Small Wonders
Look closely- You never know what you might find right in your own backyard!
This blog was written by guest blogger, Leslie Abram.
You can go on a mini safari right outside your door! Take a look at the little things, like the tiny worlds inside water drops after the rain. Go looking for little creatures. You will have to look very carefully, as many of them, like this grey tree frog, blend right into their environments due to their amazing camouflage.
Ambush bugs lurk on flowers they know other insects will visit, like coneflowers, yarrow, and goldenrod. They stay so still that their prey don’t even know they are there until they are in the ambush bug’s claws. Ambush bugs can catch and kill much larger prey, such as honeybees.
Assassin bugs also stay perfectly still and wait for their prey to come to them. This Assassin Bug Nymph has sticky front legs, which it uses to catch and hold its next meal.
Shiny bronze jewels? Actually, these are Stink Bug eggs! A close look through some asparagus leaves turned up these little gems.
Who’s watching you when you don’t even know it? Take a slow walk through your yard. Look under leaves, observe what’s going on around flowers. Sit still for a few minutes and watch the dramas of nature unfold before you.
Small wonders are out there waiting to be discovered!