This spectacular insect, though it appears to be a formidable wasp, is actually a crane fly. Apparently it bores into dead wood with that long ovipositor on the distal abdomen, to deposit eggs!
This little booger crawled OUT of my dufflebag one morning, in my tent, as I was laying in my sleeping bag, next to the duffle. We were camping below the Summersville Dam, along the Lower Gauley River, in Nicholas County, WV, on July 19th when I captured this photo!
This is the female which looks dramatically different from the male of the same species.
Also nick-named the Gnat-ogre due to its predation of gnats, this is a very small Robber Fly that measures about 5 or 6mm in length! This particular fly belongs to the genus Holocephalus.
Female Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly poses for the camera!
Every Summer I feel compelled to include at least one photo of these beauties, in my photostream. They are so exotic in appearance, and deserve a special place amongst the backyard fauna in WV!
Captured with my new Tamron 28-300 macro zoom. Nice lens!
The bluest Ebony Jewelwing I've ever seen!
As far as I can tell, this is a Carolina Saddlebags, based upon the red color of the abdomen and the light red in the forewing. However, I have read that this dragon doesn't populate the western portion of WV, where I photographed it (Along the Ohio River).
The beautiful eyes of a Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis) dragonfly.
Blue Dasher male ready to take flight.
On the wing, this beauty hovered in the brisk wind that was blowing across the ponds at the fish hatchery at the Robt. C. Byrd Locks and Dam in Apple Grove, WV.
