wildlife – Page 50 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

It’s A Dirty Job But Somebody’s Got To Do It.

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Carpenter Bee 72320a” and can be purchased or licensed through the contact page.

The sun continues it’s sacred arch over the Appalachian Forest as I await the end of the dog days of summer. The Carpenter Bees however are in full work mode as they visit my little stand of Rose Of Sharon. I’m amused by the amount of pollen that clings to their round bodies and I’m taken back to my days of building pre-fab wall panels and cutting sheets of drywall. There were days when my clothes and hair seemed to hold as much gypsum as the stack of wall segments waiting to be hauled to the build site. I smiled as as bee floated by in the thick humid air and thought. “It’s a dirty job but somebody’s got to do it.

She heads right for the thickest part of pollen in an effort to get as much of the precious dust in her first as possible while she drinks and gathers a small amount of nectar. She’ll carry it back to her tunnel and form it into a cake for her brood.

As the bee moves from flower to flower she accumulates more and more pollen until she feels the need to return to her home base.

Image Titled “Carpenter Bee 72320c”

As she lifted off and actually flew over my shoulder I decided it was time to take her example and return to my home base as well.

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Forage Friday #68 Fringed Loosestrife

Color Photography, Forage Friday, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Fringed Loosestrife 70319” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.

Please remember that Forage Friday is only intended to be a conversation starter and is only presented as trivia and should not be mistaken for an endorsement of treatment.

Lysimachus stood his ground as the huge beast glared at him. He could taste the dust in the air that had been kicked up by the rampaging ox. Lysimachus spoke in soft calming tones has cautiously stepped over the broken yoke. Easing closer to the angry beast of burden the toe of his sandal caught on a pottery shard causing him to stumble slightly. The ox snorted and lowered his head ready to charge as they locked eyes. Even though the ox’s horns had been bobbed and capped with ornate brass the sheer mass of it’s body meant Lysimachus would be crushed if the bull charged. Lysimachus extended his hand in offering. The bull began sniffing at the bundle of herbs and walked forward. Lysimachus remained as sill as a statue but held tension in his legs so he could dodge out of the way if the bull changed his mind and decided to charge after all. To his relief the bull accepted the free meal. The herbs did the trick and as the sedative took effect Lysimachus took hold of the ring in the bull’s nose and led it safely out of the street. The people were so impressed by the bravery and wisdom of their king that they named the herb Lysimachia. Today we call it Loosestrife.

The above is my version of the legend of how Loosestrife got it’s scientific name. The whole genus is named for Sicilian king who was a healer and supposedly a general of Alexander the great. The species in tonight’s feature image is Lysimachia Ciliata or Fringed Loosestrife. According to Wikipedia it is actually a native species to the Appalachian Mountains.

The cooked leaves are said to be edible however I have not been able to corroborate this with an independent source. The plant is also listed as astringent and diaphoretic. ( makes you sweat. ) So even though isn’t listed as toxic that doesn’t really mean it makes a pleasant meal. The live plant is reported to repel insects and has been used in smudge fires for the same purposes. According to Peterson’s Field Guide Native Americans used it for “female ailments”, kidney trouble, bowel complaints and as an emetic ( causes vomiting). But it’s interesting that none of the references list sedative qualities which what the genus is named for. It’s even listed as an ingredient in “love potions”.

Interestingly enough, the showy flowers don’t really have a strong scent and attract pollenators with oil instead of nectar.

One last word here, the plant known as purple loosestrife is not the same genus or even the same family of plants. Fringed loosestrife is in the Primrose family while purple loosestrife is in the same family as crape myrtles.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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Nature’s Kiss

Color Photography, wildlife

Tiny wings flutter inconspicuously through the shrubs in search of a sweet treasure. She softly lands on the hibiscus without so much as a single grain of pollen lost. The flower though covered in raindrops receives the visitor well and shelters her from the still falling rain. The butterfly repays this kindness with a gentle kiss. In the natural world there are no small favors or entitlements to get in the way of harmony.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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Sitting By The Kanawha River

Color Photography, wildlife

By the River 71420 — Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “By The River 71420” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.

The mighty Kanawha River rolls lazily through the valley making it’s way to join the Ohio River on its way South. The sheltering shade of the Oak and Sycamore invite me to escape the heat of the midday sun.Image Titled “The Alabama Headed Upstream 71420b”

The cloudless sky merges it’s hue with river as the unmistakable sound of a tow boat announces that a barge is moving back upstream for another load of coal.

Image Titled “The Alabama 71420”

It’s the Alabama. I know very little about life onboard one of these boats but I’ve always thought that converting one for touring the Eastern river system.

The boat soon motors out of sight and the wake subsidies once more into a consistent texture leaving me to settle back onto the tailgate of the big blue truck and enjoy the gentleness of the shade and river. And of course, watch the Cardnial as he returns to the railing of the old gang plank.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

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I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

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The Male Pipevine Swallowtail Encounter On July 26th.

Color Photography, wildlife

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Settle 72320” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.

The midday sun hovers high over my mountain illuminating the patch of Rose Of Sharon bushes on the edge of my yard. As I step around the corner the freshly opened flowers are alive with bees, wasps and butterflies. I began to move in closer and when I do the butterflies retreat a little deeper into the sea of flowers. I suppose that the phrase “Chasing Butterflies” is cliche for a reason. I cautiously step into the high weeds using the camera monopod to probe for snakes until I reach the open spot where a deer had bedded down the night before. If I set still long enough they’ll come back I promised myself. The bumblebees and carpenter bees float effortlessly between blooms with so much pollen covering their bodies that they look as thought they’ve flown through a snowstorm. And then finally the sun catches the iridescent blue hind wings as they move through the thick underbrush. I waited and watched and for several minutes I thought the male Pipevine Swallowtail would work it’s way the other direction. The suddenly he turned and came back as if he suddenly remembered something that he’d forgotten. The long lens only provides a narrow opportunity for focusing in the confined space but as the butterfly hovered for a moment before landing everything came together. The buzzing of a mosquito in my right ear distracts me for moment and the reflex to deal with the annoying creature gets the better of me. But when I look back up the Pipevine Swallowtail is gone and a second mosquito is trying to land on my face. The swarm has found me and that means it’s time to step away from their hunting grounds. I’ll be back out to the patch in a few days to chase the butterflies again.

Hey Friends! Just a quick reminder that Lloyds Lens Photography is available for portraits!

To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

If you would like to Follow me on Facebook the web address is

https://www.facebook.com/aviewfromthelens/

If you’re enjoying my blog and don’t want to miss a post then you can sign up for email alerts on my website.

https://lloydslensphotographyllc.com/

https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simplymessage me on Facebookoruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤