To Father Pitt’s untrained eye they look like boletes of some sort. He will not attempt an exact identification, because he is not very well informed in fungal matters.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A590 IS (hacked).
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Mushrooms in Schenley Park
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Differential Grasshopper
A Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) on a seedhead of Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) in Schenley Park. These grasshoppers are sometimes destructive to crops, but they can have all the Queen Anne’s Lace they want. There’s plenty to go around.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A590 IS (hacked).
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Grape Vines in Schenley Park
KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA Grape vines can cover acres, blanketing everything in their way to form a surreal topiary.
Camera: Konica-Minolta DiMAGE Z3.
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Locust Borer
This colorful beetle (Megacyllene robiniae) is very destructive to locust trees in its larval stage; but since Pittsburgh has an infinite supply of locust trees, we need not worry about it. Probably these creatures are the only things that keep the locust trees from taking over and imposing martial law. The adult beetle looks very dashing in its striped livery. It eats goldenrod pollen, which means that our Locust Borers are very happy right now.
Camera: Konica-Minolta DiMAGE Z3.
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A Vine
The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is still in its early stages, but it already has a definite personality. Its emphasis is on native plants and local environments, and rather than planting an ideal landscape, it has mostly taken the landscape that was there and added a few interesting plants. This enthusiastic vine was a sight that struck Father Pitt along one of the trails.
Once again, Father Pitt brings you a picture in imitation two-strip Technicolor, because it seemed to emphasize the striking shape of the vine.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A590 (hacked).
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Bracket Fungi
A small collection of interesting bracket fungi from a walk in the woods.
Cameras: Konica-Minolta DiMAGE Z3 and Olympus E-20n.
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Dragonfly
A dragonfly rests on a wooden step. A moment after this picture, it took off hunting again.
Camera: Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3.
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Caterpillars
Two caterpillars share a blade of grass. Father Pitt does not know what kind of moth or butterfly they will grow into, but as caterpillars they have a particularly tasteful black-and-white design.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A590 (hacked).
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Clouded Sulphur on a Purple Coneflower
Another butterfly (this one Colias philodice) on a Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). The Clouded Sulphur seems to be nothing but a plain yellow butterfly as it flutters past, but a close examination reveals bright pink antennae and a pink rim around the wings.
Camera: Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3.
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Silvery Checkerspot on Purple Coneflower
The flower (Echinacea purpurea) looks a bit bedraggled, but the butterfly (Chlosyne nycteis) is in fine shape.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A590 (hacked).
