Great Leopard Moth

 

This stunning spotted moth is the Great Leopard Moth (Hypercompe scribonia). A very fitting name I might add. Just look at those black circles, are they not reminiscent of a leopard? This moth belongs to the family of moths called Arctiidae, which are the "tiger moths". Great Leopard Moths are found in shrubby areas along roadsides, in gardens and along timbered edges (which is where this one was found) throughout the Eastern United States, west to Texas, north to Michigan and into southern Ontario. I'm not sure how common they are, although I do know they are not as common as many of the other species of tiger moths. In the past 5 years I've only ever seen 2. They are fairly large with a wingspan up to 3 inches. As beautiful as their wings are it is their body that is magnificent. It is a striking combination of bright blue and bright orange.

Females will emit a pheromone (Chemical perfume) to attract males, which are capable of smelling her fragrance from great distances. After mating, the female will lay her eggs on a wide variety of vegetation including Plantain, Maple, Violet, Willow, Dandelion, and Cherry to name but a few. Very likely the female perishes shortly after laying her eggs. The eggs will hatch and the young caterpillars will overwinter in leaf litter. As soon as the temperatures begin to rises the caterpillars will become active and seek food. These little munchers grow rapidly and complete their life cycle in a matter of weeks.

The caterpillars are one of the infamous "wooly bear' caterpillars. Reaching lengths up to 3 inches and covered in dense black hair with a reddish colored skin they are unmistakable.
Most likely the adults do not feed. Instead they consume so much food and nutrients as a caterpillar they merely concentrate on mating and egg laying in their adult stage.
When disturbed these moths have a unique defense mechanism, to deter possible predators they will release a yellowish goo from their eyes. This liquid goo is distasteful to would-be predators and is sure to leave a bad taste in their mouth. This is a trait common to tiger moths. Plus it looks creepy too!

A friend of mine was so enamored of these moths that he was prompted to write a verse about them....I thought I would share it with you.

Great Leopard Moth

If predators will do some screening

And I'm sure they'll give me a bye

In that yellow goop there's a whole new meaning

To the old phrase "evil eye"

By: Richard Lewin

(picture provided by Jkc133---

who found one of these beautiful

moths and is keeping it in a critter keeper. 

She has already laid eggs and the plan to

raise the caterpillars. You can see the eggs attached to the

limb in the critter keeper)

 

Wolf Spiders are very common in Missouri. I have hundreds of them all around our farm and see them frequently. Some of them get quite large, in fact we had one we dubbed "Hairy", that resided in our hog farrowing house. She was easily the size of my hand . She was straight up creepy! I was terribly afraid of spiders back then and had trepidations about going into the hog house. I would open the door and look around on the floor making sure she was no where in sight. Occasionally she would be sitting right inside the door looking up at me with those 8 beady eyes. I would carefully reach for the shovel (when spiders come the size of small dogs, a shovel is an apt weapon) by the time I had my hand on the shovel she would skitter under a crate or nearby table. DRAT! Now I had to feed those pigs, knowing that darn spider was on the loose. I would get visions of this huge "hairy" spider crawling up my pant leg. I started tucking my pant legs into my slop boots to prevent that from ever happening. 

This little scenario played out several times....open door, find spider staring with beady eyes, reach for shovel, spider scrams! I never did succeed in smashing that devious spider. I am convinced this was a game she played to intimidate me....and let me tell you, it worked. Many years have passed since those days when we farrowed hogs. Now looking back I'm glad I did not succeed in offing that spider. If truth be told I guess I kind of admired her swiftness and ingenuity. She seemed to possess an uncanny ability to read my thoughts, and acted accordingly (or perhaps that is my fanciful mind getting the better of me). 

My phobic-like fears have subsided over the years and now I leave spiders in peace. I guess there is truth in the old saying "that you must face your fears, in order to overcome them". I have certainly been tested to that end many times over where spiders are concerned. Now I just appreciate the insect control they are providing. 

The wolf spider pictured here was found near our Koi pond. I had never before seen one so dark, almost black. She was truly a beautiful spider. I managed to capture a quick picture of her in retreat mode. Perhaps she talked to Hairy, and decided it was time to scoot!

An Inordinate Fondness is up and off to a great start

If you love arthropods, especially beetles, check out this exciting first issue of An Inordinate Fondness It is jam packed full of exciting, informative, fun and did I mention exciting, beetle mania! One of my beetle blogs even made the list.

New year, New Look

I thought since a new year is upon us, and spring is hopefully fast approaching, that it called for a new look to MObugs.

It has been over a year since I signed onto blogger and made my very first post about insects. 2009 was a hectic year and a productive year. I added numerous species of insects to my "life list". We made a trip to Tennessee where I found interesting insect life in the wilds of the Smoky Mountains. A trip to Truman Lake brought with it my very first sighting of a Brown Recluse and a Black Widow. What are the odds of seeing both venomous spiders indigenous to Missouri on the same weekend? I walked countless miles around our farm in search of new and unique specimens and each outing brought something wonderful to see. If photographs were counted in miles, my camera has walked around the Earth at least twice! I am looking forward to warmer weather and to see what 2010 will bring.

Thank you to my followers for your input, advise and sometimes corrections. Each comment is welcome and happily received. I enjoy learning from each of your experiences and hope that you have a similar feeling while visiting MoBugs.

Your Buggy Friend
Shelly

Spiders, the stuff of nightmares?

EEEEKKKKKK!!!!! It's ATTACK of the GiAnT SpidErS!!!!

OK...just kidding, but you can see by this closeup of a common wolf spider how movie makers made that leap from harmless garden variety spider, to giant scary monster. For more years than many of us can recall the film industry has had a hey-day creating an unreasonable fear of anything 8-legged, furry and in their summation creepy. While I do agree spiders are not exactly cuddly, they are far from the evil masterminds that perpetrate all sorts of woes against mankind. In fact the exact opposite is true, spiders should be considered a friend to humans.They are insect eating machines and have devised all sorts of unique ways for capturing those nuisance bugs. Many spiders build easily recognized webs that often times hang from the eaves of our homes, or perhaps from the plants in our gardens. Many other spiders stalk their prey, much like a cat stalks a mouse. Pouncing on their victim at the last possible second, and subduing them with great speed and dexterity. Still other spiders build "trap doors" in the ground and pull their victim into their lair to meet an untimely death. There are even spiders that use "lures" to trick their prey into biting, only to discover too late that predator is about to become prey. 

 

(Wolf Spider)

Spiders come well equipped for hunting, most species possess eight eyes, giving them incredible eyesight. There are a few species, such as the brown recluse that only have six eyes, but this does not deter them in the slightest where hunting is concerned. Almost all spiders have venom, and can deliver this toxic brew through fangs often times much larger than would seem necessary for the job. Look at the fuzzy yellow fur covering the fangs on this girl! Most, but obviously not all spider venom is harmless to humans. The venom is only deadly if you are six or eight legged creature deemed worthy of dinner for one of these master hunters. In fact most spiders have fangs too weak to bite through human skin. Some of the larger spiders would be capable of biting us, but rarely do unless mishandled. Exceptions to this in Missouri would be the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. 

                 (Brown Recluse)

 Brown Recluses have been given a bad rap for many years. Yes, they do possess venom that can potentially cause necroses (skin rotting).  If left untreated these wounds can become infected and cause a life threatening situation. This would be in EXTREME CASES! Most recluse bites go unnoticed by people, their fangs are so sharp that the bite is generally not felt. The venom typically causes skin irritation and itching at the sight of the bite and nothing more. In about 2-3 % of the cases a severe reaction will occur and medical treatment will be required. The bite itself is not fatal, unless you happen to be incredibly allergic to their venom. It is the secondary infections from leaving the bite untreated that could result in death. My advise when it comes to these spiders, look but don't touch. If they are in your home or somewhere you do not want them to be, try to scoop them into a cup or container and relocate them outside far away from their original location. One key to identifying these spiders is the "violin" shape on the back of the head (cephalothorax). The tricky thing is....not all specimens have this violin. In Missouri I've seen many of these spiders and in each case they have all had the violin shape on their head. Perhaps in Missouri this holds true for most specimens. I know in Missouri they are often called the Fiddler Spider.

Black Widows are the bad girls of the spider realm (at least in Missouri). There are several different species that call Missouri home and they are a secretive lot. They build messy little webs in the rafters or corners of buildings, basements, cellars, under rocks, in wood piles, even in the holes on golf course greens. The bite from one of these spiders is a nasty experience. It is said that their venom is ounce-for-ounce more toxic than a rattlesnakes. I know of no deaths that have occurred in Missouri as a result from a bite of one of these glossy black beauties, but I've heard tales of many painful encounters.

  

(Black Widow---Photo By: Steve Scott)

The poison of the black widow spider affects nervous system function. The bite causes severe pain in the vicinity of the bite, accompanied later by dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and breathing difficulty. A physician should be contacted immediately. Black widows rarely leave their web, preferring instead to let food come to them. Bites to humans typically occur when coming into direct contact with the web or pinning the spider against your body. Black widows are predominantly a nocturnal species and will rarely be seen during the day, unless you happen to turn over a rock or log and find one. I've only ever encountered one in my lifetime. It was a small female found under a rock while walking and exploring the glades at Truman State Park near Warsaw, Missouri. While moving rocks and trying to corral her for a photo I accidently killed her. I felt terrible....not only had a I killed a beautiful spider that wasn't hurting anyone, I missed a great photo opportunity! I was just a bit too overzealous and excited!

 

(Ant Mimic Spider)

With over 300 known spider species in Missouri, there is no shortage of interesting and incredible eight-legged creature to study. Spiders can be found most anywhere, and are probably the most encountered of all the arthropods with exception to flies and mosquitoes. I find them in my basement and admittedly used to be scared to death of them and smashed everyone I saw. Fortunately for the spiders I overcame this unreasonable fear and now let them be. I instead appreciate the service they are providing, for free I might add, by killing all sorts of unwanted creatures that make their way into our basement. 

I remember when I was a small girl my grandfather found a very large spider in his basement. He had no idea what the spider was, so he took it to the local college and had the professors look at it in the biology department. They informed him that it was a harmless wolf spider and that he should go place it back in his basement and let it do what they do best, eat bugs. Dutifully my grandpa returned home, and quietly retreated to the basement and secretly let this spider go. Winking at me, he said, "this will be our little secret". Knowing full well if my grandma got wind of there being a spider the size of a silver dollar in the basement, he would never have clean clothes to wear again. I figure my grandpa had the right idea. So all of you borderline arachnid-phobes out there; try not to buy into what the movie producers what you to believe. No giant flesh eating monster spiders are going to attack you while you sleep. You are safe. For now.

Bird Dropping Moth

There are many different species of "Bird Dropping Moths" in the family Noctuidae which are the owlet moths. They are small moths, in fact I think this particular species is called "Small Bird Dropping Moth (Tarachidia erastrioides). Usually less than 1/2 inch in length, and various shades of white, brown and olive green; give them the appearance of "bird waste" from which they get their common name. One can assume this resemblance to something so distasteful gives them protection from predation, after all who, or what, would want to eat bird poo? YUCK!

Bird Dropping Moths can be found throughout the United States and Canada. Missouri is home to several species:   Like the one pictured here called the "Exposed Bird Dropping Moth (Acontia aprica). They can be found in gardens, open fields, backyards, and often come to lights at night. They are easily flushed from tall grasses during the day. They nectar at flowers and are often seen during the daytime.

(Photo By: Steve Scott)

Another bird dropping moth, and my personal favorite is the "Beautiful Wood Nymph" (Eudryas grata). It is easy to see where they get their common name, they truly are beautiful. They are a cornucopia of colors, lovely chocolate browns, cream, mustard yellow, olive green and white all combined to give the illusion of bird dung, but I must say this is the prettiest pile of poo out there. Their little legs are even cute and look like they are all covered in fuzzy nylons. I typically see 4 or 5 of these each summer near our porch light or a pole light on the shed. They do not seem to be as plentiful as other species of bird dropping moths, at least not in my general area of NW Missouri.

(Photo By: Steve Scott)

Mother nature has no limitations on her imagination or originality. She will go to great lengths to protect her creatures, even if it means making them look like something the Birds left behind. Many creatures in the insect world implement this strategy as a form of protection, including many butterflies, whose caterpillars look like bird droppings as well. 

Here are a few more photos of examples of bird dropping moths, below each picture it gives the photographers name.

 

(Photo By: Steve Scott)

 

(Photo By: Steve Scott)

 

(Photo By: Shelly Cox)

White-Faced Meadowhawk

White-Faced Meadowhawks (Sympetrum obtrusum) are found throughout much of Canada and the United States, although they are absent from the southern portion of the United States. They can be found in a wide variety of habitats usually near forested areas, including near ponds, lakes, streams, marshes and occasionally boggy areas. The one I photographed here was near an old pond turned wetland on our farm. It was very easy to approach, rarely flying more than a foot away at any given time. It's wings were stunning, they looked like liquid gold shimmering in the sunlight. Like all dragonflies these beauties feed on a wide variety of small insects that they capture while in flight. Their long basket-like legs are perfect for scooping up unsuspecting insects and dining while in flight, giving new meaning to the term "fast food". 

The one pictured here is a female, mature males have a distinctive "white face" and they are the only dragonfly within this genus that does. They also have a bright red abdomen and an amber patch near the base of the wings. Females and immature males are golden in color, some mature females will have a faded reddish abdomen. Instead of the white face of the adult male, they will have a yellow face.

Dragonflies are one of the best forms of insect control we have. Each summer they visit our backyard goldfish pond in large numbers. I can sit and watch them for hours capturing food, competing for mates, and alighting on nearby surfaces warming their wings in the sun. They are the epitome of summer for me. 

White-Margined Burrowing Bug

 

This tiny black bug is a White-Margined Burrowing Bug (Sehirus cinctus). That is a very large name for such a small bug. They measure up to 1/4 of an inch, and are glossy black, although some specimens may be dark reddish-brown, with a distinctive white border around the body. This is the only species within this genus in North America. Although there are a few sub-species recognized. These are very common bugs found throughout Canada and the United States. Look for them in woodlands, gardens, and yards. They are frequently found on weedy plants like henbit, and dead-nettle. In my own garden I find them on a wide variety of plants, but they seem especially fond of Lambs Ear. They feed on the seeds of plants in the mint family. The adults will overwinter in leaf-litter on the ground and become active again when spring returns. After mating, the female will lay her eggs in a shallow depression that she will provision with the seeds from various plants in the mint family. The females exhibit nurturing and protective tendencies towards the larvae in the early developmental stages. Once the larvae have reached the 3rd molt, this maternal care deminishes. Keep in mind the small size of these bugs when searching for them, close examination of plants within the mint family will surely prove fruitful and you will most likely see numerous individuals.

The Regal Fritillary Butterfly

The Vanishing Regal

(Photo By: Ray Moranz)
 

When we think of endangered species---if we think of them at all; we typically
think of our Nations greatest success story the Bald Eagle, or perhaps we think of
the Manatee---of which the legend of mermaids was born. Maybe for you it is the
Florida Panther that stirs in you a deep sadness at its possible demise. For me it is a
creature until a few summers ago I had not even heard of much less seen, and this
lovely creature calls our beautiful state of Missouri home. I am speaking of the
Regal Fritillary (pronounced Frit-a-Larry) unless you don’t mind strange looks
then you can pronounce it fri-till-ery rhymed with artillery )as I did for quite some
time. Although this beautiful butterfly does not evoke in us the soul stirring
patriotism of the Nation’s greatest symbol, or the mystery and myth of the
manatee, it nevertheless is a creature worthy of our admiration and protection.

My story took place a few summers ago, after receiving an email from the Idalia
Society(A wonderful organization based in KC for all you butterfly lovers)that a
gentleman by the name of Ray Moranz was seeking help with his dissertation
research of the regal fritillary butterfly in Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas prairies.
I contacted Ray, and spoke with him about his research and offered to help out one
day that summer. He was doing a comparative study of the prairie habitat of the
regal fritillary; studying populations over a 2 year period of time on burned, grazed
and untouched prairies. I am intensely curious myself at this point, how the
different habitat types would affect populations of these beautiful butterflies. Ray
was grateful for any help I was able to give and after speaking with my husband
we set up a date to meet Ray and his assistant, Laura, in Nevada Missouri in July.
We made the decision to incorporate this adventure with our family vacation and
headed south. We arrived in Nevada, MO early evening just in time to have dinner
with Ray & Laura. He spoke at great length about his research, and studies.
His love of these creatures was apparent and his passion contagious. I could hardly
wait to get on the prairie and meet these beauties up close.

After a good night’s sleep we met up with Ray and Laura early in the morning.
Everyone decided that a large breakfast was in order, well, almost everyone. I had
serious doubts about a huge breakfast right before heading to the prairie, seems I
was the only one who remembered there are no trees on a prairie much less a
bathroom. I opted for a light breakfast, although no one else seemed to have
reservations about a hearty breakfast.

Our first stop was Taberville prairie, where we were greeted by two of Ray’s
assistants from MDC. At this point my body didn’t seem to care that I had ate a
“light” breakfast. A bathroom stop was going to be in order and soon. Imagine my
distress. I am faced with 4 people I have never met before, I am on a prairie, not a
bathroom or tree in sight, and my stomach decides to go haywire! Talk about bad
timing. I am fast reaching the panic mode when my husband suggested a clump of
grass. You have got to be kidding me!!! Are you envisioning this? After locating
what seemed to be a promising clump of prairie grass I managed to take care of
business ( don’t ask me how) and returned to the group in short order, all dignity
out the window. At this point it was grin and move on.

We drove for awhile further out into the prairie where Ray had areas previously
cordoned off for his research. We divided into two teams. It was Ray, I and one of
the MDC employees. My husband Joey went with Laura and the MDC volunteer.
After Ray gave us our instructions we headed into our designated areas. Ray was in
the lead scouting for butterflies, I was behind him with a clip board and pen
writing down species names as he spotted them, including what activity they were
engaging in, whether it was perching, nectaring, or flying etc...Ray seemed
somewhat impressed with my knowledge of butterfly species and an easy rapport
soon followed. I was completely intrigued by his studies. Behind us bringing up
the rear was our man from MDC carrying a large pole and a clip board, he used the
10 foot pole as a guide to document the prairie flowers within the perimeter of the
pole. This was my first time on a prairie and I was completely absorbed in
everything around me. My first sight of a Regal was one I won’t soon forget, truly
an apt name, for such a beautiful butterfly. From a distance they seem much like a
monarch. After a closer inspection the differences are obvious. As we walked
through the tall grasses, and brambles (yes, brambles, the prairies are loaded with
blackberries, and I paid dearly for not dressing appropriately) we continued to
startle Regal’s out from their hiding places near the ground. We spotted numerous
species, but none as impressive as these large orange and black beauties.
The other team which was out of sight consisted of Laura scouting butterflies, the
MDC volunteer documenting her findings and Joey using the pole to identify the
flower species. Now keep in mind, what my husband knows about wildflowers is
almost nil, he received a crash course in the flowers he was likely to see and
headed out pole in hand to document the best he could what flowers he seen. I am
sure all the while wondering what in the heck I got him into this time. We spent
approximately an hour and a half on this prairie. After meeting back up with the
other group we headed back to our cars and it was decided that Joey and I would
head back to the Hotel and pick up our daughter and nephew and drive further
south and meet up with Ray and Laura at another location. We arrived back at the
hotel packed up and drove to Lamar, Missouri.

We arrived in Lamar ahead of Ray and Laura, checked into the hotel. Got the kids
settled and started the second leg of our adventure. This time it was to Bethal
Prairie. By now the gorgeous weather we had earlier in the day was giving way to
typical Missouri July heat. Temperatures were fast approaching the mid 90’s and
the sun was blazing high in the sky.

We arrived at Bethal Prairie, this time just Ray, Laura, Joey and I. We divided into
two teams. Laura and myself; then Ray and Joey. After being given our
instructions Laura and I ventured into the prairie, leaving Joey and Ray behind. We
had not walked but 50 feet when I grabbed Laura and told her to stop, she was
absolutely covered in ticks, when I say covered, believe me I am not exaggerating.
I spent several minutes picking these pesky little critters off her, only to discover I
was in a similar situation. I too was covered. At this point I felt like a couple of
monkeys on the prairie picking pests off each other. This was only the beginning,
we walked for what seemed like miles, in the heat, picking ticks, and scrambling
through blackberries. It was at this point that I got the sneaking suspicion that Ray
sent us in this direction on purpose. Fortunately I have a great sense of humor and I
was able to persevere. We finally finished collecting data from this portion of the
prairie. We reached a barb-wired fence, with mowed grass on the other side. I
knew exactly how a cow felt when they decided to test the grass on the other side.
We had two options at this point, one was to continue on the prairie fighting
blackberries and sumac, not to mention the ticks, or we could climb the fence and
be free of this torture. For me it was a no-brainer. I climbed that fence in record
time. Only to discover; that Laura was struggling to get herself over the fence, it
was at this point it became apparent that years of farm life and scaling fences had
paid off. I managed to help Laura out of her quandary and we began our long walk
back to the truck. She was pleasant company and the walk passed in no time. We
climbed in the truck, and headed out to meet up with the guys on the other side of
their portion of the prairie. After more climbing, this time a gate. We met up with
the guys near the end of their trek. If it was at all possible, Joey and Ray seemed
almost invigorated after their walk in the prairie. I knew it…Ray DID send us to
the nasty portion of the prairie. I was still finding ticks!

We drove back to get our car, and it was at this point that I realized that I fought
the blackberries and they won…my ankles were completely swollen and red,
covered in scratches that were bleeding. That will teach me to listen when I’m told
to wear long pants on the prairie; there is good reason for this advice. I could
blame no one but my own stubborn self, and my desire to be just a bit cooler in the
July heat that everyone else that was present. It was days before the redness and
swelling went down and weeks before the scratches healed. It was a daily reminder
of our adventure into the prairie, seeking these elusive regals.

(

(Photo By: Ray Moranz)

These butterflies are quite large with a wingspan of 2.9 -3.8 inches. They have the
very similar markings of orange and black such as the familiar monarch. The
similarities end there, upon closer inspection the hindwings are quite different;
dark above and covered with white spots below. The forewings possess short dark
lines running crosswise to the wing veins, unlike Monarchs who do not possess
these lines. The females have a dark patch at the wing tip and a row of small white
spots along the outer margin, on the upperwing ; the spots are pale yellow, whereas
the males spots are white on the inner row and the outer row is orange.

The regal fritillary is listed as a species of concern in Missouri.

The main reason for this is loss of habitat. The tall grass prairie is the only known
habitat for these butterflies. With only approximately 2% of our prairies remaining
in the state of Missouri, and most of the prairie states that call home to this
butterfly are in similar situations. It is a fight for survival for the regal. That is why
it is so important that research such as what Ray is doing be carried out. If his
research brings with it; better managed prairie habitat and a wider awareness of the
needs of these butterflies then it is possible that these flying flowers may be with
us for many more generations.

The needs of the regal are very specific; the only acceptable host plant for the larva
is the violet. The female after breeding will fly to the ground and walk among the
vegetation laying eggs willy nilly, up to 2400 eggs can be laid by a single female.
Once the eggs are laid they will hatch in the fall, and the resulting caterpillar will
overwinter in the prairie under vegetation. In the spring these hungry little eaters
will begin searching for their host plants and start feeding. If violets are in ready
supply they will grow rapidly. One problem is the managed burns on prairies, if
done too soon; the young larva will surely perish in the fire. Other reasons for the
decline of these butterflies are possible; everything from habitat loss, to disease,
the use of chemicals, and the haphazard egg laying practices of the female, make it
a candidate for problems. By looking at populations on these different types of
managed prairies, over a period of years, it will be in all likelihood possible to help
the populations of these butterflies grow, or at the very least stay stable.

It would be a great loss indeed to ever lose these great flyers of the prairie. Many
times in our lives we become so busy with day to day living that we find it hard to
think about such small matters as the loss of one butterfly. Sometimes we may
even find ourselves saying that if the loss of one butterfly means the greater good
of commerce by supplying us with more strip malls and farm land, then it is a loss
worth taking, I say hogwash! We should never become so arrogant or conditioned
to let ourselves think in such a way. After all once we lose something so beautiful
it is too late to get it back. Imagine the world today without the bald eagle, (which
was once hunted as pest). For me the world without the regal fritillary would be a
sad one indeed.

Let me encourage you to venture out and explore the prairies, and
see if you too aren’t immediately drawn to the wonder that is the prairie, and the
beautiful flying flowers that call it home.

Insectlopedia

 Today I met with one of my very best friends, LuAnn. We shared lunch and a delicious orange/cranberry cake and great conversation. We also shared or exchanged rather, our Christmas gifts. Yea, I know, a bit late. Better late than never though I always say. This has become ritual for us the past few years, as it seems with the Holidays, family obligations, traveling, shopping, cooking and weather it just always becomes a struggle to get together before Christmas, or at least NEAR Christmas. We just laugh about it, and plan a day in January, this prolongs the excitement of gift giving (and receiving). Her and I are both overgrown children at heart and giggle and share secrets like a couple of school girls. These occasions when we can find time to get together and catch up on life are some of my favorite.

 

(Lu is in the foreground)

Well this year she surprised me with two wonderful gifts, one is a handcrafted dragonfly made of wood that balances from a magnet to give the illusion of flight. It is completely lovely and a treasure to be sure. The second gift was this book pictured here....Insectlopedia. It is authored and illustrated by Douglas Florian. This book is so clever and full of wonderfully endearing poems about insects. They are written for young readers, but certainly can be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Lu, knowing my love of insects and poetry found the perfect gift to give her very grateful friend. I've spent the time since I got home this afternoon looking through the book and reading the poems. The artwork is enchanting and absolutely gorgeous. The poems will capture young readers and teach them a bit about the species for which the poem is written. Such as this example:

The Praying Mantis

Upon a twig

I sit and pray

For something big

To wend my way:

A caterpillar,

Moth

Or bee--

I swallow them

Religiously.

If you have a budding entomologist in your family and want a wonderful gift that is sure to put a smile on their face I would recommend this poetic journey into the insect world.

Thanks Lu, for knowing the most perfect gift to give, and for just being an awesome, super amazing person and friend!