch and revisit several times before taking off. Don't pan to find it or another. It will come back ... usually. The last photos were taken on the second or third landing.

Dragons and Damsels

Other Insects and Spiders : Butterflies, bugs, bees, spiders, and a couple of praying mantises. Step right up and see the only smiling spider (#72) or a praying mantis laying her eggs (#212). Most are best viewed in XLarge

Other Insects and Spiders

Butterflies and Moths : Butterflies, Skippers, Moths all but a very few taken in the wild (Walnut Creek Open Space, Mt. Diablo, and national parks). Skippers are butterflies, but many confuse them with moths.

Butterflies and Moths