Wilderness Portraits by Lloyd Paul Aiello

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  • An eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) basks on a lillypad eye-to-eye with an approaching emerald damselfly (Lestes sponsa) and it shadow in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.  <br />
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The eastern painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. The adult painted turtle female is 10–25 cm (4–10 in) long while the male is smaller. Reliant on warmth from its surroundings, the painted turtle is active only during the day when it basks for hours on logs or rocks, or in this unusual case on a lillypad. During winter, these turtles hibernate, usually in the mud at the bottom of the pond. Adults in the wild can live for more than 55 years.<br />
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Damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) are similar to dragonflies but have slender bodies and are weaker fliers.  Most damselfly species fold their wings over the abdomen when stationary, and the eyes are well separated on the sides of the head.  In contrast, dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera) are heavy-bodied, strong-flying insects that hold their wings horizontally both in flight and at rest.
    _LPA0107-Edit-turtle-dragonfly-damse...tif
  • This female Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon) is basking on warm rocks in the morning sun.  Northern Water Snakes are found throughout eastern and central North America, from southern Ontario and southern Quebec in the north, to Texas and Florida in the south.  They can grow up to 135 cm (4 ft 5 in) in total length.  Adult females can weigh up to 408 g (14.4 oz) in average body mass while the smaller males average up to 151 g (5.3 oz). The largest females can weigh up to 560 g (20 oz) while the largest males are 370 g (13 oz). <br />
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The northern water snake is nonvenomous but can give a painful bite.  They superficially resemble the venomous cottonmouth and are often misidentified. Being active during the day and night, they hunt using both smell and sight. During the day, they hunt among plants at the water's edge, looking for small fish, frogs, worms, leeches, crayfish, salamanders, small birds and mammals. At night, they concentrate on minnows and other small fish sleeping in shallow water.
    _1LA8614-Edit-2-snake-water-black-ho...tif
  • This female Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon) is basking on warm rocks in the morning sun.  Northern Water Snakes are found throughout eastern and central North America, from southern Ontario and southern Quebec in the north, to Texas and Florida in the south.  They can grow up to 135 cm (4 ft 5 in) in total length.  Adult females can weigh up to 408 g (14.4 oz) in average body mass while the smaller males average up to 151 g (5.3 oz). The largest females can weigh up to 560 g (20 oz) while the largest males are 370 g (13 oz). <br />
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The northern water snake is nonvenomous but can give a painful bite.  They superficially resemble the venomous cottonmouth and are often misidentified. Being active during the day and night, they hunt using both smell and sight. During the day, they hunt among plants at the water's edge, looking for small fish, frogs, worms, leeches, crayfish, salamanders, small birds and mammals. At night, they concentrate on minnows and other small fish sleeping in shallow water.
    _1LA8610-Edit-snake-water-black-hori...tif
  • LB (age 9) "Skydiving" with the instructor in the wind tunnel, Sky Ventures, Nashua, New Hampshire.
    IMG_3808-skydiving-wind-tunnel.tif
  • AJ (age 12) "Skydiving" with the instructor in the wind tunnel, Sky Ventures, Nashua, New Hampshire.
    IMG_3721-skydiving-wind-tunnel.tif
  • "Skydiving" in the wind tunnel, Sky Ventures, Nashua, New Hampshire.
    IMG_3677-skydiving-wind-tunnel.tif
  • AJ (age 12) "Skydiving" in the wind tunnel, Sky Ventures, Nashua, New Hampshire.
    IMG_3665-skydiving-wind-tunnel.tif
  • AJ (age 12) "Skydiving" in the wind tunnel, Sky Ventures, Nashua, New Hampshire.
    IMG_3663-skydiving-wind-tunnel.tif
  • A winter setting sun illuminates the cliffs and monoliths of Upper Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef National Park,Utah.  Panorama composed of 11 individual images.
    _LPA63xx-upper-catherdral-valley-pan...tif
  • Dew drops cling to a Funnel Weaver Spider (Agelenidae) web spread over Sedum
    _LPA2016-dew-spider-web-moss-sedum.tif
  • A Funnel Weaver Spider (Agelenidae) tends his dew drop laden web spread across a Sedum groundcover.
    _LPA2009-spider-dew-drops-web.tif
  • Phaleanopsis orchid bloomed by the photographer.  Phalaenopsis are also known as Moth Orchids and are native throughout southeast Asia from the Himalayan mountains to the islands of Polillo, Palawan and Zamboanga del Norte in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines and northern Australia.
    _1LA0797-Edit.tif
  • These young mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goats, are resting on their way up a steep slope in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Mountain goats are sure-footed cliff climbers that are endemic to subalpine to alpine areas of North America.  They are the largest mammal in these high-altitude environments often exceeding 3,900 meters (13,000 ft). In summer, they generally stay above tree line, but occasionally migrate to lower elevations in the winter. Despite its common name, they are not a member of Capra, the genus that includes all other goats, but rather related to antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. <br />
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Mountain goats are about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall at the shoulder and males are larger than females. Mountain goats can weigh between 45 and 140 kg (99 and 309 lb) with a length of 10–179 cm (4 to nearly 6 ft.).  Both male and female mountain goats grow black horns reaching 15–28 cm (5.9–11.0 in) in length.  After they are about 22 months old, the horns are visible and it is possible to tell the age of a mountain goat by counting the number of rings on its horns.  Two of the individuals in this image are too young to have grown horns yet.<br />
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There are an estimated 100,000 Mountain Goats in North America. They are protected from the elements by long woolly white double coats that they shed in spring. Their coats are highly specialized consisting of fine, dense wool undercoats covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Their coats help mountain goats survive winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph).  The average lifespan of a mountain goat is 9 to 12 years.<br />
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This is a single color image that has been converted digitally to sepia.
    _1LA9417-Edit-antique-sepia-mountain...tif
  • A bumblebee (genus Bombus) wing is highlighted against the bright yellow blooms of a flowering Goldenrod (Solidago) plant.  Goldenrod belongs to a genus of about 100 species in the aster family which are mostly native to North America. Bumblebees, like their relatives the honeybees, feed on nectar using a long hairy proboscis which is folded under the head during flight. Over 250 species of bumblebee are known, being found primarily at higher altitudes or latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are also found in South America.<br />
Short and stubby, with small wings, the bumblebee doesn't look very flight-worthy and indeed, in the 1930s the French entomologist August Magnan wrote that the insect's flight is actually impossible, a notion that has stuck in popular consciousness since then.<br />
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However, the question of how these little wings generate enough force to keep the insect in the air has been mostly resolved.  In 2005, a study by Dr. Michael Dickinson in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences used high-speed photography of actual flying bees and force sensors on a larger-than-life robotic bee wing flapping in mineral oil. The solution became apparent after it was discovered that bumblebees don’t flap their wings up and down, they actually flap their wings back and forth.<br />
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The aerodynamics of bumblebee flight is different from those that allow a plane to fly. For bumblebees it is somewhat like a partial spin of a helicopter propeller.  In addition, the angle of the wings create vortices like small hurricanes that have lower pressure than the surrounding air, and by keeping those eddies above its wings, they help the bee stay aloft.
    _1LA0357-Edit-bumblebee-wing.tif
  • The northern green frog (Lithobates clamitans melanota) is a subspecies of the green frog, Lithobates clamitans and has been introduced to British Columbia.  This frog grows up to 86 mm (3.5 in) and is darker when young.  The northern green frog dwells in marshes, swamps, ponds, lakes, springs, and other aquatic environments. They are active both day and night. This individual was photographed in the Carrabassett River in northern Maine in August.<br />
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The image is a focus stack of 11 handheld exposures.
    _1LA9810-Edit-northern-green-frog-Ki...tif
  • The Rusty Tussock Moth or Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua) is native to Europe, but now has a transcontinental distribution.  A striking dimorphism exists between the male and the female moths of this species. The male moth shown here typically has orange to red-brown wings.  Each fore wing has a white comma-shaped (tornal) spot. He has marked plumose (short, bipectinate) antennae and a wingspan between 35 and 38 mm (~1.5 in). The female moth has vestigial wings and is flightless.  Several hundred eggs are laid on the outside of the female's empty cocoon, usually attached to a host plant.  The species overwinters in the egg stage. <br />
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The adult moths do not feed, so only live a short time. In North America, only one generation occurs in a year and fly between May and October.  The males are diurnal, flying during the day, but are occasionally attracted to light.  This individual was photographed during the day in August in Kingfield, Maine.<br />
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The image is a focus stack of 34 exposures.
    _1LA9545-Edit-Rusty-Tussock-Moth-Vap...tif
  • Parrotfish owe their name to the shape of their mouth where instead of teeth they have two beak-like plates.  The Redband Parrotfish (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) grows to 28 cm (11 in) and is common to a depth of 20 m (66 ft) in Florida, Bahamas and the Caribbean.  Especially during younger stages, the fish’s color is highly variable and they can rapidly fade, intensify or change color and markings. Normally as seen here, an orangish-pink color band is present starting from below the eye and connecting to the corner of the mouth.  Redband parrotfish swim about reefs using their pectoral fins.  The tail is only used for bursts of speed. They use their 'beaks' to scrape algae and polyps from corals and rocks.<br />
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Even though the Parrotfish is colorful, they can still be well camouflaged on the reef as seen here nestled between the rust-colored encrusting sponge and green algae on the rock, and the brown tubulate sponge (Agelas tubulata) above.
    Image 005-Edit-redband-parrotfish.tif
  • The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-tallest living bird in the world exceeded only by the ostrich. Emus are endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and is found throughout most of mainland Australia.  <br />
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Emus are soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds with long necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) in height. Emus range in length from 139 to 164 cm (55 to 65 in).  They are the fifth heaviest living bird in the world after the two species of ostrich and two larger species of cassowary.  Adult emus weigh between 18 and 60 kg (40 and 132 lb), with an average of 31.5 and 37 kg (69 and 82 lb) in males and females, respectively.<br />
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Emus can travel great distances, and when necessary they can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) due to their highly specialized pelvic limb musculature.  They flap their wings when running, perhaps as a means of stabilizing themselves when moving fast.  When walking, the emu takes strides of about 100 cm (3.3 ft), but at full gallop, a stride can be as long as 275 cm (9 ft). Emus have good eyesight and hearing.<br />
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Emus primarily eat plants and insects but can go for weeks without eating. They drink infrequently but ingest large amounts of water when they do.  Emus breed in May and June.  The male incubates the eggs and hardly eats or drinks during that time, losing a significant amount of weight. The eggs hatch after about eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. Emus reach full size after about six months.  The emu plumage varies in color due to environmental factors.  Feathers of emus in more arid areas with red soils have a rufous tint while birds residing in damp conditions are generally darker in hue. The juvenile plumage develops at about three months with the head and neck being especially dark. The adult plumage has developed by about fifteen months.<br />
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This image of a juvenile emu is derived from a two photograph focus stack.
    _1LA0695-Edit-Edit-emu-stare-head.tif
  • The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the second-tallest living bird in the world exceeded only by the ostrich. Emus are endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and is found throughout most of mainland Australia.  <br />
<br />
Emus are soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds with long necks and legs, and can reach up to 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) in height. Emus range in length from 139 to 164 cm (55 to 65 in).  They are the fifth heaviest living bird in the world after the two species of ostrich and two larger species of cassowary.  Adult emus weigh between 18 and 60 kg (40 and 132 lb), with an average of 31.5 and 37 kg (69 and 82 lb) in males and females, respectively.<br />
<br />
Emus can travel great distances, and when necessary they can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) due to their highly specialized pelvic limb musculature.  They flap their wings when running, perhaps as a means of stabilizing themselves when moving fast.  When walking, the emu takes strides of about 100 cm (3.3 ft), but at full gallop, a stride can be as long as 275 cm (9 ft). Emus have good eyesight and hearing.<br />
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Emus primarily eat plants and insects but can go for weeks without eating. They drink infrequently but ingest large amounts of water when they do.  Emus breed in May and June.  The male incubates the eggs and hardly eats or drinks during that time, losing a significant amount of weight. The eggs hatch after about eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. Emus reach full size after about six months.  The emu plumage varies in color due to environmental factors.  Feathers of emus in more arid areas with red soils have a rufous tint while birds residing in damp conditions are generally darker in hue. The juvenile plumage develops at about three months with the head and neck being especially dark. The adult plumage has developed by about fifteen months.
    _LPA7334-Edit-emu-head-smile-laugh.tif
  • The Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) is a common species of wren found in the eastern half of the United States, the extreme south of Ontario, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico. Their preferred habitat is in dense cover in forests, farm edges and suburban areas. However, Carolina wrens are wary, and are more often heard than seen This wren is the state bird of South Carolina.<br />
There are seven recognized subspecies of the Carolina wren each with slight differences in song and appearance. The Carolina wren is 12.5 to 14.0 cm (4.9 to 5.5 in) long, with a 29 cm (11 in) wingspan and a weight of about 18 to 23 g (0.63 to 0.81 oz).  It is the second largest wren in the United States after the cactus wren.  Carolina wrens raise multiple broods during the summer breeding season.  This photograph captures the elusive wren enduring a winter snowstorm in Belmont, Massachusetts.
    _LPA2272-Edit-carolina-wren-bird-sno...tif
  • The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American songbird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests. The chickadee is the state bird of Massachusetts, USA.  Its familiar call of chick-a-dee-dee-dee gave this bird its name.  The chickadee total body length is 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 in), with a wingspan is 16–21 cm (6.3–8.3 in) and a body mass of 9–14 g (0.32–0.49 oz).   Sexes look alike, but males are slightly larger and longer than females.<br />
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The chickadee has fascinating eating habits.  Insects (especially caterpillars) form a large part of their diet in summer. Seeds and berries become more important in winter.  Like many other species in the family Paridae, black-capped chickadees commonly cache their food, mostly seeds but sometimes insects also.  Items are stored singly in various sites such as bark, dead leaves, clusters of conifer needles, or knotholes. The chickadee can remember the location of caches up to 28 days.   Within the first 24 hours, the birds can even remember the relative quality of the stored items. <br />
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The chichadee is also well known for its uncommon capability to lower its body temperature.  During cold winter nights, these birds can reduce their body temperature by as much as 10 to 12 °C (from their normal temperature of about 42 °C) to conserve energy.
    _LPA2360-Edit-chickadee-bird-snow-bl...tif
  • The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American bird also known colloquially as redbird or common cardinal. It can be found from southern Canada, through the eastern United States and south to Mexico. It prefers woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.  The Northern Cardinal has a body length of 8-9 inches and a wingspan of 10-12 inches.  The male is a vibrant red, while the female has a dull red-brown splotchy plumage. The Northern Cardinal is mainly granivorous, but also feeds on fruit or insects.  The cardinal was once prized as a pet, but its sale as cage birds is now banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.  This particular female Northern Cardinal is enduring a winter blizzard in Belmont, Massachusetts.
    _LPA2421-Edit-female-cardinal-snow-b...tif
  • Norway Maple leaves (Acer platanoides) lay scattered upon a bed of moss in Belmont, Massachusetts.
    _1LA1582-Edit-leaves-moss-Norway-map...tif
  • As autumn leaves fall, a yellow Norway Maple leaf (Acer platanoides) comes to rest naturally on the branches of a Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) in Belmont, Massachusetts.
    _1LA1530-Edit-leaf-maple-yellow-red-...tif
  • In the winter at Death Valley, the clear skies, cold nights and lack of nearby lights create one of the best viewing environments for the night sky.  Seen here in March, the many colors of the stars are clearly visible.  Centered in the image is the constellation Orion, with Orion’s Belt and sword clearly visible.  Orion is observable worldwide in the evening sky from January to March.  It was named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology.  The earliest depiction of the constellation of Orion is a prehistoric (Aurignacian) mammoth ivory carving found in a cave in the Ach valley in West Germany in 1979. Archaeologists have estimated it to have been fashioned approximately 32,000 to 38,000 years ago<br />
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Orion's Belt (or The Belt of Orion) consists of the three bright stars: Zeta (Alnitak), Epsilon (Alnilam), and Delta (Mintaka). Alnitak is approximately 800 light years away from earth and is 100,000 times more luminous than the Sun, although much of its radiation is in the ultraviolet range which the human eye cannot see. Alnilam is approximately 1,340 light years away from Earth and is 375,000 times more luminous than the Sun. Mintaka is 915 light years away and is 90,000 times more luminous than the Sun, and is a double star.  <br />
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The Pleiades star cluster (also known as the Seven Sisters or M45) is visible from virtually every place on Earth and is one of the nearest star clusters. It can be seen from as far north as the north pole, and farther south than the southernmost tip of South America. It looks like a tiny misty dipper of stars, shown here 3/4 of the way to the right and halfway up in the sky.  In both myth and science, the Pleiades are considered sibling stars. The Pleiades stars were born from the same cloud of gas and dust about 100 million years ago. The cluster of several hundred stars is about 430 light-years distant, and the sibling stars drift through space together at about 25 miles per second. Many of these Pleiades stars shine hundreds of times mor
    _LPA3782-Edit-stars-orion-pleadeis-d...tif
  • Under a moonless night sky in Death Valley California, headlights from a passing car light the barren landscape at Zambriske Point making it seem as though one is standing on another planet looking out into the universe.  The upper left star cluster is the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier object 45) which is a 100 million year old formation approximately 130 parsecs (424 light-years) from earth.<br />
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Zabriskie Point is part of the Amargosa Range located on the eastern side of Death Valley.  The area is noted for its erosional landscape, composed of sediments from Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up 5 million years ago—long before Death Valley came into existence.  This ancient lake began forming approximately nine million years ago. During the several million years of the lake's existence, sediments composed of saline muds, mountain gravels, and ashfalls from the then-active Black Mountain volcanic field collected at the bottom of the lake.<br />
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Camels, mastodons, horses, carnivores, and birds left tracks in the lakeshore muds, along with fossilized grass and reeds. Borates were concentrated in the lakebeds from hot spring waters and decomposition of rhyolite in the nearby volcanic fields. Indeed, the location is named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, vice-president and general manager of the Pacific Coast Borax Company in the early 20th century. The company's twenty-mule teams were used to transport borax from its mining operations in Death Valley.
    _LPA3780-Edit-stars-death-valley-Zam...tif
  • On August 21, 2017 the path of the first solar eclipses over the Unites States in 38 years traversed approximately 2,500 miles of the country from Newport, Oregon to McClellanville, South Carolina.  Just outside Shoshoni, Wyoming, the path passed over Boysen Reservoir.  At this location, totality lasted 2 minutes and 22 seconds, being at its maximum about 11:40 am.  With the moon blocking the solar disk during totality, red flares called solar prominences become visible at the edge of the dark disk.  The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas composed of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. These prominences look small in relation to the size of the sun, but typically extend over many thousands of kilometers with the largest on record being estimated at over 800,000 kilometres (500,000 miles).  A prominence forms over timescales of about a day and may persist for several weeks or months.<br />
<br />
During the total solar eclipse, the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona becomes visible as it extends millions of miles into space.  The corona consists of extremely hot ionized gases which exceed 1 million degrees Kelvin – 150- to 450-times hotter than the surface of the sun.  Being over 1 million million times less dense and much hotter than the sun’s surface and the solar prominences, the corona actually produces about one-millionth as much visible light, thus becoming visible from earth typically only during a total solar eclipse. The sun’s magnetic fields bend the corona into its remarkable shapes.<br />
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In this image, 10 different photographic exposures of the solar eclipse were composited to show the eclipsing moon, solar prominences and the corona.  (exposure stack of 10 images)
    total-solar-eclipse-sun-corona.tif
  • On August 21, 2017 the path of the first solar eclipses over the Unites States in 38 years traversed approximately 2,500 miles of the country from Newport, Oregon to McClellanville, South Carolina.  Just outside Shoshoni, Wyoming, the path passed over Boysen Reservoir.  At this location, totality lasted 2 minutes and 22 seconds, being at its maximum about 11:40 am.  With the moon blocking the solar disk during totality, red flares called solar prominences become visible at the edge of the dark disk.  The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas composed of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. These prominences look small in relation to the size of the sun, but typically extend over many thousands of kilometers with the largest on record being estimated at over 800,000 kilometres (500,000 miles).  A prominence forms over timescales of about a day and may persist for several weeks or months.<br />
<br />
During the total solar eclipse, the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona becomes visible as it extends millions of miles into space.  The corona consists of extremely hot ionized gases which exceed 1 million degrees Kelvin – 150- to 450-times hotter than the surface of the sun.  Being over 1 million million times less dense and much hotter than the sun’s surface and the solar prominences, the corona actually produces about one-millionth as much visible light, thus becoming visible from earth typically only during a total solar eclipse. The sun’s magnetic fields bend the corona into its remarkable shapes.<br />
<br />
In this image, 10 different photographic exposures of the solar eclipse were composited to show the eclipsing moon, solar prominences and the corona.  The image was then manipulated by a process involving radial blur subtraction and image offset overlay to accentuate the pattern of the corona. The coloration of the eclipsing moon and the solar prominences were retained in this rendition.  (exposure stack of 10 images)
    total-solar-eclipse-sun-corona-overl...tif
  • On August 21, 2017 the path of the first solar eclipses over the Unites States in 38 years traversed approximately 2,500 miles of the country from Newport, Oregon to McClellanville, South Carolina.  Just outside Shoshoni, Wyoming, the path passed over Boysen Reservoir.  At this location, totality lasted 2 minutes and 22 seconds, being at its maximum about 11:40 am.  With the moon blocking the solar disk during totality, red flares called solar prominences become visible at the edge of the dark disk.  The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas composed of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. These prominences look small in relation to the size of the sun, but typically extend over many thousands of kilometers with the largest on record being estimated at over 800,000 kilometres (500,000 miles).  A prominence forms over timescales of about a day and may persist for several weeks or months.<br />
<br />
During the total solar eclipse, the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona becomes visible as it extends millions of miles into space.  The corona consists of extremely hot ionized gases which exceed 1 million degrees Kelvin – 150- to 450-times hotter than the surface of the sun.  Being over 1 million million times less dense and much hotter than the sun’s surface and the solar prominences, the corona actually produces about one-millionth as much visible light, thus becoming visible from earth typically only during a total solar eclipse. The sun’s magnetic fields bend the corona into its remarkable shapes.<br />
<br />
In this image, 10 different photographic exposures of the solar eclipse were composited to show the eclipsing moon, solar prominences and the corona.  The image was then manipulated by a process called embossing where each pixel is replaced either by a highlight or a shadow, depending on light/dark boundaries on the original image.  The final image represents the rate of color change at each location of the original. This approach accentuates the pattern
    total-solar-eclipse-sun-corona-solar...tif
  • A garden of Rudbeckia at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts as seen through an 8mm fisheye lens.  Rudbeckia, also commonly known as coneflowers and black-eyed-susans, are native to North America and a member of the sunflower family.  These perennial plants grow 0.5–3 meters (1.6 - 9.8 feet) tall depending on the species and are eaten by some caterpillars, including those of the Cabbage Moth and Dot Moth.  The 8mm fisheye lens used in this photograph provides 180 degrees of view in all directions.
    _LPA0235-Edit-daisy-coneflower-rudbe...tif
  • An eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) basks on a lillypad not far from where a common housefly has alighted.<br />
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The eastern painted turtle is the most widespread native turtle of North America. Fossils show that the painted turtle existed 15 million years ago. The adult painted turtle female is 10–25 cm (4–10 in) long while the male is smaller. Reliant on warmth from its surroundings, the painted turtle is active only during the day when it basks for hours on logs or rocks, or in this unusual case on a lillypad. During winter, these turtles hibernate, usually in the mud at the bottom of the pond. Adults in the wild can live for more than 55 years.
    _LPA0106-Edit-turtle-lillypad-fly-po...tif
  • Ashlyn holds "Kisses" a female Peruvian guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) she raised from a young pup.
    _LPA3343-Edit-girl-guinea-pig.tif
  • The Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) is a small, formally common, North American songbird inhabiting cattail marshes whose numbers have declined with the loss of suitable wetland habitat. Draining of marshes leads to its local extinction.  These birds forage actively in vegetation, sometimes flying up to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, but may also consume spiders and snails.  The Marsh Wren sings all day and throughout the night producing a gurgling, rattling trill often used to declare ownership of its territory.  The nest is an oval lump of woven wet grass, cattails, and rushes, which is lined with fine grass, plant down, and feathers.  It is attached to marsh vegetation and entered from the side. Industrious male Marsh Wrens build "dummy nests" in their nesting territories, occasionally up to twenty or more, although most are never used for raising young.  Normally four to six eggs are laid twice each year, although the number can range from three to ten.  The eggs are generally pale brown and heavily dotted with dark brown; although sometimes they may be all white. Only the female incubates the eggs which hatch after 13-16 days. The young leave the nest about 12-16 days after hatching.
    _LPA7636-Edit-marsh-wren-cattail.tif
  • This eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) built its home below a sewer grate in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.  They generally construct underground nests with extensive tunnel systems, and several entrances.  To hide the construction of its burrow, the eastern chipmunk carries soil away from its hole in its cheek pouches.  <br />
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The eastern chipmunk is the sole living member of the chipmunk subgenus Tamias, and is found only in eastern North America.  The name "chipmunk" is derived from the Algonquian language meaning “one who descends trees headlong.”  <br />
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The eastern chipmunk reaches 30 cm (12 in) in length including the tail, with a weight of 66–150 g (2.3–5.3 oz).  Interestingly, it has two fewer teeth than other chipmunks and four toes each on the front legs, but five toes on each of the hind legs.  They are mainly active during the day, consuming bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, green plants, mushrooms, insects, worms, and bird eggs.  <br />
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The eastern chipmunk leads a solitary life, except during mating season. Females usually produce one or two litters of three to five young, usually from February to April and/or June to August. On average, eastern chipmunks live three or more years in the wild, although in captivity they may live up to eight years.
    _LPA0849-Edit-eastern-striped-chipmu...tif
  • An American mink defiantly protects its recent catch of a meadow vole alongside the marsh at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.<br />
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The American mink (Neovison vison) is native to North America, although its range has spread to many parts of Europe and South America. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the only living member of the genus Neovison. The American mink is a carnivore that feeds on rodents, fish, crustaceans, frogs, and birds. It kills vertebrate prey by biting the back of the head or neck as seen in this photograph.  The meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) captured here, is one of the American mink’s primary food sources throughout its range including Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States.<br />
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The American mink has a long body which allows the species to enter the burrows of prey. Its streamlined shape helps it to reduce water resistance when swimming and the thick underfur and oily guard hairs render its coat water-resistant.  In warm water (24 °C or 75 °F), the American mink can swim for three hours without stopping.  However, in cold water it can die within 27 minutes. It generally dives to depths of 12 in (30 cm) for 10 seconds, though depths of 3 m lasting 60 seconds have been recorded. It typically catches fish after five- to 20-second chases.  American mink molt twice a year, in spring and autumn.  The fur does not turn white in winter.<br />
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Males measure 13–18 in (34–45 cm) in body length, while females measure 12–15 in (31–37.5 cm). The tail measures 6–10 inches (15.6–24.7 cm) in males and 6–8 in (14.8–21.5 cm) in females. In winter, males weigh 1–3 lb (500–1,580 g) and females 1–2 lb (400–780 g).  Maximum weight is achieved in autumn.<br />
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The summer fur is generally shorter, sparser and duller than the winter fur.[11] The thick underfur and oily guard hairs render the pelage water-resistant, with the length of the guard hairs being intermediate between those of otters and polecats, thus ind
    _LPA7599-Edit-american-mink-meadow-v...tif
  • An American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) waits motionless in a small pond completely covered in Duckweed (Lemnaceae) in hopes of catching a small fly (Drosophilidae) walking along the edge of its mouth.  <br />
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The bullfrog is native to eastern North America with a natural range from the Atlantic Coast to as far west as Oklahoma and Kansas.  However, it has been introduced elsewhere where it is considered an invasive species, including Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Jamaica, Italy, Netherlands, France, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia, China, South Korea and Japan.  In some areas, the bullfrog is used as a food source.  <br />
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Bullfrogs are voracious, ambush predators that eat any small animal they can stuff down their throats. Bullfrog stomachs have been found to contain rodents, reptiles, amphibians, crayfish, birds, bats, fish, tadpoles, snails and their usual food – insects.  Bullfrogs are able to jump a distance 10x their body length.  The female lays up to 20,000 eggs at a time that form a thin, floating sheet which may cover an area of 0.5 -1 m2 (5.4 - 10.8 sq ft). The embryos hatch in 3 - 5 days. Time to metamorphize into an adult frog ranges from a few months in the southern part of their range to 3 years in the north where the colder water slows development.  Maximum lifespan in the wild is 8 - 10 years, but one bullfrog lived for almost 16 years in captivity.<br />
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Duckweed (Lemnoideae) are small flowering aquatic plants which float on or just beneath the surface of still or slow-moving bodies of fresh water. These plants lack obvious stems or leaves, and depending on the species, each plant may have no root or one or more simple rootlets.  Reproduction is mostly by asexual budding, however, occasionally three tiny flowers are produced for sexual reproduction.  The flower of the duckweed measures a mere 0.3 mm (1/100th of an inch) long.<br />
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The fly escaped unharmed.
    _LPA8258-Edit-bullfrog-frog-fly-duck...tif
  • The Painted Desert is a spectacular badlands running from near the east end of Grand Canyon National Park southeast into the Petrified Forest National Park. The desert is about 120 miles (190 km) long by about 60 miles (97 km) wide, making it roughly 7,500 square miles (19,425 km2) in area.  The view shown here is from the north portion of The Petrified Forest National Park. The Painted Desert is known for its brilliant and varied colors, including the unusual shades of lavender evident in this photograph.  <br />
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The area resides within a strong rain shadow, giving it a cold desert climate with hot, dry summers and cold, virtually snow-free winters. The annual precipitation is the lowest in northern Arizona and in many places is lower even than Phoenix.<br />
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The desert is composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the Triassic Chinle Formation. These fine-grained rock layers contain abundant iron and manganese compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region. The erosion of these layers has resulted in the formation of the characteristic badlands topography of the region. Numerous layers of silicic volcanic ash occur in the Chinle and provide the silica for the petrified logs of the area. An assortment of fossilized prehistoric plants and animals are also found in the region, as well as dinosaur tracks and evidence of early human habitation.<br />
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Desert was named by an expedition under Francisco Vázquez de Coronado on his 1540 quest to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which he located some forty miles east of The Petrified Forest National Park. Finding that the cities were not made of gold as expected, Coronado sent an expedition to find the Colorado River to resupply his group. Passing through the wonderland of colors, they named the area "El Desierto Pintado", The Painted Desert.
    _LPA0805-Edit-Edit-badlands-painted-...tif
  • A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stalks his prey along a ponds edge at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  <br />
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The Great Blue Heron is common near the shores of open water and in wetlands throughput most of North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. It is the largest North American heron and the third largest heron in the world.  Great blue herons are 115–138 cm (45–54 in) tall with a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in) and weigh about 2.23 kg (4.9 lb) in New England where this individual was photographed.  These herons have long legs and cover approximately 22 cm (8.7 in) with each stride.  <br />
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Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Typically, the great blue heron feeds in shallow waters, usually less than 50 cm (20 in) deep, by wading slowly and quickly spearing prey with its long, sharp bill. The primary food for the great blue heron is small fish, although they have been observed to feed on shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, rodents, and small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds.
    _LPA5991-Edit-great-blue-heron-daffo...tif
  • An American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) remains so motionless among the arrowhead plants (Sagittaria sp.) while hunting in a Florida marsh that a fly has landed and is walking across the Alligator’s nose. The American Alligator is the largest reptile in North America and is endemic to the southeastern United States ranging from Texas to North Carolina.  Adults can be up to 16 feet long (5 m) and can weigh 1,320 pounds (600 kg).  They will prey on anything that comes in or near the water including documented successful attacks on fish, turtles, crabs, birds, muskrats, racoons, dogs, cats, wild boars, bobcats, deer, calves and humans.  They will also eat fruit.  Adult alligators also spend considerable time hunting on land, up to 170 feet (50 m) from water, ambushing terrestrial animals on trail-sides and road shoulders. Such terrestrial hunting generally occurs on warm nights.  The alligator is capable of biting though a turtle's shell or a moderately sized mammal bone.  American alligators have been documented to use lures to hunt birds.  By balancing sticks and branches on their heads, American alligators are able to lure, catch and consume birds looking for suitable nesting material. During the breeding season, alligators bellow to declare territory and locate suitable mates, with males using infrasound to attract females. From 20 – 50 eggs are laid in a nest of vegetation, sticks, leaves, and mud in a sheltered spot in or near the water. Those eggs which are hatched at a temperature of 93 °F (34 °C) or more become males, while those at experiencing temperatures of 86 °F  (30 °C) or lower become female. Young are born with yellow bands around their bodies and are protected by their mother for up to one year.  Young alligators grow 3 - 8 inches (7.6 - 20.3 cm) a year and reach adulthood at 6 ft (1.8 m).
    _LPA6052-Edit-american-alligator-fly...tif
  • A Blue Striped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) passes over a head of Brain Coral (Diploria strigose) 45 feet (14 m) below the Gulf of Mexico off the Riviera Maya.  The Blue Striped Grunt was first described by the English naturalist George Shaw in 1803 and is native to the western Atlantic Ocean ranging from Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean down to Brazil.  The Blue Striped Grunt can travel in schools of up to 1,000 individuals.  The fish commonly grows to a length 10 inches (25 cm,) attaining a maximum recorded length of 18 inches (46 cm) and maximum reported age of 12 years. These grunts can weigh up to 1.6 pounds (750 grams).   The name Blue Striped Grunt is derived from its blue stripes and its habit of grunting underwater by grinding its pharyngeal teeth and having the swim bladder act as a resonator which amplifies the sound.  Its diet consists mainly of shrimp, annelids, bivalves, and crustaceans.
    P4100296-2-Edit-vlue-striped-grunt-f...tif
  • This Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus) is passing through a Slimy Sea Plume  (Pseudopterygorgia Americana) at 52 feet below the surface of the Riviera Maya in the Gulf of Mexico.   The banded butterflyfish is found in tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. The name is derived from the dark vertical bands on the fish's body and the vertical black bar through the eye.  These markings disrupt the outline of the body and act as an efficient antipredator adaptation.  The banded butterflyfish diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, crustaceans, coral polyps, polychaete worms and various eggs. Sometimes they will even act as a cleaning fish and remove external parasites from surgeon fish, grunts and parrot fish.
    P4100115-2-Edit-banded-butterfly-fis...tif
  • A Rock Hind (Epinephelus adscensionis) peers from his hiding place in the reef 47 feet below the surface off Riviera Maya in the Gulf of Mexico.   Rock Hinds are widespread in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Bermuda, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and southern Brazil. The Rock Hind attains an average length of 14 inches (36 cm), although they have been reported to 24 inches (61cm) and a maximum weight of 9 pounds (4 kg).
    P4100075-2-Edit-rock-hind-fish-mexic...tif
  • A Rock Hind (Epinephelus adscensionis) shows a toothy grin as he peers from his hiding place in the reef 47 feet below the surface off Riviera Maya in the Gulf of Mexico.   Rock Hinds are widespread in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Bermuda, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and southern Brazil. The Rock Hind attains an average length of 14 inches (36 cm), although they have been reported to 24 inches (61cm) and a maximum weight of 9 pounds (4 kg).
    P4100073-2-Edit-rock-hind-fish-mexic...tif
  • The horizon is awash in color for but a few minutes after the sun sets in the Painted Desert, Arizona.  The Painted Desert encompasses over 93,500 acres, stretching for over 160 miles, and derives its name for the multitude of colors ranging from lavenders to shades of gray with vibrant reds, oranges and pink – colors observed here in the evening clouds.  The area is a long expanse of badland hills and buttes which, although barren and austere, encompass a rainbow of colors due to the colorful sediments of bentonite clay and sandstone. <br />
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The desert is composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the Triassic Chinle Formation. These fine-grained rock layers contain abundant iron and manganese compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region.<br />
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The Painted Desert was named by an expedition under Francisco Vázquez de Coronado on his 1540 quest to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which he located some forty miles east of here. Discovering that the cities were not made of gold, Coronado sent an expedition to find the Colorado River for supplies. The group passed through the colorful landscape and named the area "El Desierto Pintado" - The Painted Desert.
    _LPA0527-Edit-desert-sunset-purple-o...tif
  • Above the painted desert in Arizona, sheets of heavy rain glow pink at sunset beneath the white clouds of an approaching storm.  The Painted Desert encompasses over 93,500 acres, stretching for over 160 miles, and derives its name for the multitude of colors ranging from lavenders to shades of gray with vibrant reds, oranges and pink.  The area is a long expanse of badland hills and buttes which, although barren and austere, encompass a rainbow of colors due to the colorful sediments of bentonite clay and sandstone. <br />
<br />
The desert is composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the Triassic Chinle Formation. These fine-grained rock layers contain abundant iron and manganese compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region.<br />
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The Painted Desert was named by an expedition under Francisco Vázquez de Coronado on his 1540 quest to find the Seven Cities of Cibola, which he located some forty miles east of here. Discovering that the cities were not made of gold, Coronado sent an expedition to find the Colorado River for supplies. The group passed through the colorful landscape and named the area "El Desierto Pintado" - The Painted Desert.
    _LPA0513-Edit-storm-clouds-rain-suns...tif
  • An eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) stares defiantly from his seat on an old granite urn in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The eastern chipmunk is the sole living member of the chipmunk subgenus Tamias, and is found only in eastern North America.  The name "chipmunk" is derived from the Algonquian language meaning “one who descends trees headlong.”  The eastern chipmunk reaches 30 cm (12 in) in length including the tail, with a weight of 66–150 g (2.3–5.3 oz).  Interestingly, it has two fewer teeth than other chipmunks and four toes each on the front legs, but five toes on each of the hind legs.  Although they climb trees well, they construct underground nests with extensive tunnel systems, and several entrances. To hide the construction of its burrow, the eastern chipmunk carries soil away from its hole in its cheek pouches.  They are mainly active during the day, consuming bulbs, seeds, fruits, nuts, green plants, mushrooms, insects, worms, and bird eggs.  The eastern chipmunk leads a solitary life, except during mating season. Females usually produce one or two litters of three to five young, usually from February to April and/or June to August. On average, eastern chipmunks live three or more years in the wild, although in captivity they may live up to eight years.
    _LPA1138-Edit-chipmunk-urn.tif
  • A row of Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) stand in silent silhouette as the sun sets in the Arizona desert.  The Saguaro cactus can grow 50-feet-tall, is composed of 85% water, and can weigh over 8 tons.  They are the largest member of the cactus family in the United States. Their skin is smooth and waxy with stout, 2-inch spines clustered on their ribs. The outer pulp can expand like an accordion when water is absorbed, increasing the diameter of the stem and raising its weight by up to a ton.  <br />
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The Saguaro generally takes 47 to 67 years to attain a height of 6 feet, and can live for 150 – 200 years.  During that lifetime, a single cactus will produce 40 million seeds; however, in its harsh native environment, only one of these seeds will survive to replace the parent plant.  Indeed, young Saguaro’s must start life under a tree or shrub to prevent them from desiccating.
    _LPA5558-Edit-saguaro-cactus-sunset-...tif
  • Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) stand tall near a hill summit, silhouetted as the sun sets in the Arizona desert.  The Saguaro cactus can grow 50-feet-tall, is composed of 85% water, and can weigh over 8 tons.  They are the largest member of the cactus family in the United States. Their skin is smooth and waxy with stout, 2-inch spines clustered on their ribs. The outer pulp can expand like an accordion when water is absorbed, increasing the diameter of the stem and raising its weight by up to a ton.  <br />
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The Saguaro generally takes 47 to 67 years to attain a height of 6 feet, and can live for 150 – 200 years.  During that lifetime, a single cactus will produce 40 million seeds; however, in its harsh native environment, only one of these seeds will survive to replace the parent plant.  Indeed, young Saguaro’s must start life under a tree or shrub to prevent them from desiccating.
    _LPA5469-Edit-saguaro-cactus-sunset-...tif
  • Saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) stand in silhouette before the clouds of a passing storm and veils of mist from the recent rain, glowing from the Arizona desert sunset.  The Saguaro cactus can grow 50-feet-tall, is composed of 85% water, and can weigh over 8 tons.  They are the largest member of the cactus family in the United States. Their skin is smooth and waxy with stout, 2-inch spines clustered on their ribs. The outer pulp can expand like an accordion when water is absorbed, increasing the diameter of the stem and raising its weight by up to a ton.  <br />
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The Saguaro generally takes 47 to 67 years to attain a height of 6 feet, and can live for 150 – 200 years.  During that lifetime, a single cactus will produce 40 million seeds; however, in its harsh native environment, only one of these seeds will survive to replace the parent plant.  Indeed, young Saguaro’s must start life under a tree or shrub to prevent them from desiccating.
    _LPA5458-Edit-saguaro-cactus-sunset-...tif
  • Fiery clouds fil the evening sky over an area of forest partially burned by the Steamboat Fire in Yosemite National Park, California.  The Steamboat fire started on August 7, 1990 and eventually destroyed 6,106 acres of woodland. Wildfires have historically been considered disasters, but it is now understood that fire is an integral component of forest life.  Naturally occurring fires thin the woodlands, increase sunlight to the forest floor, and allow for recycling of nutrients to the soil.  Thus, wildfires actually encourage the germination and regrowth of the forest plants and trees.
    Image 013-Edit-sunset-wildfire-sky-f...tif
  • Clouds resembling the flames of a raging wildfire light the evening sky over an area of forest partially burned by the Steamboat Fire in Yosemite National Park, California.  <br />
The Steamboat fire started on August 7, 1990 and eventually destroyed 6,106 acres of woodland. Wildfires have historically been considered disasters, but it is now understood that fire is an integral component of forest life.  Naturally occurring fires thin the woodlands, increase sunlight to the forest floor, and allow for recycling of nutrients to the soil.  Thus, wildfires actually encourage the germination and regrowth of the forest plants and trees.
    Scan-101211-0003-Edit-sunset-wildfir...tif
  • A fully grown checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus) swims 45 feet below the surface of Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt.  <br />
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Checkerboard wrasse can reach a maximum length of 27 centimetres (11 inches).  They are native to the Indian and central Pacific Oceans, preferring clear lagoons and seaward reefs at depths of up to 30 meters (100 feet).  Checkerboard wrasse feed on small crabs, shrimp, clams and worms.  Like many other wrasses, the checkerboard wrasse starts life as a female and later becomes male, changing sex at maturity when it is about 12.8 cm (5.0 in) long. It's appearance also changes with age, being white with three black and dark red vertical patches when juvenile.
    Scan-101211-0002-Edit-checkerboard-w...tif
  • A flock of ducks rest on the frozen ocean mudflats at low tide with the ice and puddles reflecting the pinks, blues and mauves of a winter sunset in Duxbury, Massachusetts.
    Scan-101211-0017-Edit-ice-sunset-duc...tif
  • Upper reaches of Whistler Mountain in British Columbia photographed by helicopter during a February snowstorm
    _LPA1727-tree-mountain-snow.tif
  • A Cattleya Laleliocattleya hybrid orchid bloomed by the photographer.  Cattleya is a genus of 113 species of orchids found from Costa Rica to tropical South America. The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after Sir William Cattley who was the first to bloom a specimen of Cattleya labiata. William Swainson had discovered the new plant in Pernambuco, Brazil, in 1817 and shipped it to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens for identification.  Later, Swainson requested that a few plants be sent to Cattley who was able to bloom one a full year before the plants in Glasgow. It would be another 70 years before a Cattleya would be rediscovered in the wild because of a mixup in the assumed location of the plants. <br />
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Cattleya are widely known for their large, showy flowers. The flowers of the hybrids can vary in size from 2 - 6 inches (5 -15 cm). They occur in all colors except true blue and black.  Cattleya have been hybridized for more than a century.  Beeding Cattleya with Laelia produces Laleliocattleya  and results in a more elongated closed "cone" that gracefully opens into the full lip of the blossom.  Laelia also contributes to the intense violet shade.
    _LPA6563-cattleya-orchid-purple-flow...tif
  • A lone hiker watches the first touch of sunrise wash a desert sanstone butte near Goblin Valley, Utah.
    P-000167-hoodoo-utah-goblin-sunrise-...tif
  • Raised by the photographer in his basement, a total of 14 flower spikes on 11 Phaeanopsis orchids bearing a total of 76 flowers all bloomed at once.  Phalaenopsis are also known as Moth Orchids and are native throughout southeast Asia from the Himalayan mountains to the islands of Polillo, Palawan and Zamboanga del Norte in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines and northern Australia.
    _LPA6323-phaleanopsis-orchid-colorfu...tif
  • The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), also sometimes known as a "chickenhawk", is one of the most common buteos in North America.  These hawks breed throughout most of North America, from western Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies.  There are fourteen recognized subspecies, which vary in appearance and range. The Red-tail typically has a wingspan of 43 to 57 inches, being 18 to 26 inches in length and weighing 1.5 to 3.5 pounds, thus making it one of the largest members of the genus Buteo in North America.
    _LPA6159-red-tail-hawk-buteo-perchin...tif
  • Thirty Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) head for the marsh at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, in  Sudbury, Massachusetts.  There are seven subspecies of the Canada Goose, of varying sizes and plumage details, but all look similar.  These birds range from 30-43 inches in length, with a 50–73 inch wingspan and weigh 7–14 pounds.  Canada Geese are known for their seasonal migrations during which time they can travel 2,000 - 3,000 miles at altitudes of 2,000 - 9,000 feet.  They can fly 1,500 miles in 24 hours under ideal weather conditions. The geese generally travel 40 miles per hour, but they can reach 70 mph with a good wind. The lifespan of a Canada Goose is generally 10–24 years.
    _LPA5190-canada-goose-geese-flying-s...tif
  • A male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) stands in a bed of black oil sunflower seed shells as he forages for food.  The Northern Cardinal has a body length of 8-9 inches and a wingspan of 10-12 inches.  The male is a vibrant red, while the female is a dull red-brown shade. The Northern Cardinal is mainly granivorous, but also feeds on fruit or insects.  The cardinal was once prized as a pet, but its sale as cage birds is now banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
    _LPA4554-cardinal-bird-sunflower-see...tif
  • Sea mist rising in front of distant mangroves is lit by the early morning sun over Plate Creek Bay, Everglades, Florida
    _LPA3903-sea-mist-sunrise-orange-man...tif
  • An early morning sea mist is lit by the rising sun over Plate Creek Bay as the waters in the Florida  Everglades reflect the orange dawn sky.
    _LPA3898-sun-sunrise-sea-mist-orange...tif
  • An early morning sea mist is lit by the rising sun over Plate Creek Bay as the waters in the Florida  Everglades reflect the orange dawn sky.
    _LPA3895-sun-sunrise-sea-mist-orange...tif
  • The sun rises over distant mangroves at Plate Creek Bay, Everglades, Florida
    _LPA3884-red-sunrise-sun-mangroves-e...tif
  • Snail tracks in the wet sand of low tide sketch a mouse at Rabbit Key, Everglades, Florida
    _LPA3829-snail-track-mouse-sand-ever...tif
  • Aerial view of the upper snow covered Whistler Mountain wilderness in British Columbia as photographed from a helicopter during a February snowstorm.
    _LPA1790-mountain-snow-whistler.tif
  • Aerial view of the upper snow covered Whistler Mountain wilderness in British Columbia as photographed from a helicopter during a February snowstorm.
    _LPA1768-mountain-snow-whistler-vist...tif
  • The Black Tusk, a remnant of an extinct volcano that has mostly eroded away, rises 7,608 feet above sea level near Whistler, British Columbia as photographed here by helicopter during a February snowstorm.
    _LPA1749-black-tusk-mountain-snow-wi...tif
  • Golden autumn leaves are reflected in the ripples of a pond.
    _LPA0339-reflection-pond-gold-autumn...tif
  • A yellow paphiopedilum orchid blooms at the New England Flower Show in Boston, MA
    IMG_0179-orchid-flower-bloom-paphiop...tif
  • The male American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), the largest reptile in North America, attracts a mate by exposing its vulnerable neck and emmitting subaudible vibrations which cause ripples in the water over their back
    _LPA8662-alligator-mating-call-ameri...tif
  • A paphiopedilum orchid blooms at the New England Flower Show in Boston, MA
    IMG_0162-orchid-flower-bloom-paphiop...tif
  • A common toad  (Bufo bufo) catches a ride on "Hugs" the Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus).
    IMG_1964-guinea-pig-toad-back-ride.tif
  • Sitting at the base of the Temple of the Moon, LB (age 8) gazes at sunrise reflecting off the 400-foot-tall Temple of the Sun in Cathedral Valley, Capital Reef National Park, Utah. The spectacular monolith is composed of Entrada Sandstone deposited 160 million years ago in the Jurassic period.  This fine-grained sandstone is formed by the deposition of silt in tidal flats. It crumbles easily to a fine sand which is rapidly removed by water, thus creating the sheer walls rising directly from their base. Seen two thirds of the way up the face, the Entrada sandstone is covered by a hard cap of grayish-green sandstone and siltstone of the Curtis Sandstone formation, protecting the monolith from erosion. Above the Curtis sandstone formation is the thinly-bedded, reddish-brown siltstone of the Summerville sandstone formation.
    _LPA6214-Edit-temple-of-the-sun-sunr...tif
  • Unusual dark chaotic storm clouds fill the sky over Black Nubble Mountain in Kingfield, Maine
    _LPA7544-storm-clouds-sky-mountain-b...tif
  • Unusual dark chaotic storm clouds fill the sky over Black Nubble Mountain in Kingfield, Maine, on eof which resembles a dolphin head.
    _LPA7529-storm-clouds-sky-mountain-d...tif
  • A yellow and black common hover fly (Melangyna viridiceps) rests on the tip of  an Asian Lilly leaf
    _LPA7294-hover-fly-asian-lilly-leaf.tif
  • Unusual dark chaotic storm clouds fill the sky over Black Nubble Mountain in Kingfield, Maine
    _LPA7521-storm-clouds-sky-mountain-b...tif
  • The many colors of the evening stars over Duxbury Beach in Massachusetts are evident with long time exposure.
    _LPA7500-stars-night-sky-color-2.tif
  • A European (Western) honey bee (Apis mellifera) gathers pollen from stonecrop blooms
    _LPA8084-honey-bee-flower-stonecrop.tif
  • An Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethoon cinereus) walks across the leaf of an “Iceberg” Hosta near a flowering Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium).  This small salamander is found throughout the northeast United States.  It is lungless, and breathes through its moist skin. Unlike many salamanders, it spends its entire life on land, and lays its eggs on the moist forest floor. The young skip the typical aquatic stage and emerge as tiny terrestrial salamanders. (Focus stack of two individual images.)
    _LPA5129-Edit-salamander-flower-host...tif
  • The true Daddy-Longlegs (Phalangium opilio) shown here on an Eastern Redbud tree leaf (Cercis canadensis ) is actually not a spider but a type of arachnid in their own Order Opiliones. Composit of 7 individual images for depth of focus.
    _LPA7310-daddy-longlegs-spider-redbu...tif
  • The true Daddy-Longlegs (Phalangium opilio) shown here on an Eastern Redbud tree leaf (Cercis canadensis ) is actually not a spider but a type of arachnid in their own Order Opiliones. Composit of 7 individual images for depth of focus.
    _LPA7310-daddy-longlegs-spider-redbu...tif
  • Ashlyn and Bryce smile with their Grandfather while seated on a stone chair at Back Beach in Rockport, MA
    P-000161-grandfather-grandchildren-s...tif
  • Clouds shroud the cliffs and peaks between West Temple and the Altar of Sacrifice in Zion National Park after a winter snowstorm.
    _LPA4842-zion-cliffs-snow-utah-templ...tif
  • Dew drops cling to a Funnel Weaver Spider (Agelenidae) web spread over Sedum
    _LPA1985-dew-spider-web-sedum.tif
  • AJ (age 8) jumps for joy over an incoming wave on Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts.
    _LPA0144-jump-joy-child-wave-girl-be...tif
  • Dew drops cling to a Funnel Weaver Spider (Agelenidae) web spread over Sedum
    _LPA1985-dew-spider-web-sedum-rotate...tif
  • A juvenile basket starfish(Astrophyton muricatum) clings to a sea fan (Gorgonia ventalina) at night 46 feet beneath the “Division” at Lighthouse Reef, Belize, Central America. The Caribbean basket star is primarily a nocturnal creature. During daylight hours, the animal coils itself into a tight mass and seeks shelter amongst coral crevices or within vase sponges. However, at night the basket star sends to the top of sea whips or sea fans and spreads its netlike arms into the current to entrap drifting plankton and other organic particles upon which it feeds. Arm lengths of over 15 inches are often obtained when fully grown. This young individual is in the process of scaling a sea fan at dusk in preparation for an evening of feeding.
    P-000206-juvenile-basket-starfish-se...tif
  • A Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shimp (Lysmata amboinensis) rests atop a Giant Moray Eel (Gymnothorax javanicus)  while lyretail coralfish (Pseudanthias Squamipinnis) swim amongst the colorful corals, sponges, and bryozoans 50 feet below the Red Sea, Sinai, Egypt
    P-000171-giant-moray-cleaner-shrimp-...tif
  • Multiple flocks of migrating Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are silhouetted against the evening sky as the sun sets over Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Eastern shore of Maryland, Halloween night, October 31, 1990.  Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, encompassing over 27,000 acres of wetlands, is a major stop on the Atlantic Flyway for many types of waterfowl and other birds.  The refuge, established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary, has been designated of “International Importance" by the Ramsar Convention as it supports over 250 bird species, 35 species of reptiles and amphibians, 165 species of threatened and endangered plants, and numerous mammals.  During winter migration, Blackwater Refuge is home to approximately 35,000 geese and 15,000 ducks. Fed by the Blackwater River and the Little Blackwater River, it consists of numerous freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests. The Blackwater name refers to the tea-colored waters darkened by tannins leached from the marsh peat soil through which they drain.
    P-000215-Edit-goose-sunset-bird-blac...tif
  • The ahermatypic Orange Cup Coral (Balanophyllia elegans) extends its 2-inch-long yellow-spotted tentacles to feed at night 50 feet below the surface of the Red Sea at "The Temple", Sinai, Egypt.  Although this organism closely resembles in an anemone, it is actually a true hard coral. Corals are carnivorous animals which feed upon microscopic zooplankton by trapping them with their tentacles. Most corals possess a symbiotic relationship with a class of algal cells known as zoozanthellae and are thus termed hermatypic.  Since algal cells undergo photosynthesis, hermatypic corals can also obtain energy from sunlight. In addition, zoozanthellae reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide within the cells of the hermatypic coral and thus help precipitate calcium carbonate from seawater. Calcium carbonate is a chemical from which a corals calcareous skeleton is made. However, Balanophyllia elegans is an ahermatypic coral and does not associate with algal cells. Consequently, these corals consist of a single polyp and secrete only a simple thin skeleton. Unlike their hermatypic counterparts, ahermatypic corals may be found in all oceans of the world and at depths beyond the reach of sunlight. The white soft coral at bottom (Xenia) exhibits a slow, rhythmic opening and closing movement of unknown function.
    P-000169-orange-cup-coral-red-sea.tif
  • Discovered in 1878, Luray Caverns in Virginia has a spactacular array of both stalagtites (attached to the roof) and stalagmites (rising from the ground).  However, in this view, only stalagtites are present, each perfectly reflected in a shallow pool of water below.  The formations are formed when a solution of calcium carbonate releases carbon dioxide, resulting in precipitation of lime.  The crystallized calcite accumulates at the rate of one cubic inch every 120 years.
    P-000216-cave-luray-reflection-stala...tif
  • A foot-long fire lionfish (Pterois radiata) glides over a colorful reef encrusted with corals, sponges and bryozoans 45 feet below the surface of the Red Sea at Ras Mohammed, Sinai, Egypt. The fire lionfish is a deceptively passive predator with 11 dorsal spines each capable of delivering an extremely toxic venom. Although they rarely attack humans, a wound caused by these spines can result in excruciating pain and shock. Lionfish, due to their potentially lethal defense, demonstrate indifference to all predatory species including man. They are known to hunt primarily at dusk, blending effectively with their surroundings where they slowly approach small fish and other prey which are then aggressively devoured.
    P-000166-fire-lionfish-red-sea.tif
  • A Red Hermit Crab (Petrochirus diogenes) peers out of a Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) submerged 48 feet below Horseshoe North, Turniffe Islands, Belize, Central America. The Red Hermit Crab is the largest hermit crab species found from North Carolina to Brazil. Also known as the Giant Hermit, it tends to preferentially inhabit discarded shells of the Queen Conch as shown here. The Queen Conch shell attains length of over 12 inches, feeding almost exclusively on algae. Its meat is utilized extensively as food and fish bait throughout Puerto Rico and the West Indies. The Red Hermit Crab generally inhabits sand bottoms and seagrass flats to a depth of over 300 feet. While many hermit crab species have their left claw substantially larger than the right, the Giant Hermit possesses a right claw that is slightly more massive than the left. Fertilized eggs are carried attached to the underbody of the female crab before hatching into larva which float has plankton when young. The Giant Hermit derives its Latin genus name from its hard and stony fingertips (petro = stony, chirus = finger).
    P-000170-red-hermit-crab-queen-conch...tif
  • Mini Cattleya orchid bloomed by the photographer.  The cattleya is a genus containing 113 species of orchids that are indigenous from Costa Rica to tropical South America, growing throughout the Amazon region and to the south of Brazil..  The cattleya  is an epiphyte (air plant),  which stores water in expanded stems called pseudobulbs.
    _1LA0798-Edit-Edit.tif
  • A House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) perches in front of an azalea that has changed color in the fall.  These finches are 5-6 inches long with a 8-10 inch wingspan and a weight of 0.6-1.0 ounces.  Male coloration varies in intensity with the seasons and is derived from the berries and fruits in the bird's diet. Originally only a resident of Mexico and the southwestern United States, they were introduced to eastern North America in the 1940s. The birds were sold illegally in New York City as "Hollywood Finches".  To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, vendors and owners released the birds. House Finches have become naturalized across the Eastern U.S., where now there are an estimated 267 million to 1.7 billion individuals in North America.
    _1LA0704-Edit-bird-house-finch-fall.tif
  • These young mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goats, are resting on their way up a steep slope in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Mountain goats are sure-footed cliff climbers that are endemic to subalpine to alpine areas of North America.  They are the largest mammal in these high-altitude environments often exceeding 3,900 meters (13,000 ft). In summer, they generally stay above tree line, but occasionally migrate to lower elevations in the winter. Despite its common name, they are not a member of Capra, the genus that includes all other goats, but rather related to antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. <br />
<br />
Mountain goats are about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall at the shoulder and males are larger than females. Mountain goats can weigh between 45 and 140 kg (99 and 309 lb) with a length of 10–179 cm (4 to nearly 6 ft.).  Both male and female mountain goats grow black horns reaching 15–28 cm (5.9–11.0 in) in length.  After they are about 22 months old, the horns are visible and it is possible to tell the age of a mountain goat by counting the number of rings on its horns.  Two of the individuals in this image are too young to have grown horns yet.<br />
<br />
There are an estimated 100,000 Mountain Goats in North America. They are protected from the elements by long woolly white double coats that they shed in spring. Their coats are highly specialized consisting of fine, dense wool undercoats covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Their coats help mountain goats survive winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph).  The average lifespan of a mountain goat is 9 to 12 years.
    _1LA9417-Edit-2-mountain-goat-color-...tif
  • These young mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), also known as the Rocky Mountain Goats, are resting on their way up a steep slope in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  Mountain goats are sure-footed cliff climbers that are endemic to subalpine to alpine areas of North America.  They are the largest mammal in these high-altitude environments often exceeding 3,900 meters (13,000 ft). In summer, they generally stay above tree line, but occasionally migrate to lower elevations in the winter. Despite its common name, they are not a member of Capra, the genus that includes all other goats, but rather related to antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. <br />
<br />
Mountain goats are about 1 m (3.3 ft) tall at the shoulder and males are larger than females. Mountain goats can weigh between 45 and 140 kg (99 and 309 lb) with a length of 10–179 cm (4 to nearly 6 ft.).  Both male and female mountain goats grow black horns reaching 15–28 cm (5.9–11.0 in) in length.  After they are about 22 months old, the horns are visible and it is possible to tell the age of a mountain goat by counting the number of rings on its horns.  Two of the individuals in this image are too young to have grown horns yet.<br />
<br />
There are an estimated 100,000 Mountain Goats in North America. They are protected from the elements by long woolly white double coats that they shed in spring. Their coats are highly specialized consisting of fine, dense wool undercoats covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Their coats help mountain goats survive winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph).  The average lifespan of a mountain goat is 9 to 12 years.<br />
<br />
This is a single color image that has been converted digitally to black and white.
    _1LA9417-Edit-Edit-mountain-goat-col...tif
  • A bumblebee (genus Bombus) gathers nectar from a flowering Goldenrod (Solidago) plant.  Goldenrod belongs to a genus of about 100 species in the aster family which are mostly native to North America. Bumblebees, like their relatives the honeybees, feed on nectar using a long hairy proboscis which is folded under the head during flight. Numerous yellow grains of pollen can be seen adherent to this bee’s legs, demonstrating why bumblebees are important agricultural pollinators.  Over 250 species of bumblebee are known, being found primarily at higher altitudes or latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, although they are also found in South America.
    _1LA0300-Edit-bumblebee-flower-golde...tif
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