Archilestes californicus Photos

Monday, September 22, 2008
Flexible Damsel
Well that looks kind of painful. If I sleep funny on my pillow I have to go to the chiropractor in the morning. Of course I guess that would not be a problem if I was that flexible.

Monday, September 15, 2008
Resting Damsel
Well, you learn something new every day. One of the things that
help you identify Dragonflies vs Damselflies is the fact that
the Dragonflies usually hold their wings out to the sides
and the Damselflies fold their wings back along their body.
Of course, this evening I learned there is a group of Damselflies
called "Spreadwings". And, if you have not already guessed by the name,
they hold their wings out like Dragonflies.
The thing that gave it away is the other distinction is the fact
that Dragonflies' eyes usually touch. (Check
out my blue-eyed Darner for an example.) So this guy (or more likely girl) was
a little hard to identify at first.
My wife pointed her out to me when she was watering some plants yesterday.
In fact you can see a couple of water drops on the base of her
right wing (top wing in the photo). She was very cooperative! (that would be
the damselfly, not my wife. Although she is pretty cooperative too.)

Monday, June 18, 2007
Resting Dragon
This is actually an older shot, one of my favorites. In fact
it is one of the images on my business card.
The branch is a dead branch on a ficus tree that we saved
from being thrown away. It was sitting on the patio
of our old apartment and the branch was hanging out over the
railing. Unfortunately, shooting straight out would have given me
a background of the next apartment building. I had
to lean out to get a better angle with trees and filtered sun
in the background. Even though the background is totally
out of focus, this made for a much nicer shot.
BTW, the ficus is much happier these days. It is in the back yard
and growing like crazy. We are a little crazy that way. We like
to save things and nurse them back to health. Plants, hound dogs
whatever needs a home! I must get that from
my parents.

Saturday, February 19, 2005
Dragon
Proof that dragons once roamed the earth! (or at least the skies)
Don't believe me? Well imagine this guy's great-great-great-gran'daddy
with a wingspan of well over half a meter. Making them among
the largest flying insects ever known, and the largest thing in the
sky at the time. Of course that was millions
of years ago. In fact, these insects were around long before the dinosaurs.
- Living fossils
Other interesting plants and animals that have remained virtually unchanged since pre-historic times. - The Wollemi Pine
Perhaps that giant dragon flew over these trees. The trees were thought to be extinct until 1994 when a small grove of them was found near Sydney Australia. You will soon be able to help preserve the tree by purchasing one of them (cultivated in captivity) for your garden.