"What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked." -Aldo Leopold
This golden tortoise beetle (not golden during this photo shoot) was found during an insect survey that some WGNSS members participated in at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center.
I only managed to photograph one of the Spiranthes this year. I had opportunities for others, but I just couldn’t get to the right place at the right time. Good news is that it shouldn’t be too difficult to add them next year.
A bit closer really shows off the delicate details in flower and twisting stem.
These special butterflies, endangered or threatened across much of their small range, have their stronghold in the state of Missouri. These images were taken in St. Francis Co., MO.
That’s right, this special one visited my home garden one afternoon and allowed me to grab some shots. The mantidfly are categorized in the order Neuroptera along with the lacewings.
Probably obvious, this species is believed to mimic the paper wasps (Polistes) as a potential deterrent to predation. Without a close glance, it would be easy to mistake this species for a wasp with the potential to deliver a nasty sting.
As if their appearance wasn’t crazy enough, larvae of the Mantispinae, the subfamily this species belongs to, feed by paristizing spiders and their eggs!
-OZB
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 