Category Archives: Naturalists

Giant Robber Fly of the Great Plains – Microstylum morosum

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Troy

Early in July, while walking the Oak Motte and Deer Mouse Trails at the Ft. Worth Nature Center & Refuge, I was surprised by the largest Robber Fly that I have ever seen. I estimated at the time that it … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Nature Center, insects, Naturalists, Prairie, Robber fly | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Halloween Pennant

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Troy

It’s Halloween Night For your viewing pleasure the Halloween Pennant Dragonfly Celithemis eponina Click on the photo for a better look Photographed at Cement Creek Pond, Meacham Airport, Ft. Worth, Texas, USA Leave a comment if you have seen this … Continue reading →

Posted in Dragonflies, Ft. Worth, insects, Naturalists | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Thread-waisted Wasp – Ammophila procera

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Troy

. Ammophila procera Sleeping position LBJ National Grasslands, NorthCentral Texas, 33° 18.468′ N, 97° 36.580′ W It was photographed early in the morning on a cold day. Most of the insects had not started moving yet. I have photographed Solitary … Continue reading →

Posted in insects, LBJ National Grasslands, Naturalists, Wasps | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Allograpta obliqua – Hover Fly

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Troy

The Common Oblique Syrphid Success at last! I have been trying for years to photograph one of these “hover flies” on a flower or “sitting still”. Click on the photo for a better look at this beauty. Allograpta obliqua Update: … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, insects, Naturalists, Syrphid fly | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Fireweed – Chamerion angustifolium

Posted on October 18, 2009 by Troy

Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub ssp. angustifolium One of the really beautiful sights that we saw while driving from Fairbanks to Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean was Fireweed. One of the reasons that they are ‘first colonizers’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Naturalists, USDA Plant Database, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ft. Worth Prairie, Part_2

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Troy

There has been and probably always will be confusion over the names of ‘Snow on the Mountain’ vs. ‘Snow on the Prairie’. I hope this will help clear up some of the confusion about what plants were seen on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ft. Worth Prairie, Grand Prairie, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Naturalists, Prairie, USDA Plant Database, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ft. Worth Prairie, Part_1

Posted on October 11, 2009 by Troy

Yesterday (Oct. 10, 2009), our Cross Timbers Master Naturalist Class went on a ‘Prairie Field Trip’. The prairie was located on the 2200 acre Bear Creek Ranch in southeast Parker county, Texas. Location – 32° 37.5′ N,  97° 37.5′ W. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ft. Worth Prairie, Grand Prairie, Grasses, Harvester Ants, insects, Naturalists, Prairie, Turtles, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Sesbane or Hemp Sesbania

Posted on October 5, 2009 by Troy

Synonyms: Sesbania herbacea (Mill.) McVaugh – Sesbane Sesbania exaltata (Raf.) Rydb. ex A.W. Hill – Hemp Sesbania Sesbania macrocarpa Muhl. ex Raf. Photos, range map, and a line drawing are below. Click on the photos for closer looks “Sesbane” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ft. Worth Nature Center, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Naturalists, USDA Plant Database, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beach Evening-Primrose

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Troy

the Beach Evening-Primrose is another plant named for Thomas Drummond, (ca. 1790-1835), one of my favorite early Texas Naturalists. It is one of the early plants to bloom in the spring (March 22). Notice all of last year’s brown vegetation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Naturalists, USDA Plant Database, Wildflowers | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Roughleaf Dogwood

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Troy

If you live in East Texas and someone says the Dogwoods are blooming, you think of the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida). However if you live in North Central Texas, you immediately think of the Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii) which brightens … Continue reading →

Posted in Ft. Worth Nature Center, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Naturalists, Trees, USDA Plant Database | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment