What Are You Looking At?

Differential Grasshopper (melanoplus differentialis), outside of the US also known as American Grasshopper. In swarms deadly to new crops and therefore considered a pest to agriculture.

This female subject (you can see the ovipositor) can grow upto 5cm (2inches) and can lay up to six egg masses in soft soil, each of which can contain 40–200 eggs . The nymphs will hatch early the next summer and will reach adulthood in 32 days.

They are not uncommon even in urban areas, where you may find them on a vacant lot. But normally they prefer grasslands, corn, fruits, forbs and sunflowers.

Sources: http://www.insectidentification.org, wikipedia,
This shot is also featured in my ClickASnap portfolio, and as a blog in the photography sphere on Niume.

On The Porch

If the world had a front porch like we did back then
we'd still have our problems but we'd all be friends
Treating your neighbor like he's your next of kin
Wouldn't be gone like the wind
If the World had a front porch, like we did back then

These lyrics of Tracy Lawrence's top-ten-hit (#2/1995) "If The World Had A Front Porch" written by Lawrence together with Kenny Beard and Paul Nelson, pretty much sums the content of this picture up, celebrating traditional values and socialising with your neighbour(s). Long gone in the bigger cities where we hardly communicate with our neighbour and most of the time may not even know them - the front porch is(was) a meeting place. It's societal benefits are endless, just start to think about it and spin some yarn.

I don't know what these two gentlemen were upto, but they got ready to contemplate the day and exchange some great togetherness and discussion.

This shot and other photography of mine are available through Dispatch Press Images for publication.