Fine-backed Red Paper Wasp (Polistes Carolina), Taken November 4, 2024, In Georgia, US

Today's bug of the day is the common silverfish! I hope you like it I've never drawn a silverfish before so I hope I didn't get any of the major details wrong :]

Peeps

Fragile Forktail (Ischnura posita), male, taken April 24, 2025, in Georgia, US

The fragilist, but not the smallest, of forktails... This species is the third most common damselfly in my area, surpassed only by smoky-winged dancers and turquoise bluets. Despite their small size, they're actually much more amenable to being photographed than the much larger smoky-wingeds. All damselflies are skittish about being photographed, though, so I've been getting a lot of exercise in the form of lunges and squats while chasing these guys around! Sometimes it's not even me scaring them, but other damselflies chasing them off their spot!

American Pelecinid Wasp (Pelecinus polyturator), taken July 29, 2024, in Georgia, US

My beautiful skinny queen.. How must it be to have such a perfect figure? For such an elegant looking insect, you'd think they'd be agile, but I've had these guys just. come at my face. They have collided with me, though they're not alone in that. Too many wasps have crashed into my face. How would you feel if you turned around and immediately received a face full of WASP?

Eastery Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), taken January 23, 2025, in Georgia, US

Just a little guy trying to stay warm. This picture shows off its soft underbelly quite nicely—it looks so comfortable! With how cold it is right now and the regular presence of several hawks in the backyard, there are few squirrels visiting the feeders. I never thought I'd say it, but I actually kind of miss them!

Ichneumon Wasp (Limonethe maurator), taken August 17, 2024, in Georgia, US

A lithe wasp for the wasp-likers! I can't wait for it to be wasp season again... The paper wasps are back out, and I swear I saw a spider or great black digger wasp in the leaves the other day, but it flew away before I could get a good look. I also found and lost a damselfly I've never seen before, but I can stop being salty about that when I find another one (hopefully). Regardless, the wasps are coming back, and here is one I look forward to seeing again!

Red-shouldered Bug (Jadera haematoloma), taken April 4, 2025, in Georgia, US

Just a little guy posing for a picture! He seemed to be following the camera as I tried to get different angles. This insect has two adult morphs: long-winged (macropterous) and short-winged (brachypterous). The short-winged morph has, as you could infer, shorter wings that leave part of the abdomen exposed. I've seen both forms in a solitary setting, though this species apparently tends to have higher rates of short-winged adults when they live in groups. Less need for wings when you don't have to go anywhere to find a mate!

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), male, taken April 27, 2024, in Georgia, US

I have one pair of red-bellieds that visit the feeders year-round, but the male is much bolder and always poses so well! He always makes such nice photographs, but I don't get him often because of how shy he and his mate are. These are some of the first pictures I got of him with my current camera!

Round-necked Longhorn Beetle (Clytus ruricola), taken May 2, 2025, in Georgia, US

A cool longhorn beetle who's slumber I disturbed! This guy was hiding under a leaf after a storm. I didn't recognize the beetle, so I flipped his little leaf over for pictures. He was disturbed but didn't seem afraid, slowly exploring my presence and staying after I left him alone. I'm seeing lots of new longhorn beetles outside, but most of them are so skittish that they fly away as soon as they see me. I just happened to catch this guy at a lucky time!