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The Daily Bucket -- Something to bug you (but in a good way) [1]

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Date: 2025-07-07

June was Odonata (dragon- and damselfly) month. It was slim pickings for me because (1) family obligations kept me busy; (2) most of June was dangerously hot here in Michigan; and (3) the few dragonflies I saw did not sit still long enough for me to fire off a shot. But I did catch some other backyard insects, and I’ve had more free time so far in July.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE, CHECK OUT THIS DIARY: DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

It’s been a good year here for fireflies, also called lightning bugs. Wiki reminds me they are technically beetles. I remember being mesmerized by them as a kid, and then went decades without seeing one. Mr. C and I have worked on renaturing our suburban backyard and it’s paid dividends we never imagined. Fireflies have showed up in late June for the past several years. They light up the evenings for a couple weeks, looking for love.

Common Eastern Firefly (Photinus Pyralis) on the edge of a ceramic birdbath.

Based on the Wiki link above, I think that this is a male.

While [the light-emitting] organ extends the length of the last three segments of the males' abdomens, it appears only in the second to last segment of the females' abdomens.

I’m starting to see more bees in the backyard. I’ve been concerned about their absence. Mostly I see bumblebees and honeybees.

A Small Carpenter Bee on butterfly weed.

Cabbage Whites are a constant this year. I’ve also seen Sulphurs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Monarchs and either a Question Mark or a Comma in the yard.

Mourning Cloak on a neighbor’s oakleaf hydrangea. Usually I see these butterflies in the fall.

Venturing further afield, I’ve visited a few marshes in the area recently.

This Spicebush Swallowtail liked the mud next to the equestrian trails at Oakwood Metropark.

Eastern Pondhawk female at Crosswinds Marsh. The males have not posed for me yet this year.

I did better with Blue Dashers.

Blue Dasher male at Robert Long Nature Park.

Blue Dasher female, also at Robert Long Nature Park.

Halloween Pennants are one of the more common dragonflies in this area. I like them not only for their dramatic color and pattern, but they alternate among favorite perches, so I just have to be patient.

Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta) male at RL Nature Park. I don’t think I’ve ever photographed this species before. The dark indigo color is really striking.

I made a quick trip to Tawas Point State Park, along Lake Huron. I went looking for (and found, yay!) Piping Plovers. There was lots to see other than the Cutest Shorebird Ever.

Monarch on the Lake Huron beach sand. I also saw Eastern Kingbirds hunting on the sandy ground. An unusual sight as I’ve only seen them foraging in the air.

The currents had formed a small sand spit, which had enclosed a small shallow pond. There were several dragonflies, which I think were Spot-winged Gliders (Pantala hymenaea). They were zipping back and forth across the pond, briefly touching down before zooming off. I thought they were grabbing prey from the water. When I got home and looked a photos, I saw I was mistaken. Instead, the dragonflies were laying eggs.

View of the beach, sand spit and pond. The flagged area on the left is where the Piping Plovers were nesting. Bigger.

For the Spot-winged Glider,

Breeding takes place in temporary wetlands, flooded areas, pools and garden ponds. The most important factor for successful breeding is likely the absence of fish, as the nymphs feed in the open. Wikipedia

That pond looks like perfect egg-laying habitat.

I’ll start with three views of Gliders heading down towards the water. They were medium sized — smaller than a pondhawk but a little bigger than a dasher. Any corrections to ID, as always, are welcome. Zoom

A fraction of a second after egg laying. This was the “ah ha” photo. Zoom

And she’s off. Zoom

Now it’s your turn. What’s happening in your neck of the woods, Bug-wise or other?

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