Getting By-

It has been a very long week since I posted last, and I am afraid I don't have much to share. But fortunately, I am going to "get by with a little help from my friends."

And with talented friends like these, one may wonder why I bother to post my own photos at all!





A stunning close-up of a Frosted Elfin, arguably one of the most difficult butterflies to see in Ohio. They are among our earliest butterflies, and mid to late April is the only time of year to see this one-brooded beauty. Jackie Riley, a butterfly transect volunteer at Kitty Todd, took this amazing close up. KT is the place to see Ohio's rarest butterflies- including the once extirpated Karner Blue- like the one in the photo I took for the top of this blog page. Both are found in the "Oaks" ecosystem, which harbors a host of unusual plants, butterflies and birds.



A "Blushing Grasshopper"? Maybe John Howard whispered an off-color joke in his ear (located on the leg of a long-horned grasshopper) before he snapped this photo. John always finds the most amazing creatures, and he is good for sharing caterpillar, flower or bug shots that are bound to make me smile. Today's oddity was no exception.



And birds...? If I had been out and about, I would have been thrilled with this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker taken by Dane Adams. Some guys have all the luck, but thankfully he is nice about photo-sharing too!
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So there you have it. Lots of amazing things are happening right now in Ohio, and botany is always a part of it! After all without lupines- no Frosted Elfins. That "Blusher" has certainly been eating some vegetable matter, and if you like Sapsuckers, start scouting around poison ivy berries. It is one of their favorite treats!
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Fortunately, even on those days we can't get outside, we can still get by- and get our nature fix- with a little help from our friends! Thanks for sharing!


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-For even better looks, click on the photos to enlarge.-