Coppery Leafhopper (Jikradia Olitoria), Nymph, Taken May 18, 2025, In Georgia, US

Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis), nymph, taken April 19, 2025, in Georgia, US

My first mantis of the year! I just happened to see this guy parkouring away from me while I was focused on a damselfly. I had to lose the damselfly, but it was worth it since mantises are rarer! Chinese Mantises are quite controversial insects, since it is unsure whether they are an invasive species or a non-native naturalized one due to lack of definitive evidence. Many people destroy chinese mantis oothecas and kill the insects on sight, but I am much more partial to letting them live. I have seen several people claim that they are bad because they kill hummingbirds and other pollinators, while I have witnessed more carolina mantises doing this than chinese! My area is not very plagued by chinese mantises, with me seeing only 2 chinese vs. 7 carolina last year, and none vs. 5 carolina in 2023. It's an interesting debate, but chinese mantises have been in the US for over a century. If they aren't already, they're likely getting to the point of naturalization soon.

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)!

Buffalo Treehopper (Stictocephala militaris), nymph, taken May 14, 2025, in Georgia, US

What a wicked-looking treehopper nymph! I see lots of these guys when they're very small, but this is my first time seeing a large nymph of this species, and I was certainly not disappointed! He was an excellent subject as well, sitting completely still even as I manhandled the vine he was sitting on for a better angle. The adults of this genus, like most treehoppers, look unrecognizable next to their nymphs. All of the spikes disappear, and what is left is a smooth, teardrop-shaped green hopper with clear wings and two red horns on either side of its head, kind of like a buffalo as the name would imply!

Bristle Millipede (Genus Polyxenus), taken March 21, 2025, in Georgia, US

A tiny, spiky millipede! Despite this guy's small size, this is actually the largest bristle millipede I've seen. Usually I find juveniles, which just look like fluffy balls due to them having less segments. On this guy, however, you can see the individual rows of bristles lining each segment!

Jumping Spider (Admestina wheeleri), male, taken July 17, 2024, in New Hampshire, US

His task? Uncertain, but he's doing something! This genus nests in crevices in tree bark, but I'm not sure if he's trying to create a nest, deposit sperm, or a secret third task.

The picture was taken after the video while I followed him on his journey around this tree for at least 10 minutes before I decided he wasn't of interest any more. He wandered away from where he made this possible nest in a seemingly random direction, kind of just meandering along the tree, and it has me wondering if he decided the spot he chose wasn't suitable for a nest. Regardless, this genus is known to be quite illusive, so I wanted to document the behavior in a video in case it was of interest. Who knows!

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), male, taken February 10, 2025, in Georgia, US

After weeks of staking my feeders out, ONE brave soul FINALLY inched forward onto the feeder perches. Even if all he did was look around and stare at me judgmentally, he still let me get some nice pictures of him before leaving (without even grabbing a snack..) and I respect him for that. Clearly, blackbirds are braver alone than in groups!

Asian Oak Weevil (Cyrtepistomus castaneus), taken May 25, 2025, in Georgia, US

A little oak weevil resting in the bend of a leaf! I happened to see this guy through a small gap in the leaf and turned it over to find this cute scene! He may be sleeping, as the weather was quite spotty and poor to travel in, but he could also just be chill like that. C. castaneus was introduced to the US from Japan in the early 1900s and has since spread throughout the Eastern US and SE Canada. They are considered invasive in some states due to native foliage damage brought on by infestations. Their patterning is quite variable—this is actually the first gray one I've ever found. Usually they're a matte brown for me, but they can also be nearly white. Many even have yellow or teal sides, which can faintly be seen in this individual, though not as brightly as some.

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!

Marbled Oak Dagger (Acronicta marmorata) + wing detail closeups

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula), taken February 10, 2025, in Georgia, US

The "king" part of this bird's name has certainly gone to their heads. I've seen these little guys pick on some pretty big birds, with notable success. It pays to be little and mean in the bird world!