Eric Gofreed
Well-Known Member
You saw the title and thought, “Birds. Of course.” But plot twist: it’s birds and bugs today—because why limit the chaos?
It’s been a week since my surgery, and I’m doing great—thank you all for the kind words, messages, and general refusal to show up in person with casseroles.
So this week, we’re going full garden safari: dragonflies, paper wasps impersonating hovercrafts, and yes, a bird too. If it’s winged and mildly ridiculous, it’s probably here.
Blue-eyed Darners (in the act)
This is dragonfly courtship, or what passes for it—zero privacy and no eye contact. The male grabs the female by the head, she loops around to form a heart-shaped wheel, and together they create what can only be described as nature’s weirdest Valentine. Romance? Maybe. Efficient? Definitely.
Bananaquit
Built like a warbler, wired like a hummingbird, and named like a fruit-based hostage situation. This little nectar thief refuses to sit still, insists on eating dessert first, and somehow manages to look both cute and judgmental at the same time.
Valley Carpenter Bee (Yellow Form)
This is not a bumblebee, it’s a power tool with wings. Loud, hairy, and absolutely uninterested in your personal space. It doesn’t sting often, but when it does, the vibration registers on seismographs.
Umbrella Paper Wasps on Water
They float like little boats. They drink like polite demons. Not only that, but they leave without saying goodbye. It’s hard to decide what’s more unsettling—their elegance, or the calm confidence of creatures that know exactly where you live.
Leaf-footed Bug
Nature said, “Give this one leaf-shaped legs and a face only an entomologist could love.” The result? A walking contradiction: armored but skittish, leaf-footed but not vegan. It also buzzes when startled, which is not helpful for anyone.
It’s been a week since my surgery, and I’m doing great—thank you all for the kind words, messages, and general refusal to show up in person with casseroles.
So this week, we’re going full garden safari: dragonflies, paper wasps impersonating hovercrafts, and yes, a bird too. If it’s winged and mildly ridiculous, it’s probably here.
Blue-eyed Darners (in the act)
This is dragonfly courtship, or what passes for it—zero privacy and no eye contact. The male grabs the female by the head, she loops around to form a heart-shaped wheel, and together they create what can only be described as nature’s weirdest Valentine. Romance? Maybe. Efficient? Definitely.
Bananaquit
Built like a warbler, wired like a hummingbird, and named like a fruit-based hostage situation. This little nectar thief refuses to sit still, insists on eating dessert first, and somehow manages to look both cute and judgmental at the same time.
Valley Carpenter Bee (Yellow Form)
This is not a bumblebee, it’s a power tool with wings. Loud, hairy, and absolutely uninterested in your personal space. It doesn’t sting often, but when it does, the vibration registers on seismographs.
Umbrella Paper Wasps on Water
They float like little boats. They drink like polite demons. Not only that, but they leave without saying goodbye. It’s hard to decide what’s more unsettling—their elegance, or the calm confidence of creatures that know exactly where you live.
Leaf-footed Bug
Nature said, “Give this one leaf-shaped legs and a face only an entomologist could love.” The result? A walking contradiction: armored but skittish, leaf-footed but not vegan. It also buzzes when startled, which is not helpful for anyone.
