Cool Nature Photos

[Number15]

I'm gonna have to get out my better camera if I keep taking these shots. Sky was awesome tonight, pics don't really capture it.

 

[deserteagle71]

Here's a couple shots I took today of something only those of us in a few "select" western states have to put up with. Swarms of Mormon crickets migrating across US Highway 95...by the bazillions. They get crushed by the tires (those blackened areas on the pavement); the pavement gets so greasy that vehicles lose traction and get into wrecks. The stench of these things squashed on the pavement is awful - and they get splattered all underneath your vehicle. This was an immature swarm - when these things are full grown they measure up to 3" long. Those dark colored dots are crickets!

Swarm just beginning to cross the highway - not many crushed yet.

 

[MossRoad]

Yikes! Stuff from horror movies.

 

[MossRoad]

I remember the first time I saw a mayfly hatch when I was a kid. We were visiting my grandparents' cottage on an island in a like in SW lower Michigan. It got dark and was time to leave. We put the car on the ferry and when we got to the shore-side, there was a street light to light the landing, and a phone booth (for you kids, google "phone booth"). The street light and phone booth were completely covered with mayflies. So thick that the light was darkened, and if there was somebody in the booth, you couldn't have seen them. The road was covered as well. Left a lasting memory in my brain.

 

[Number15]

Here's a couple shots I took today of something only those of us in a few "select" western states have to put up with. Swarms of Mormon crickets migrating across US Highway 95...by the bazillions. They get crushed by the tires (those blackened areas on the pavement); the pavement gets so greasy that vehicles lose traction and get into wrecks. The stench of these things squashed on the pavement is awful - and they get splattered all underneath your vehicle. This was an immature swarm - when these things are full grown they measure up to 3" long. Those dark colored dots are crickets!
View attachment 746400

Swarm just beginning to cross the highway - not many crushed yet.
View attachment 746401

Reminds me of when the love bugs come out in Florida. This was after 1 hour on a back road one year.

 

[MossRoad]

Blech!

 

[oosik]

Deserteagle71 - you think that "gunk" on the road is bad for a normal vehicle. Try it on a motorcycle. First time I encountered this situation - my immediate thought was - earthquake. I was able to safely stop and examine. I motored on thru the swarm at about 5 mph.

 

[2manyrocks]

We took a vacation to Florida some years ago and it turned out that there were biting flies everywhere that made it an absolutely miserable trip. That was our last trip to Florida.

I'd rather stay home and watch the birds.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Took this while mowing. Part of the reason we moved here
View attachment 745682

Nice area.

 

[MossRoad]

For viewing on the computer, from 15 years of doing our newsletter and have to watch size of it, I've found that pictures resized (can use Paint) down to 500 to 700 pixels wide will "pop" right up even on DSL internet vs. VERY SLOW TO LOAD typical 2400 pixel or so wide ones right off your camera. And really no loss in quality for computer viewing.

Use Paint, folks, before posting your pics.

Ralph

Or upload the big picture, but just post a thumbnail. User can click it to get the big one if they want.