This week, Donna of Wind Kisses is hosting the Lens-Artist Challenge with a focus on, What’s Bugging You? She thinks that the true challenge here is that encounters are rarely purposeful, and bugs are never willing participants. Some will flitter around and finally land on a leaf. Some pollen collectors will ignore the photographer and some will look straight at you.

Plenty of things are buggin’ me, but this post is strictly about the ones found in nature. I captured most of these images in California. The arachnids I discovered on The Big Island and in Kauai. All except the first one were found outside of a dwelling. Unfortunately, last night as I sat down to watch television, my Moxie kept looking at the lampshade. And there I discovered a VERY unwanted intruder. I captured it in a jar and took a photograph.

Now I get to the real purpose of this particular blog. Insects I come across in nature. They are usually found around flowers, and I do appreciate their reason for being. The only one that I did not capture, and I have found no reason for being is the mosquito. In some seasons I appeal to them more often. Other times, I can go a long time before their nasty bite comes along. I am not a fan of putting on insect repellant either.

Busy Bees

Photography leads to learning about my images. I did not know the difference between honey bees and bumble bees.

This is the first photograph I sold. It was taken at Effie Yeaw.

Bees ready to pollinate the sunflower fields

Wasps – Don’t get in their way!

Wasps have black and yellow rings around their body

The Fly – Not the dance by Chubby Checker

Damsels and Dragons in distress?

Found this one at the Sacramento Zoo landing freely on this plant

Once a dragonfly lands it returns to the same spot. This one wanted to pose.

This damsel/dragonfly casts a shadow on the lotus leaf

Beetles – Not the Sixties group

Another beetle. There are so many kinds.

Butterflies and Moths

Don’t know where this very hungry caterpillar will find any food!

The religious kind – Praying Mantis

Arachnids: Spiders and their webs

A local arachnid found in a local Sacramento garden

Beautiful web design catches the morning sun.

Beautiful web design with dew drops in the morning sun

Water bug

Just doing the backstroke at the Empire Mine water lily pond

On Friday I find out what kind of visitor I have invading my domain. I hope the resolution will be painless for all concerned.

Just some of the little creatures I captured along the way as I explore the world around me. Do you have any favorite bugs?

This week Tina invited me to share images of places and things that have, “seen better days”. Evidence of our past is easily found here in Northern California. When I go out with my camera in hand, I am on the lookout for these abandoned items, settings, and buildings.

I came across this abandoned bee hive in our local nature preserve, Effie Yeaw.

These passengers have seen better days! This Thunderbird set the stage for Halloween parked in Old Fair Oaks

Greeting travelers in Strawberry, California

What’s the story behind this Buick? Could this be a subject for a crime novel?

Some cars make it into an auto museum and some cars are just abandoned.

I wonder what was the price of gas when this gas station closed?

How many times have you misplaced an article of clothing? I’m surprised at where these lonely ones were found.

A scarecrow could still make use of this straw hat!

Flip flops flop after a grueling hike in Kauai

Gold and silver mining had much to do with the creation and downfall of many towns in Northern California. Bodie is one such example. In 1962 Bodie became Bodie State Historic Park, and an official gold rush ghost town. It is an example of “arrested decay”.