BRFAL Members' Photos

BRFAL Members’ Photos

To raise our spirits and keep us connected, a request went out to our chapter for photos. Here are some of the earliest submissions!

From Shearer R is this great snap of a surprising grasshopper that is one of the few that overwinters as an adult. iNaturalist describes this as Schistocerca americana, commonly known as American grasshopper or American bird grasshopper. Shearer spotted it the first day she cut grass a couple weeks ago. Shearer, you can stop making the rest of us look bad for not mowing yet.

Schistocerca americana

Donna H has been spending some quality time along Jack-O-Lantern Branch at Booker T Washington National Monument. You can almost hear the beautiful waterfall sound! Are those golden ragwort on the bank?

Jack-O-Lantern Branch

Chekka L sends us this: Looks like a bee, but it’s not!!!!  They have only two wings (Diptera!), and they are not hairy.  They are imposters!   I’ve seen lots of these guys buzzing around lately. They also known as the hover fly because they beat their wings superfast to maintain their position in the air.  As we push in the summer, you’ll see notice a lot of a smaller related species hanging around and landing on you.  A lot of people call them sweat bees, but they can’t sting or bite.  They just want some salt.  The larval stage are beneficial in your garden predating on the unwanted pests, like aphids.

Hover Fly 

Thanks to you three for brightening up our day and giving us sights, sounds and facts to distract and enlighten us. Keep those snaps and snappy facts coming, and stay safe out there!