Southern Sprite (Nehalennia Integricollis), Teneral Female, Taken May 1, 2025, In Georgia, US

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), male, taken May 9, 2025, in Georgia, US

Looking quite sharp in more than one way! This guy must have just finished his spring molt—those feathers are spotless! I'm still seeing some bald and semi-bald cardinals running around, so the molt is still underway, but they, too, shall be fresh and beautiful like this guy afterwards!

Leafhopper (Genus Gyponana), nymph, taken March 25, 2025, in Georgia, US

Sometimes life is just a leafhopper dancing... This guy was tiiiiny, probably only 1st or 2nd instar, and he was not a fan of me, as is evident by his defensive dancing! When threatened, leafhopper nymphs (and sometimes adults) will sway back and forth like this to both mimic windblown debris and skew a potential predator's perception of their form. Obviously, this has little effect on humans, but it can save their life if a smaller predator takes interest. Leafhoppers are wonderful animals, and this is one of the many reasons why they're some of my favorites!

Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta), male, taken July 30, 2024, in Georgia, US

Dragonflies remain fierce contenders for my favorite photo subjects, at least amongst bugs! For their size and speed, they're very cooperative. I've even had some take advantage of the mosquito cloud following me to grab a snack! This guy just sat on the tip of this stick and helped me make some sick looking pictures!

Coppery Leafhopper (Jikradia olitoria), nymph, taken May 18, 2025, in Georgia, US

Some out of focus images of my son because I love him so much.. I saw him again yesterday on the same plant, so he must like it where he is lol. Even after seeing tons of these guys, I still can't get over how cute they are, especially as nymphs! Their large, charismatic eyes, bright colors, and little dances have captivated me, I fear.

White-jawed Jumping Spider (Hentzia mitrata), juvenile male, taken March 9, 2025, in Georgia, US

I love this small baby man with his bald patch on his head... It's a little too early for it to be jumping spider season, but I'm still occasionally seeing juveniles out and about. As April comes in, the magnolia greens will begin reaching adulthood and breeding! Mitrata waits until a little later in the year, but that just means I get to see the awkward teens for longer!

Freshwater Planarian (Family Planariidae), taken March 18, 2025, in Georgia, US

Who is this silly little guy!!! He was in a little puddle in the woods, living his best life. When out of water like this, planarians move in an inching motion, pulling themselves along like a worm. It seems as though his epidermal layer is transparent, allowing you to see his stomach and some mystery white stuff (probably patterning)!

Common Pill Woodlouse (Armadillidium vulgare), taken March 21, 2025, in Georgia, US

She lost her pants!!! You can clearly see the difference between old and new exoskeleton on this individual, which is very cool! The new exoskeleton is still soft, evident by the iridescent sheen and rounded appearance of the segments. As the exoskeleton hardens, it will become darker and rougher, eventually looking identical to the old one, just a tad larger!

My beloveds... a whole row of some of my favorite native inverts and, of course, robins.

iNaturalist reblog game: post your top 5 most observed species. i'll go first

Red-banded Leafroller Moth (Argyrotaenia velutinana), taken February 27, 2025, in Georgia, US

What an ornate moth! I always find it interesting how intricate the patterns of moths can be despite their small size. This guy was maybe as long as my fingernail, and yet he has the most gorgeous coloration!

Stink Lacewing (Genus Chrysopa), taken April 2, 2025, in Georgia, US

A fresh new adult lacewing has graced this Earth! I almost walked right past him since he was at foot level on my boardwalk, hanging off an outlet box. As you can see, his wings are still drying and aren't fully expanded. Soon, they'll round out, harden, and he'll fly away in search of a mate!