This fiery skipper butterfly was feeding on top of a cluster of tree heliotrope flowers, some open, some about to bloom. It was one of a host of insects buzzing around the tree.
Posted in response to Becky’s April Squares challenge theme of ‘Top.’ See more responses here.
This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Lifted Spirits.’ See more offerings here.
It was uplifting to see this group of horses feeling in top form as they cavorted around a pasture off of old Saddle Road.
Also posted in response to Becky’s April Squares challenge theme of ‘Top.’ See more responses here.
The latest Bushboy’s Last on the Card photo challenge is for April 3, 2020. (See challenge rules and more responses here.)
I saw this seven-spotted ladybug on my usual walk along the coast (which is still permitted here). Its bright red elytra jumped out against the largely green background. I’m not sure what the weed in seed was that it was clambering over.
The top photo was the last on my card for that day. The other two were taken earlier in the same encounter and have been cropped and adjusted.
Sheep graze in the pastures alongside the lower section of old Saddle Road.
This wild pig was rooting around in a pasture alongside old Saddle Road. I was particularly taken by the ridge of coarse hair running along her back.
This young praying mantis was perched on an agave attenuata, but its tail-up pose, and the direction of the photo, give at strange appearance.
This week’s Friendly Friday challenge theme is ‘Yellow.’ See more responses here.
This is a good excuse to post more photos of bees foraging on bright yellow māmane flowers. Māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) is endemic to Hawaii, but while its flowers attract many insects, the seeds are highly toxic. The endangered palila, one of the last endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers, is a bird that feeds mostly on the māmane’s immature seed pods without any ill effect.
Mourning geckos are predominately nocturnal, but this one was caught out in the daylight. As geckos tend to do, it froze in place in such a way that I pictured it thinking I’d said, ‘Up against the wall (bad word here).’
Graham's Island 