Banded Gecko
An extremely common, yet (due to their small size and nocturnal habits) rarely encountered lizard, the banded is Arizona’s only native gecko. Picture Rocks, AZ, USA.
Beautiful Box Turtle
Meet the most colorful ornate box turtle I’ve met. He was sitting right on the edge of a small clearing, making for a perfect photo-op! Willcox, AZ.
Bee Take-off
Having finished his/her thistle flower pit stop, this busy honeybee takes off for the next blossom. Photo taken near Hartleton, PA, USA.
Bee Take-Off
Having finished his/her thistle flower pit stop, this busy honeybee takes off for the next blossom. Photo taken near Hartleton, PA, USA.
Big Sur
When cruising the Pacific Coastal Hwy, one can hardly help but periodically gasp in awe at the marvelous sights.
South of Big Sur, CA.
Bioluminescence
There are a number of mushroom species that actually glow in the dark. These appear to be one of them. Bald Eagle Forest, PA.
Bison Breath
On this chilly late-May morning, many of the bison were covered in frost and their breath was quite visible in the cold air. One can only imagine what they endure just to survive the frigid winters and feet of snow which blanket the ground. Yellowstone Nat Park, WY.
Bison Bulls
Early in the morning, a powerful bison bull leads his companions to the open grasslands for food. Yellowstone Nat Park, WY.
Blacklit Scorpion
Due to the chemical composition of their exoskeletons, most (if not all) scorpions glow blue when viewed at night, using a black light. Arizona Bark Scorpion photographed near Tucson, AZ, USA.
Blister Beetle Take-Off
Despite their potential to secrete a nasty irritant, blister beetles tend to be quite lovely. Southeast Arizona.
Blue Fungus Beetle
Hence the name, the blue fungus beetle sports his aptly-named attire and seems to feeds exclusively on fungus. Madera Canyon, AZ.
Bolts of Lightning
Few weather spectacles are quite as spectacular as a lightning storm in the wide, open desert.
Saguaro National Park West, AZ, USA.
Butterfly Tongue
This is what it looks like when a butterfly sticks it’s tongue out at you. Featured is a tiny skipper, enjoying the nectar of the invasive crown vetch plant. Photo taken near Hartleton, PA, USA.
Buzzing Bees
You may or may not be aware, but the vast majority of all Arizona honey bees are Africanized (killer bees). They have a rightfully-deserved fearsome reputation, but there are a lot of great things about these bees. For starters, they are wonderful pollinators and have shown a stronger resistance to neonicotinoids (the stuff found in many insecticides that kills bees) than many other bee species. They also only attack when you’re close to a hive and provide warnings before attacking. Several bees will actually fly into any creatures they deem as beeing too close, so if you ever have bees flying into you, best turn around. After a number of headbutts and the continued approach of a trespasser, the killer bee hive may then mobilize their troops and attack, earning their “killer” reputation. Africanized bees can be kind of scary, but they rarely cause death and at least they warn us. The toxic outdoor chemicals we use (insecticides, roundup, etc) just cause instant death to our tiny friends, and slow, cancerous deaths to us. Please just stop using any type of outdoor chemical that ends in “cide”
Cactus and Flowers
An array of wildflowers surround this once majestic saguaro. Globe mallow, lupine, and owl clover can all be seen if you look closely enough. Saguaro National Park East, AZ.
Cactus Eyes
“What lovely eyes you have, Mr. Cactus!” Photographed in Tucson, AZ, USA.
Carolina Wolf Spider
A Carolina Wolf Spider, briefly interrupted from it’s search for food. For this shot, I had to lay on the ground, less than a foot from my subject. Photographed near Tucson, AZ, USA.
Cattail Droplets
The subtle beauty of water droplets on a cattail plant that had recently gone to seed. Photographed in Hartleton, PA, USA.
Charming Chanterelles
Although I didn’t taste-test, this probable chanterelle cluster was a beautiful contrast against the otherwise green forest. Bald Eagle Forest, PA.
Click Beetles
An emerald click beetle occupies the foreground while a number of other insects enjoy the riches of this yellow-eyed susan. Madera Canyon, AZ.
Coral Fungus
The aptly-named coral fungus stands proudly amidst a sea of sphagnum. Bald Eagle Forest, PA.
Cottonwood Mask
On this windy day, the colorful cottonwood leaves kept blowing in front of the owl’s face. This fearsome great-horned owl sat only 10 or so feet above the ground at a city park.
Cottonwood Stag
A stunning cottonwood stag beetle as seen from above. Portal, AZ.
Crab Spider
A tiny northern crab spider awaits prey from a stalk of the aforementioned goldenrod plant. Photo taken in Winfield, PA, USA.