blankenshipimages

The Odd Pet: Part 2

2011-08-04T19:44:00.000-05:00

Visit My Web Comic

2010-09-29T14:26:00.001-05:00

Hey, what else are you doing? Go visit my webcomic blog and read some stuff. You'll laugh, you'll cry...it'll be great.

http://blankenshipcomics.blogspot.com

Some new sketches

2010-08-31T12:44:00.006-05:00

This man was waiting for his heart test at my cardiologist's office. This is the room they put you in when you're in between tests and they'll let you have some water or orange juice.

My reference photo for this was one I snapped of April on our back patio back in the spring when the weather broke and it was nice out.

Women dancing around the lucky couple celebrating their anniversary at a local synagogue where my wife works as an administrative assistant. I snapped a picture with my phone to use as reference later.

Red Truck on Ridgeway

2010-08-31T12:25:00.002-05:00

So here's a red truck I sketched yesterday in the parking lot of a McDonald's. I was parked two spaces away and no one came back to the truck for several minutes. I did the watercolor part at home, but the sketch was done on site. Anyway, There was some white lettering on the door that I didn't include here, but aside from that it's pretty much as I saw things.

I'm still getting the hang of my new waterbrush, but I'm getting better at controlling the paint and limiting oversaturation. The paper in my sketchbook is only 65lb, which is not really thick enough for wet media, so that's another limiting factor. For the ink part, I used the .01 Pigma Micron pen pictured here.

Dripolator Coffeehouse in Asheville

2010-08-29T22:11:00.001-05:00

Dripolator Coffeehouse in Asheville, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The Dripolator Coffeehouse is in Asheville, NC. My wife and I visited there last year and had a good time. We snapped this picture in the parking lot.

Materials
.01 and .05 black Pigma Micron pens
Sharpie ultra fine ink pens
5.5" x 8.5" sketch paper

Nuttin But Wings

2010-08-29T22:08:00.001-05:00

Nuttin But Wings, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

One day at lunch I drove down Winchester Road to see if I could spot anything interesting to sketch. I found this wings joint that was closed, but very interesting. I love the name. I don't know if I succeeded in portraying the glass cubes in the wall, but the design was great.

Garden Spider Replica in Hand

2010-08-29T22:06:00.001-05:00

Garden Spider Replica in Hand, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Polymer clay model of a garden spider. No one ordered this one, but it was fun to make.

Dung Beetle and Dung Ball Replica

2010-08-29T22:04:00.001-05:00

Dung Beetle and Dung Ball Replica, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Polymer clay model of a dung beetle pushing a dung ball. This item was custom-ordered by a nice lady in Cincinnati. She is supposed to send me a picture of it displayed on her desk. I'll post that pic when it comes in if she lets me.

Serbian Woman

2010-08-29T22:01:00.001-05:00

Serbian Woman, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

.01 and .05 Pigma Micron black pens
5.5" x 8.5" sketchpaper
I don't like the way the mouth turned out. I should have kept it more open. But here it is. Learning is fun.

Asian Lady Shopping

2010-08-29T21:59:00.001-05:00

Shopping, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Pigma Micron .01 and .05 black pens.
5.5" x 8.5" book of 65lb sketch paper.
Subject was a picture I found online.

Bird Sketch

2010-08-29T21:57:00.001-05:00

Bird Sketch, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Pen and ink sketch of a bird I found on Flickr. I started trying this new style of sketching using mostly dots and short lines, which I guess is a little like pointilism, but not really. Anyway, here it is. I used a Pigma Micron .01 black pen in a 5.5" x 8.5" sketchbook of 65lb paper.

Grasshopper Sketch

2010-08-29T21:55:00.001-05:00

Grasshopper at Shelby Farms, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I sketched this pen and ink drawing of a grasshopper I spotted last year at Shelby Farms. I really enjoy drawing and this was an interesting subject.

Baby Toad II

2010-06-22T14:25:00.001-05:00

Baby Toad V, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Baby Toad

2010-06-22T14:24:00.001-05:00

Baby Toad III, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The baby toads were abundant a few weeks ago out on the trail.

Can you find the chipmunk?

2010-06-22T14:20:00.001-05:00

Can you find the chipmunk?, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The birdseed tray has been brimming with activity lately. This shot captures an interesting group of creatures. Obviously there's a squirrel and a blue jay, but can you see the chipmunk creeping through the grass?

Blue and Black Damselfly

2010-06-22T14:15:00.001-05:00

Blue and Black Damselfly, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Grabbed this shot off the trail in Lucius Burch Natural Area. Nice little damselfly.

Cedar Beetle Netsuke III

2010-06-22T14:13:00.001-05:00

Cedar Beetle Netsuke, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Cedar Beetle Netsuke II

2010-06-22T14:12:00.001-05:00

Cedar Beetle Netsuke III, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Cedar Beetle Netsuke

2010-06-22T14:09:00.001-05:00

Cedar Beetle Netsuke II, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This netsuke is 3" L x 1.25" W x .75" H. It is carved out of a single piece of red aromatic cedar and sealed with a laquer/urethane finish. I think I have around 5 hours of work in it.

Eastern Eyed Click Beetle

2010-06-22T14:04:00.001-05:00

Eastern Eyed Click Beetle, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

It was hot as hell this weekend when I went out on the trail to try and find some bugs to photograph. The hunt was going terribly when I noticed this awesome click beetle crawling on a dead tree limb covered in vines. I snapped this picture just before grabbing the beetle and quickly dropping it after it began writhing in my hand. I wasn't able to find it again. This was the first time I'd ever seen this species in real life. Very cool beetle that made my day.

Green Darner Dragonfly

2010-06-05T15:03:00.001-05:00

Green Darner Dragonfly, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I spotted this green darner dragonfly on a trail this morning. Fortunately, my camera has a pretty good zoom, so I was able to capture this shot from several feet away. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed the extensive damage to the rear right wing.

Update

2010-05-10T11:17:00.002-05:00

So, it's been a while since I posted. Here are the highlights of what's been going on:

Just finished a Shaker style side table in walnut and cherry
Recently sold a dragonfly to a lady in Pennsylvania who wanted to use it as a cake topper for her wedding cake
Made my own marking gauge using some scrap walnut and cherry from the Shaker project
Bought a rotary fly tying vise and began working on standard fly tying patterns. A few dozen down and that's going pretty well.
Cannibalized my woodworking bench and used the wood to make three power tool work stations (scroll saw, band saw and lathe stand).
Got back into the field this weekend and was lucky to get some shots of a large red-headed lizard on one of the trails. Pics to come.

Okay, so I need to get on the ball and upload some pictures.

Red Tag Fly

2010-03-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Red Tag Fly, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I'm working my way through The Fly Tying Bible by Peter Gathercole. This is one of the flies listed in the book.

Fly Tying Bible by Peter Gathercole

2010-03-15T08:48:00.004-05:00

There are endless fly tying books out there, many of which seem to be just catch-alls for techniques, history and other stuff. And the web has endless fly recipes and videos of people tying their favorite fly. But when it comes to having a good bench reference for tying, The Fly Tying Bible by Peter Gathercole is as good as I've seen. It has everything you really need:

Good quality pictures of the fly
Simple step-by step photos
Anatomical notations on the main picture
Easy spiral format and small size make it easy to lay out on the bench.
Subject matter covers a good variety of flies

I can't imagine that anyone who bought this book and worked his/her way through this book would not emerge a better craftsman.

Long Overdue Vise Upgrade

2010-03-15T08:39:00.004-05:00

This weekend I took the plunge and blew some minor coin at the local Bass Pro Shop on a rotating vise. I went with the PEAK Rotary Vise (PRV-G2), which is a pretty standard issue vise with a straight-forward design and heavy pedestal that's perfect for my current setup.

I've tied a dozen or so flies on it so far and I have to say I can't believe I lasted this long without a rotating vise. Unless something unforseen happens, I don't see any reason for me to upgrade this one for a while.

Check out the PEAK Rotary Vise (PRV-G2) here http://www.peakfishing.com/TyingVises.html

Blue Darner Dragonfly Replica

2009-12-14T14:56:00.001-06:00

Dragonfly Replica 1, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Materials Used:

White polymer clay
Clear polystyrene sheeting
Ink
Acrylic Paint
Nail Polish (eyes)
Peacock Feathers (leg hairs)
Craft Wire
CA Glue

Praying Mantis Replica - Before Paint and Wings

2009-12-11T11:44:00.001-06:00

Praying Mantis Replica 5, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is the early stage of my polymer clay model of a praying mantis. Next steps are to etch and attach the wings, detail the body, apply paint and add feather material for fine hairs. More pictures to come.

Insect Replica Group

2009-12-11T11:38:00.001-06:00

Insect Replica Group, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Scarab Beetle replicas alongside my Red Wasp for a size comparison.

Red and Green Jewel Scarab Replica

2009-12-11T11:17:00.001-06:00

Red and Green Jewel Scarab Replica, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Materials Used:

Polymer Clay
Craft Wire
Ink
Acrylic Paint
CA Glue

Size: 1.5" long and 1" wide

Green Jewel Scarab Replica

2009-12-11T11:16:00.001-06:00

Green Jewel Scarab Replica, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Materials Used:

Polymer Clay
Craft Wire
Ink
Acrylic Paint
CA Glue

Size: 1.5" long and 1" wide

Red Wasp Replica 2

2009-12-11T11:13:00.001-06:00

Red Wasp Replica 2, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Red Wasp Replica

2009-12-11T11:12:00.001-06:00

Red Wasp Replica, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Materials Used:

Polymer Clay
Craft Wire
Plastic Sheeting
Ink
Acrylic Paint

Size: 3" long with a 4.5" wingspan

Green Jewel Scarab Replica

2009-11-29T21:04:00.002-06:00

Green Jewel Scarab Replica, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The third in a new series of scarab beetle replicas. This one is available for bidding on Ebay here.

Dark Green Jewel Scarab Replica

2009-11-29T21:02:00.001-06:00

Dark Green Jewel Scarab Replica 2, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The second in the new series of scarab beetle replicas.

Fiddler Beetle Replica - Eupoecila australasiae

2009-11-29T12:24:00.001-06:00

Fiddler Beetle Replica - Eupoecila australasiae, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

When I searched for the family Scarabaeidae, I found a photo of this colorful beetle on the Wikipedia entry. Commonly referred to as a fiddler beetle, this specimen is from eastern Austrailia. I liked the contrasting colors, so I made this my first in the series.

Painting and Drying Rack

2009-11-29T12:21:00.001-06:00

Painting and Drying Rack, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Over the weekend I decided to work on a series of jewel scarab beetles, but I needed somewhere to let the bodies dry before I did the final painting and touch-up work. So, I glued three wooden clothes pins to a block of 1/4" pine and there you have it, a ready-made drying station complete with a palette for the paint.

Here you see the first three beetles in the series drying after they've been detailed. This little trick worked out pretty well as a place to park the work while switching one or the other back and forth onto the fly tying vise.

Cottonwood Borer Beetle Replica

2009-11-27T22:00:00.001-06:00

Cottonwood Borer Beetle Replica 1, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is the next in my latest series of beetle replicas. This is the cottonwood borer beetle, which is tied much the same way as other beetles in my collection. Materials include the following:

Thread
Foam
Fish hook
Glue
Ink
Acrylic Paint
Craft wire

California Laurel Borer Replica

2009-11-23T12:15:00.001-06:00

California Laurel Borer 2, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is a handmade replica of a California Laurel Borer beetle. Materials used include the following:

Fish hook
White thread
Glue
White foam
Craft wire
Nail polish
Acrylic paint
Ink

Female Fork Tail Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata)

2009-11-06T14:15:00.004-06:00

Macro shots allow me to do research later to learn the various anatomical parts of the insect. I have tentatively identified this specimen as a female fork tail bush katydid (Scudderia furcata). Using Microsoft Visio, I've identified several key anatomical areas, but there are far more than one diagram can cover.

Today I learned about the ovipositor and cerci of the order orthoptera. The presence of the ovipositor tells me this is a female.

Damselfly Mating: Strange Connections

2009-11-06T10:03:00.003-06:00

So I took this picture last weekend of two damselflies flying around connected to one another. A little bit of web research this week taught me enough about their mating habits that I could make this diagram and teach you something you might not already know. Therefore, until a real entomologist emails me to say I'm completely misguided, here is what I learned.

1. The male clasps the female behind her head
2. The female curls up her abdomen and picks up the male sperm in between the 2nd and 3rd abdominal section

Look closely at this second picture. You can see the green male on top and the blue female on bottom curling her abdomen up to receive the male sperm. It's hard to see what's really going on here when these pairs are flying around. But that's it. Take a closer look next time.

Damsels Not in Distress

2009-11-04T10:11:00.001-06:00

The Damsels, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I'm testing out a new camera with a pretty good 20x zoom, so last weekend's trip to the Lucius Burch Natural Area was my first field test. Myriad dragonflies and damselflies buzzed the small marshy area near the entrance, allowing me to test the camera's accuracy at a distance. This is a snapshot at just shy of the 20x zoom level. I was standing about 8 feet away from the subject. I think it turned out pretty well.

Female Ruddy Duck at Shelby Farms Park

2009-11-02T09:56:00.001-06:00

Female Ruddy Duck at Shelby Farms Park, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This small female ruddy duck was spotted by itself diving for food in a small body of water near the Lucius Burch Natural Area on Saturday, October 31. It kept its distance as I trolled the shoreline working to capture shots of the bright blue damselflies nervously trolling the water's edge.

Zombie Shooting at RangeUSA

2009-11-01T11:20:00.002-06:00

Zombie Shooting at RangeUSA, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I arrived at RangeUSA at 6:40 p.m. and wandered around the lobby waiting for the other members of my friend Gary's bachelor party to get there. Gary's brother Daniel had scheduled us for a round of zombie shooting. Ten dollars in advance or fifteen at the door would buy us the opportunity to kill paper zombies with real guns.

The range included a cafe where I sat on a stool at a bar facing a window into the regular firing range. Next to me sat a couple who waited for their son to finish his zombie shoot. He returned between rounds to proclaim "Next round, I'm going to choose the shotgun." As he walked away, they returned to their psychoanalysis of the two young couples sharing a double date by firing automatic weapons at paper targets.

A line was forming at the counter where the cashier asked the question "Do you have any live ammunition on you?", which turned out to be a completely valid inquiry, as nearly half the customers handed over the extra mazines or simply checked their concealed weapons. Then I watched a young boy test a laser sight on a pistol by aiming it at his father's forehead. I'm no gun control ninny, but one gander at the sort of regulars haunting the lobby of a shooting range will turn anyone into Michael Moore.

When the dozen or so members of our party finally arrived, I fielded at least three questions about my bookstore t-shirt, confirming our status as atypical clientelle.

Daniel handed out blue tickets and we handed over our ten bucks. After reading and signing liability waivers, we began our 2-hour wait in line, during which we stared at pistol anatomy posters and questioned the logic of putting live weapons in the hands of basically any member of the public who had a ten-spot to blow on the Friday before Halloween.

Our group of three shooters, assigned the colors white, red and green (me) listened intently as our guide gave us the 30 second indoctrination before shoving us into the dark range that was sporadically lit with strobe lights and instructors screaming overlapping commands. At the first station, I grabbed the AR-15 and squeezed off my 5 rounds one at a time. I wondered why my ear was hurting until I realized my hearing protection had slipped off my ear when I leaned in to look through the sight. I spent the rest of the night with one working ear drum.

The second station was much the same as the first, with 5 quick shots from an AR, but this time with maybe a dozen more zombie posters. At the third station, I was presented a choice of a semi-auto handgun or an assault shotgun. Choosing the shotgun, I blasted my two rounds with a quick racking in between. Lots of fun in a very disorienting environment. Check it out next year if you have the chance.

Bank Robbery Reenactment

2009-10-29T15:07:00.001-05:00

14 Inch Cretaceous Dragonfly

2009-10-18T12:36:00.002-05:00

14 Inch Cretaceous Dragonfly, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This large dragonfly replica was developed for a museum client. To see more pictures of this replica in different stages of development, visit my flickr photostream here.

Link to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

2009-10-16T10:51:00.001-05:00

Here is a link to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency site for naturalists.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/nongame.html

Snakes of East Tennessee Poster

2009-10-16T10:12:00.001-05:00

East Tennessee is home to 23 species of snakes, 2 of which are non-venomous.

http://tennessee.gov/twra/pdfs/snakesposter.pdf

Tennessee Frog and Toad Poster

2009-10-16T09:58:00.002-05:00

Tennessee is home to more than 21 species of frogs and toads.

Here is a link to a poster of Tennessee Frogs and Toads

http://www.froghavenfarm.com/frog_poster_2008.pdf

Tennessee Salamander Poster

2009-10-16T09:44:00.002-05:00

Tennessee is home to nearly 50 species of salamander. The Tennessee Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus) is the state amphibian.

Here is a great link to a .pdf file of a poster of Tennessee Salamanders

http://www.froghavenfarm.com/sal_poster.pdf

Cozy Corner Restaurant

2009-10-14T11:05:00.001-05:00

Cozy Corner Restaurant, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The Cozy Corner Restaurant is an institution in Memphis, but it will not be there forever. This little place at the corner of Manassas and North Parkway has some of the best, if not the best, barbecue in Memphis. The walls are covered with news clippings and awards it's won over the years, including several celebrity testimonials. I love these old signs that include ads on the corner from Coke. You don't see those anymore, but they were everywhere in the 60s and 70s.

Caterpillar After Rain

2009-10-11T10:54:00.000-05:00

Caterpillar After Rain, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This fuzzy caterpillar had not quite shaken off the droplets of morning rain when I found it creeping across a leaf at Shelby Farms Park.

Female Green Lynx Spider Guarding Her Egg Sac

2009-10-09T19:32:00.000-05:00

Yellow and Black Garden Spider

2009-10-09T19:29:00.000-05:00

Gladiator Katydid Song

2009-10-09T18:59:00.000-05:00

Grey Plant Bug with Red Spots

2009-10-07T14:07:00.000-05:00

Grey Plant Bug with Red Spots, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This plant bug was spotted in Shelby Farms Park

Red and Black Striped Plant Bug 1/3

2009-10-06T21:52:00.000-05:00

Red and Black Striped Plant Bug 1/3, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This brightly-colored plant bug was spotted at the end of the wooden bridge leading to the butterfly garden at the Memphis Botanic Garden. I shot a few frames of it, left for around 30 minutes, and returned to shoot a few more. Apparently, the little guy liked the spot, as he was a very cooperative subject.

Mosaic of Insect Replicas

2009-10-06T21:50:00.000-05:00

Mosaic of Insect Replicas, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

Adult Praying Mantis - In Cover

2009-10-06T21:43:00.000-05:00

Adult Praying Mantis - In Cover, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is the largest praying mantis I've seen in the wild. In another photo, I held an ink pen next to it for scale and they were of equal length. I later returned to see this adult feeding on a black and red wasp. I must have spent a total of 30 minutes watching it.

Green Grass Snake

2009-10-06T21:36:00.000-05:00

Green Grass Snake, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This green grass snake, also called a Rough Green Snake, is of the species Opheodrys aestivus common to North America. This specimen was spotted on the margins of a large funnel web just off the trail. About the size of a pencil, this little guy can grow as long as 46" in length.

Molting Grasshopper

2009-10-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

Molting Grasshopper, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

At first I thought this was two grasshoppers mating with one hanging upside down. When I moved to the side I noticed it was a large adult, maybe 3 inches in length, molting. Notice the soft wings that have not yet fully taken shape.

Green Lynx Spider with Honeybee Prey

2009-10-06T21:14:00.000-05:00

Green Lynx Spider with Honeybee Prey, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is still one of my favorite shots. I saw the bee first, but my heart skipped a beat when I noticed the green lynx spider holding it up. What caught my eye was the fact that the bee was just sort of hanging there, like it died suspended from the plant. I was less than 5 inches from it when I saw the spider. That's great camo.

Cicada on Back

2009-10-06T21:10:00.000-05:00

Cicada on Back, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The Wolf River is low in certain areas, allowing me to walk along the sandbar and check out the water's edge. This perfectly preserved cicada was lying on its back and could not have been dead for long when I found it. I resisted the urge to flip it over for a better shot. What remains is a pretty decent shot of the underside. The more I look at this photo, the more my eyes move to the patterns in the mud surrounding the insect.

Locust Borer

2009-10-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

Locust Borer, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is one of the first species I replicated using realistic fly tying techniques. This specimen was winding through a thick cluster of grasses near the trail when I spotted it. The yellow and black coloring had me thinking it was a yellow jacket or other hymenoptera. Luckily, I stayed there long enough to have it move into full view. This is the only locust borer I've ever seen in nature. Had I been impatient, I would have missed it.

Blue and Black Dragonfly

2009-10-06T20:49:00.000-05:00

Blue and Black Dragonfly, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The majority of dragonflies are constantly on the move, which robs you of good shots. But every once in a while, you get one like this that just sits there while you take shot after shot. It takes a little patience, but if you keep after it, you'll get lucky.

Butterfly in Animal Track

2009-10-06T16:03:00.000-05:00

Butterfly in Animal Track, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

From what I can tell this is a dog track. My imagination wants to believe it was something more sinister.

American Green Tree Frog

2009-10-06T16:01:00.000-05:00

Green Tree Frog 3, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

I found at least a dozen of these this year clinging to the stems of tall green wildflowers.

Female Black and Yellow Garden Spider

2009-10-06T15:59:00.000-05:00

Female Black and Yellow Garden Spider, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

She was right where I found her the week before. Turns out they often hold their spot for the entire summer.

Young Black and Red Plant Bug

2009-10-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

Young Black and Red Plant Bug 2, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

The plants near the visitor's center were covered in these young insects.

Small Stick Insect

2009-10-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

Small Stick Insect, originally uploaded by blankenshipimages.

This is the only stick insect I've seen since I started taking insect photos. The only other one I've ever seen crawled up my leg at a campsite in the early 90s. That specimen was much larger.

Large Green and Brown Grasshopper

2009-10-06T15:48:00.000-05:00

Large Green and Brown Grasshopper
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

This large grasshopper was nearly 3.5 inches long and held still long enough for me to take this and one other picture.

Learning Basic Leaf Morphology

2009-10-05T20:08:00.000-05:00

After months of hunting different insects, I decided to branch out into other areas of naturalist study. I find it easier to learn a new subject if I study it in order to teach it to others. So, you'll learn as I learn. Here I've taken a simple photograph of a leaf covered in eggs from an insect of order lepidoptera (butterfly or moth). Using Microsoft Visio, I've labeled some key areas of the leaf.

There's much more to the overall morphology of a leaf, but this is a simple start.

What Slow Insect Hunting Taught Me About Caterpillar Feet

2009-10-05T10:27:00.000-05:00

Saturday was perhaps the best day of the year weather-wise. Low 70s and breezy. Shelby Farms Park was brimming with folks jammed into the prescribed picnic areas and the Juvenile Diabetes Walk had been held that morning. I was a bit reluctant to do my weekly insect hunting amongst so many pic-a-nikers, but what the hell. They wouldn't be on the same trail as me anyway, so we'd likely stay out of each other's way.

With no scientific reason to support it, my opinion was that even though summer was barely in our rear view mirror, the insect hunting would be fair to midland at best. I turned out to be correct, which is a rarity when it comes to naturalist-type stuff. I am still a painfully clumsy newbie.

A couple of hours of wandering yielded a sparse dozen or so pictures. And when hunting goes this slow, I go one of two ways...inward or outward.

The outward path usually involves me reconsidering the entire hobby and asking myself the following questions:

1. Why the hell am I doing this?

2. Am I wasting my time?

3. Has my energy for this hobby run its course never to return?

4. Would I have found the coolest thing ever had I just stayed out there a few more minutes?

5. Am I being a wus by taking pictures at a state park instead of trekking deep into the wilderness where the real entomologists (at least in my mind) find the great stuff?

The inward path usually involves me questioning my dedication and asking myself the following questions:

1. What am I missing?

2. Am I staying too general and avoiding the real details?

3. How can I make something interesting from these meager results?

Gladly, I took the inward path this time, totally against my nature. Here's what I found.

1. When I zoomed in on this shot of a very fuzzy caterpillar, I noticed, perhaps for the first time, that its feet were web-like. A quick check online taught me that these are called prolegs.

What I learned about prolegs:

1. Larval stages of order Lepidoptera have up to 8 prolegs
2. Each set has circular hooking mechanisms called "crochets"
3. Movement of the prolegs happens largely through hydraulics instead of traditional muscle movement

So, the next time you see a caterpillar, check out its prolegs.

Black and Yellow Garden Spider

2009-09-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Video clip of a large female garden spider found in Shelby Farms Park.

Green Lynx Spider Guarding Egg Sac

2009-09-20T10:56:00.000-05:00

Green Lynx Spider Guarding Egg Sac
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

I noticed the egg sac before I saw the spider, but this video shows the great coloring of this protective mother spider protecting what could be 200 or more eggs.

Anatomy of a Failed Field Trip

2009-09-20T08:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning held great possiblity. A few hours spent at the Lucius Burch Natural Area could, like on previous weekends, yield opportunities to photograph and video things I'd never taken the time to witness - a female green lynx spider protecting an egg sac of up to 600 young or a large spotted grasshopper suspended upside down while shedding its adolescent shell.

Waking at 9:00 a.m. I knew right away that I'd missed the mark, beginning later than intended. Taking inventory of my gear, Starbucks drive-thru, and a quick stop for energy bars and Gatorade burned another hour. I was finally on my way to the trail, my patience the only obstacle to my success.

Humphrey's Blvd runs along the South of the Wolf River woods that make up the Natural Area, and as I puttered along, I saw in the distance the flashing blue lights of a Germantown Police car. A bicyclist coming toward me glanced back to get another look at the scene through which he'd just ridden, a tip to me that it was probably not another traffic stop.

The passenger side of the patrol car stood open. The female officer faced the woods, shotgun in hand, while across the street a pair of officers watched over a handcuffed man seated on a bench.
The situation was clearly not resolved. The thing that bothered me was that the armed officer was searching for that resolution in the same stretch of woods I would soon explore on foot. But, I told myself, I'll be on the other side of the Wolf River and I'll be fine.

An average Saturday morning would find the trail crawling with joggers, walkers, bikers and other various folks enjoying the outdoors. The Lucius Burch Natural Area is a part of Shelby Farms, the largest urban park in the U.S., and one of the great escapes in an otherwise complicated city. On Saturday, however, the weather was overcast and the ground muddied by heavy rains over the past 24 hours. The small parking lot at the head of the trail was nearly empty. I parked next to a small side trail that led under Germantown Parkway. Glad that the rain was holding off, I plugged in my iPhone, pulled up the 60 Minutes podcast, and entered the trail.

I had hardly been there 10 minutes and taken less than 5 pictures when the man appeared from around a bend in the trail. He was large, nearly 250 lbs, had a shaved head and wore an orange hiking vest with lots of small pockets. Sweat soaked his t-shirt and shorts. He looked straight at me and slowed to a cautious walk. I looked at him briefly then returned to my search for insects, making sure to keep him in my peripheral vision.

It took maybe 30 seconds for the man to cover the 50 yards between us, and as he walked behind me I turned to say "Hey, what's up?", my normal greeting to the average stranger whose path crossed mine. Previous to today, it was more my way to tell them that I was not a threat, as I am usually the one who looks out of place while the other person rides or jogs along the trail. It's not usually obvious that my slow ambling has a purpose at all. It takes time to find camouflaged insects in the tall grass and plants that line the thin trails, and I usually have to step aside to give the other person enough room to proceed.

The man acknowleged my greeting by saying "hello", but he looked at me for an extra beat and that worried me. Most of the people I had met on the trail were far more interested in continuing on their way than communicating with me. What worried me about this guy was that there was no obvious reason for him to be there. Had he worn a backpack, carried a camera, rode a bike, worn jogging shoes or any number of other things relative to trail exploring, perhaps my suspicions would not have grown. However, my guard was quickly up, making it nearly impossible for me to concentrate.

The man continued down the trail toward the parking lot, and although there were no other cars there for him to use to exit the park, I was glad he was gone. When he returned a minute later all my alarms went off. This time, as he walked past me, I turned to keep him in my sight and as he reached a point nearly 20 feet down the trail, he turned back to look at me once again. And although he once again continued down the trail, my morning had been ruined. I walked toward the car as my mind raced to come up with a list of options.

Option 1:
Why is this guy here? He's harmless, yet still acting suspiciously
What will happen next? Nothing
Outcome? I will continue to be suspicious and go home

Option 2
Why is this guy here? He's cruising for men and is waiting for me to give some secret signal.
What will happen next? I will not give the signal
Outcome? I continue to be creeped out and go home

Option 3
Why is this guy here? He's being pursued by the armed police from earlier.
What will happen next? He will try to fight me for my car keys.
Outcome? I win the fight and am now sharing the trail with my freshly-defeated foe, so I go home

Option 4
Why is this guy here? He's being pursued by the armed police from earlier.
What will happen next? He will try to fight me for my car keys.
Outcome? I lose the fight and am now dead

So, since I can think of no option that results in my being able to continue my field trip, I cut to the chase and went home.

As it turned out, the man I encountered was not being pursued by the police, as evidenced by this story.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/sep/19/one-captured-two-large-after-germantown-robbery/

My First Molting Experience

2009-09-18T13:52:00.000-05:00

Walking slowly down the thin trail that wound through the tall grass, I noticed a light-colored shape hanging from the branch of a short tree. The shape was out of place, first because it was not the color or shape of the leaves on the tree and second because it was moving.

The tree was about 10 feet off the trail, meaning I would have to leave the dirt path and take a couple of steps into the waist-high grass where, in my mind, lurks the stuff of nightmares. My worst fear when on these outings is stepping on a hornet's nest hidden underground and being stung repeatedly until anaphalaxis takes me to my maker. Luckily, I carry a walking stick, so I gave the grass a quick poke or two and trudged forward.

Upon closer inspection, I thought it was an odd mating ritual where one grasshopper links the end of it's abdomen to another's mid-abdomen as in adult dragonflies. However, when I moved to the side, it was obvious that this was a molting in progress.

The cool thing about a molting-in-progress is that the grasshopper is kind of groggy and can't really escape. The freshly molted wings are rubbery and limp. And besides, until the shedding is complete, the grasshopper is sort of trapped there. That leaves plenty of time for a clumsy, sweating photographer to position the camera a take a few stills and a short video clip. Otherwise, these photos would not have been possible.

Colony of Yellownecked Caterpillars

2009-09-14T22:08:00.000-05:00

Colony of Yellownecked Caterpillars
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

I found this aggregate of caterpillars defoliating a short tree in Shelby Farms Park. It took a while for me to properly identify them. It was only then that I learned about their alarm position where they raise both their head and tail.

Gladiator Meadow Katydid Song

2009-09-13T23:58:00.000-05:00

Gladiator Meadow Katydid Song
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

This katydid was singing up a storm during my field trip today. This video captures its song.

Green Lynx Spider Guarding Egg Sac

2009-09-13T22:58:00.000-05:00

Green Lynx Spider Guarding Egg Sac
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

I noticed the egg sac before I saw the spider, but this video shows the great coloring of this protective mother spider protecting what could be 200 or more eggs.

Molting Grasshopper and Nearby Praying Mantis

2009-09-13T22:29:00.000-05:00

Molting Grasshopper
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

I came across this grasshopper molting on the limb of a small tree. On a nearby limb was a praying mantis. This is a short video of that scene.

Green Lynx Spider with Honeybee Prey

2009-08-30T22:36:00.000-05:00

Green Lynx Spider with Honeybee Prey 2
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Location
Place: Shelby Farms Park - Memphis, TN
Date: August 30, 2009
Time: Mid-day
Weather: 82 degrees F, Sunny

Size (Approximate)
Length: 1.5 inch
Width: 3/8 inch body
Height: 1/4 inch body

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Superfamily: Lycosoidea
Family: Oxyopidae

Story
I was out taking pictures of insects yesterday in Shelby Farms Park near my home when I spotted a bee hanging lifeless in an area of thick grass along a gravel pathway. A second later I was shocked to find that the bee had been grabbed by this large green lynx spider. It really surprised me because the spider's camouflage and color matching to its environment was so exact that all I saw was the bee. I must have taken a dozen shots of the spider hanging on to the bee. Even when I moved aside a blade or two of grass to get a clearer shot, the spider did not move at all. It was really an amazing thing to see. This is the first green lynx spider I've seen in real life, even though it was one of the first realistic flies I tied.

Fly Fishing Class

2009-08-19T09:43:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I attended the Intro to Fly Fishing class presented by Mid-South Fly Fishers, the local chapter of the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers. About 40 students attended, along with several members lured there by free coffee and doughnuts.

The class was very informative and highly recommended to anyone in the area who is interested in learning the basics. Go here for more information.

Here are some highlights and observations from the class.

Entomologist presenting the entomology segment brought a live cicada she found in her yard. It was passed around the room, so I got to practice my "passing a live insect to a total stranger" skillset, which gets so little use these days.
Handgun class in the next room had control of our lights and video equipment, which made for seamless presentations and excellent lighting, except for the numerous interruptions.
Starbucks provided the coffee, which included a varietal labeled "mild" which could have stripped the varnish off of a foot locker. I can only imagine the "bold" is used to clean cadaver bones or fuel a small hybrid vehicle.
Casting an empty fly fishing line into a field in 90+ degree weather is interesting for approximately 15 minutes, at which point you will turn in your pole and retreat to the wonders of air conditioning.
Some guys are really waaaaaay too into having the right gear. My grandfather could catch more fish with a tree limb and a roll of thread than most of these guys with a $500 rod and reel.
I understand you like your $75 fly fishing shirt that ironically only apparently comes in the color salmon, but send each other a note and let's not have everyone wearing them on the same day. The last time I checked, the shirt you wear won't help you catch more fish.

Green Tiger Beetle 1/3

2009-08-11T13:36:00.000-05:00

Green Tiger Beetle 1/3
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Location
Place: Memphs, TN
Date: August 7, 2009
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Weather: 85 degrees F, hot humid

Size (Approximate)
Length: 1/2 inch
Width: 1/4 inch
Height: 1/4 inch

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Adephaga
Family: Carabidae
Subfamily: Cicindelinae

Story
I went outside to take out the trash and I noticed a couple of bugs scattering. Grabbed the camera and snapped this shot and a few others of a camel cricket.

Special thanks to BeetlesintheBush for help with the ID

Seafoam Green Weevil

2009-08-11T11:43:00.000-05:00

Seafoam Green Weevil 2/3
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Location
Place: Shelby Farms Park - Memphis, TN
Date: August 8, 2009
Time: Mid-day
Weather: 92 degrees F, Sunny, Hot and Humid

Size (Approximate)
Length: 1/2 inch
Width: 3/8 inch
Height: 1/4 inch

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Curculionidea

Story
Across the road from Pine Lake is a paved trail that runs alongside a lilypond. I stopped halfway down that trail to take a drink of Gatorade, when my eye caught two of these seafoam green weevils clustered together on a tree branch overhanging the path. On a nearby leaf, no more than 5 inches away, was this very large gray and black assassin bug www.flickr.com/photos/blankenshipimages/3804218344/ .

Not sure if these beetles are prey for the assassin. As I moved in closer to get a few macro shots, the two green beetles moved back down the branch toward the main body of the tree.

Dogbane Leaf Beetle

2009-08-11T11:42:00.000-05:00

Dogbane Leaf Beetle
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Location
Place: Shelby Farms Park - Memphis, TN
Date: August 8, 2009
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 92 degrees F, Sunny, Hot and Humid

Size (Approximate)
Length: 1/2 inch
Width: 3/8 inch
Height: 3/8 inch

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Chrysomeloidea
Family: Chrysomelidae
Species: Chrysochus auratus

Story
There is a trail that runs North-South on the North side of Shelby Farms Park in Memphis. It's not paved, but there is some gravel leading to an area where maintenance trucks are parked. On the west side of that trail, a half dozen of these green metallic beetles roam around on a single cluster of plants.

Gladiator Katydid

2009-08-11T11:41:00.000-05:00

Gladiator Katydid
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Location
Place: Shelby Farms Park - Memphis, TN
Date: August 8, 2009
Time: Afternoon
Weather: 92 degrees F, Sunny, Hot and Humid

Size (Approximate)
Length: 1.25 inches
Width: 1/4 inch
Height: 3/8 inch

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Superfamily: Tettigonioidea
Family: Tettigoniidae

Story
There is a trail that runs North-South on the North side of Shelby Farms Park in Memphis. It's not paved, but there is some gravel leading to an area where maintenance trucks are parked. That trail is lined with numerous katydids, grasshoppers and crickets, all of which scatter as you walk along. I stopped and was scanning the limbs of a small tree for any insect life, when I noticed the tail end of this katydid sticking out from under a leaf. Holding the camera to the side of the limb for a more direct shot, I snapped this picture, which turned out better than I could have expected.

Rose Weevil Replica

2009-08-03T22:28:00.000-05:00

Rose Weevil Replica
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Handmade replica using realistic fly tying techniques

Taxonomy
Common Name: Rose Weevil
Species: Merhynchites bicolor Fabricius
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Curculionidae

Materials Used = Foam rubber, thread, fish hook, ink, nail polish, glue, wire

Worker Ant Replica

2009-08-03T22:25:00.000-05:00

Worker Ant Replica
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Handmade replica using realistic fly tying techniques

Taxonomy
Common Name: Ant (nonspecific)
Species: Nonspecific
Order: Hymenoptera

Materials Used = Foam rubber, thread, fish hook, ink, nail polish, glue, wire

Praying Mantis at Shelby Farms Park

2009-08-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

Praying Mantis 1
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Physical Location
Location: Base of tree on north side of Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, TN
Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009
Time: Approximately 11:30 a.m.
Weather: Cloudy, 80-85F, light rain

Size (Approximate)
Length: 2 inches
Width: 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch
Height: 1/2 inch

Taxonomy
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Dictyoptera
Order: Mantodea

Story
Kneeling down to get a better picture of a small katydid I spotted darting between blades of grass, I noticed some other movement and saw this little praying mantis moving in the same section of grass. I coaxed it to the top of a long blade then onto my right index finger tip. From there I moved it to my left index finger, where it moved quickly up my wrist and forearm before jumping onto the nearby tree trunk.

Red Paper Wasp 3

2009-07-29T21:32:00.000-05:00

Red Paper Wasp 3
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Red Paper Wasp 1

2009-07-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

Red Paper Wasp 1
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

A fellow realistic fly tyer, Fred Hannie, recently challenged me to try my hand at a red paper wasp. So, here is my first try. It was a bit difficult to get the coloring right without buying new materials. I think I got the dimensions pretty close. Be sure to visit Fred's site to check out his work.

Mosaic of Insect Replicas

2009-07-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

Mosaic of Insect Replicas
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Here is a quick mosaic of some of my work over the past year. Each insect is pictured somewhere else on my blog, but I like the exercise of putting them all together as one representative sample.

Cabinet of Curiosities

2009-07-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Ole Worm's cabinet of curiosities, from Museum Wormianum, 1655.

I love it when a complex idea is boiled down into a single term or theory. When I discover a term or idea that summarizes a larger topic, I often put that term in my "tool box" for future reference and use. That said, the latest addition to my tool box is the term "cabinet of curiosities".

My goal with this blog, my flickr account, the notebooks into which I scribble and scratch, and other various creative outlets is to build literal and figurative "cabinets of curiosities" from which those who wish to take the time may draw various items and hold them up to the light for quiet consideration.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_curiosities

Cicada Replica - Abdomen 2

2009-07-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

Cicada Replica in Hand 2
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Cicada Replica in Hand

2009-07-12T22:20:00.001-05:00

Cicada Replica in Hand
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Cicada Replica - Abdomen

2009-07-12T22:20:00.000-05:00

Cicada Replica in Hand 3
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Cicada Replica - Side View

2009-07-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

Cicada Replica 5
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Cicada Replica

2009-07-12T22:18:00.000-05:00

Cicada Replica
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

Here is my latest insect replica.

Rhinoceros Beetle Study

2009-07-05T12:39:00.000-05:00

My recent preoccupation with insect illustration and photography, and the subsequent guilt at having temporarily set aside the creation of new replicas, led me to the idea of combining the three into a short study of a single insect. I learned a long time ago that creating a detailed drawing of a thing is perhaps the best way to understand its details. Working on a single drawing can embed an image into your brain much better than viewing countless pictures. For me, I get an extra level of understanding from creating the replica. That may sound cheesy, but it's true.

Several months ago I tied a Stag Beetle and had so much fun I thought I'd make a go at a Rhinoceros Beetle, which Wikipedia describes as the world's strongest creature relative to its size, with the ability to lift up to 850 times its own body weight.

I started with an illustration showing three different perspectives - top, side and flying. Referencing online photos and illustrations, as well as my own field guides and books, I kept the drawing relatively simple and will ultimately add color with pencils and pens.

My plan was to leave a space in the upper right hand corner of the illustration where I could later mount the replica.

The replica was tied in much the same way as the others, using a combination of thread, ink, foam rubber, nail polish, glue and craft wire.

Mayfly Illustration 2

2009-07-01T08:37:00.000-05:00

Mayfly Illustration 2
Originally uploaded by blankenshipimages

This is the third in my series of insect illustrations. I finally found my favorite superfine pens (Pigma Micro .01). They really help out with the fine line detail of these drawings. I've learned, often the hard way, that good tools are worth the extra cost. These pens run around $3 each, but you won't find a better pen for fine lines. I've been reviewing other such illustrations on Flickr and have found lots of great artists out there, which provides both a source of envy and inspiration.