Wednesday (24-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Robber Fly with a meal. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec).

Robber Fly with a Meal. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (David J Mathre)
Robber Fly with a Meal. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (20-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Robber Flies Mating on a Blade of Grass at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec).

Robber-Flies Mating. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Robber Flies Mating. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera  and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/16, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (19-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Carnivore Robber Fly Eating a Black Wasp. Unlike a dragonfly, this insect only has one pair of wings. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.

Robber-Fly Eating Black Wasp.This insect looks like a dragonfly but only has one pair of wings. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Robber-Fly Eating Black Wasp. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (17-August-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Robber Fly on a “Mile a Minute” Vine. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec).

The “Mile a Minute” vine is now my most hated plant. It is invasive and is invading the North East as the Kudzu has invaded the South. It is able to grow 6 inches a day, and out competes every other plant. I have lost many trees and bushes. Even if you spray, the small blue seeds remain viable for 5-6 years. The plant has spines, and I have pictures from several years ago with the vine stuck to a deer, that probably brought it to my yard.

Robber Fly on a "Mile a Minute" Vine. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Robber Fly on a “Mile a Minute” Vine. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)