Just a few critters found lurking in the backyard in recent times.
I'm sure that Meadow Argus butterflies do actually perch on pretty backgrounds but I only ever see them sitting in the sun amongst the leaf litter. So that is how you see it.
There is a bit of motion blur in the images of the last critter, but then it WAS in motion. It seemed to resent the fact that I'd been pushing the branch it was sitting on into the mulcher. I can't imagine why.
Lindsay
I swear butterflies do it on purpose Lindsay Great shot nonetheless. Lovely looking robber. I chased some around for a couple of hours and not a single decent shot. Ah well, I'll just have to admire yours instead!
Thanks everyone for taking the time to have a look and for your comments.
The Longhorn beetle shots were serendipity. The critter ran up my hand while I was feeding a branch into the mulcher so it was a matter of coaxing it onto a twig, grabbing the camera, using the settings that were on it, and getting off those two one-handed shots while it made its flight to freedom. The joys of having back-buttoned the AI-Servo autofocus !!
AntT - I've been fortunate to have about 3 of those robber flies hunting in my front yard for the last few weeks. Most mornings I just go out and have fun trying to find where they are sitting. In many ways watching them for a while is more enjoyable than trying to get photos of them.
Phil - the Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) is the same genus as the Buckeye (Junonia coenia).
Lindsay
I can't imagine why.
Great shot nonetheless. Lovely looking robber. I chased some around for a couple of hours and not a single decent shot. Ah well, I'll just have to admire yours instead!