Nature Up Close

Sargassum on Beach

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Easter Lily in Bloom

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Easter Lily in Bloom

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Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

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Bee pollinating a Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

Bees play a vital role in our food chain, pollinating crops and flowers. Without them it would be difficult if not impossible to sustain our food supply.

Sargassum on Beach

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Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope Aurantia)

A black and yellow garden spider common to North & Central America and Hawaii. They often build webs up to 2 feet in diameter in areas adjacent to open fields. This one was found in a riparian area along the Spring Creek Nature Trail in The Woodlands, Texas. They are not aggressive and their venom to humans is similar to the affects of a bee sting. Their venom contains toxins with potential as therapeutic medicinal agents.

Light Funnel

Bird of Pardise Leaf Shoot

Final Landing

A Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans) rests on a patio railing, no longer alive but perfectly intact. A dragonfly life span is about 7 months, I guess this one’s brief time was up, and it made one final landing. :(

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolate)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolate) blooming in early summer.

Jellyfish on Beach

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Bearded Dragon

Pogona is a genus of reptiles containing nine lizard species, which are often known by the common name bearded dragons.

Footprints in the Sand

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Mushroom City

Nature's original recycler. Above ground is just the fruit, below ground their can be miles of fungal networks interconnecting trees an other plants in a symbiotic relationship.

Hibiscus Flower

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Light Funnel

Bird of Pardise Leaf Shoot

Mushroom High Rise

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Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)

Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis)

Narrowleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

A Narrowleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) blooming in early summer.

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) blooming in early summer

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) blooming in early summer

Narrowleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

A Narrowleaf Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida) blooming in early summer.

Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera)

Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) blooming in early summer.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Close-up of Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) petals.