Too Soon?

Nah!
A toast... to spring!  Yeeaahh! 
- Can't find any other info about this artist, Kristine Nora, except a link to her Twitter page. Follow her and maybe she'll announce work for sale. Or maybe this is her only painting and it happens to be awesome. I don't know...

Update: 09-11-14
I have since received an update from Kristine Nora. She explained that she is an artist who works with bees and the twitter pic is of a cover of an old New Yorker magazine. I still love it. Follow her on Instagram at KritineNora_ to see her photography and art. She has some great bee and honey shots.

@RedBeeMarina @marikaford @AprilGuilbault  Cheers ! To SPRING ! all Hail the Honeybees Happy Spring to All #bees #CT pic.twitter.com/44RfvFAZgs
— Kristine Nora (@KristineNora) March 11, 2014

I only took about 25,000 pictures of the first crocus to emerge in this 60 degree weather. Woot!
Hmmm Always issues with the cropping and that durn Instagram. 

Charming Bee Charms

Several years ago I became aware of this creative and talented artist, Amanda Spayd, through a soap forum we both frequented. I have enjoyed watching her career blossom from a corporate graphic artist to a successful indie toy maker. I girl-crush her because I wish I had a teensy bit of her talent.

Again... as soon as I'm rolling in wealth, I plan to purchase some of her art. In the meantime, I might be able to shake out the couch cushions for enough to purchase one of her enchanting bee charms which will be available soon.

Check out her website to view some of her truly unique masterpieces and follow her on Twitter so you'll know when she has a sale running. She keeps nothing in stock.

Amanda Spayd's charming bee charms will be available soon. Keep checking! http://t.co/km8VPhCWPo via @snapwidget
— Adorabugs (@Adorabugs) March 9, 2014

Bee Whimsical

I love this artist, Roz. Her work features everything I love: bees, owls, chickens, simple living, etc...
As I always say... "as soon as I have some money..." sigh

Crud.. this one has sold out but check out the other delicate works. Bee original oil by Roz by RozArt http://t.co/rDSlrgwY6s via @Etsy
— Adorabugs (@Adorabugs) March 3, 2014

Enjoy! The above painting has been sold, but she does commissioned work, so maybe she would do something similar on request.

No Really, It's Real. Who Knew? Oh... Maybe Everyone

I often wonder how I can be nearly 40 and unaware of things that everyone else seems to have known about for ages. Of course I've seen the cover of "The Silence of the Lambs." I've seen the creepy skull-backed moth across Clarice's mouth, but I had no idea the moth was real.
In case there is anyone else out there as clueless as myself, it's called a death's-head hawk-moth.

Acherontia

The death's-head hawk-moth is a rare species whose primary habitat is southern Europe and Asia. Many feel its arrival is the harbinger of bad news or even death. Eep!

I was made aware of them after seeing this tweet by Tristan Reid. I loved the look of the caterpillar and that ridiculous head. I assumed the caterpillar earned the name because it used its spiky bulbous head for combat or something. Ha! So, I had to research 'cause I can't just stay stupid.

RT @Strange_Animals: Death’s head moth caterpillars. pic.twitter.com/MWNFhe9Iqd
— Tristan Reid (@inkednaturalist) January 29, 2014

Apparently the photographer of the above tweet is Igor Siwanowicz.


Here is an image of the adult moth. Wow!













Cause I'm an English teacher:
"Butterfly Conservation." Meet The Death's-head Hawk-moth. Butterfly Conservation: Company, 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.
"Death's-head Hawkmoth." Wikipedia.com. Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.

Paper Butterflies

I just love this delicate photograph. The butterfly looks like an antique pressed flower.

Lovely Butterfly art.  by jessicatorres http://t.co/jLLA0E2V1j via @Etsy http://t.co/dhaHzVir10
— Adorabugs (@Adorabugs) January 25, 2014

Visit the artist's Etsy page to see the rest of her photography.

You Need to Know that This Exists

A panda ant! Euspinolia militaris

Apparently the panda ant is not an ant at all but a type of wasp with a nasty sting. Still, you can love from a distance.



Photo by: Dr Sarah Jensen


Follow this link for more photos and some extra info:
This Panda Ant Will BAMBOOzle You With Its True Identity



'Cause I'm an English teacher:
B, Carly. "This Panda Ant Will BAMBOOzle You With Its True Identity." The Featured Creature. Disqus, 4 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Jan. 2014.

Love This Artist. ..and you will too.

If you've read any of my blogs, you'll know that I post most of my photos to a Deviant Art account. Based on other art I have previously "Favorited," I was referred to the super talented Nadav Bagin.
First, I was drawn to his Wonderland series which consists of sweet insect art set in magical habitats, but then I found his landscape and digital art to be every bit as fantastic and mesmerizing. Here is a short video of him discussing his art.

Go there! Look at it all. It's beautiful.


Tickle Me by AimishBoy on deviantART

You Can Appreciate a Tidy Girl

..at the very least.

Sure, many find black widows to be less than adorable, but after many, many encounters with them in the wild, and in my garage, I have found them to be quite intriguing. They avoid human contact as much as they reasonable can. I could tell you many tales of the widows that run from me while I try to get close enough for a clear photo.

Apparently, they are also good for reducing the cicada population. These pics were taken last summer during our cicada mini-plague.

Latrodectus


A Widow Prepares Her Lonely Supper by Cozytailmom on deviantART


A Tidy Girl by Cozytailmom on deviantART


Photos by Christie Acker. Prints available on Deviant Art.

Tummy Time

Definitely not my best shot, but it was taken through the filthy storm door. I couldn't risk opening it and scaring the luna away.
Just look at that fuzzy tummy.

Luna moth! Not my best shot but check out this sweet luna belleh by me on @deviantART http://t.co/U2jETuYG6T
— Adorabugs (@Adorabugs) January 22, 2014

actias luna



Photo by Christie Acker. Print available at Deviant Art.

Flightless Moon

Above was my attempt to create a deep, meaningful title.

My home is surrounded by walnut and hickory trees, a favorite food of the luna moth, and my porch light is a beacon. From early spring to mid-summer I can find lunas alive and clinging to my secluded brick house which is nestled against a mountain in a densely wooded lot.

I rarely find a living moth that is completely intact. Most have tears in their wings or are missing entire portions.  Often, I find only pieces of them if I don't go out and look until the afternoon.
I saw this wing on the porch and the other in the mulch by a batch of blue hostas. I'm guessing something with much larger wings ate the fuzzy center.

Still there is something poetic about that single wing. It's still beautiful.



Lovely Remains by Cozytailmom on deviantART

Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art.