Hovering GrasshopperOct. 13, 2014
 


  A couple of weeks ago, I was walking in the Toftrees game land when I noticed a hovering insect. It was somewhat far away and a challenge to get into manual focus. I had assumed that it was a dragonfly, which I'm accustomed to see hovering. However, it turned out to be a grasshopper.
 
Hovering Carolina grasshopper
 
  Checking took a while, but then the ever reliable BugGuide.net had an explanation: The Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) is occasionally seen hovering.
 
Hovering grasshopper
 
  A hovering grasshopper was a first for me.
 
Hovering Dissosteira carolina
 
  That explains the following photo (which is probably not a Carolina grasshopper).
 
Smiling grasshopper
 
  My explanation here is that the grasshopper is smiling because it possesses secrets.

Photo note: The photos were taken with the Pentax K20D, with the SMC-A* 200mm macro lens, during September 2014 in the Toftrees game land, north of Cooper's Pond, State College, Pennsylvania.



Bumblebee reflection

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