Hi all! I've held on to a few photos that I've taken fairly recently and would like your help on identifying them. In this first photo is what I believe to be a Milk Snake. I usually only get garter snakes, rattlesnakes and blacksnakes. This is the first one of this kind. Am I right?
Ok, now, #2...I found this turtle in a wooded area, however, it's not like the common Box Turtle I usually see. What do you think?
Ok, now, #2...I found this turtle in a wooded area, however, it's not like the common Box Turtle I usually see. What do you think?#3...is a weed of some sort. The flowers are very tiny and oddly shaped, but beautiful close up.
Can you tell me what it's called?
And, #4...is a fly with a beautiful golden, and I mean metallic gold spot on it.
And, #4...is a fly with a beautiful golden, and I mean metallic gold spot on it.This photo was cropped to show the detail.
What type of fly is this?
I didn't mean for this to be a game, just curious about the identity.
Thank you for your help!
14 comments:
I am sorry that you did not get any replies to your questions. I also am going to be no help, you have asked some tough ones :) My husband thought the snake was a spotted adder, I looked them up, but I cant be sure.
Good luck with your search :)
No clue here either, but I'll bet Julie will! Some good mysteries here Brenda!
Sorry I cannot help with id's on these but that snake is really beautiful.
The flower is part of the nightshade family. Google "nightshade flowers" and check out the 6th entry down. I see them occasionally.
The snake looks very much like a milk snake according to a book I have on North American Wilklife.
The snake creeped me out and I don't know what it is, in fact I don't know what any of them are, but the post was interesting.
No ID here, but I loved the photographs.
Well, they are all interesting, but I'm no help. I often get turtle questions answered by Tom, at the Ohio Nature Blog...he loves turtles. Beautiful snake!
Not sure of any of the ID's, but they sure are fun pictures. The fly close-up is very cool! The white eyes give it a ghostly, stealth look. Smart of you to think to take its picture!
Darn..wish I could help with your Id..but I cant..where are u?? are u on bloggy vacation?
Gotta tell you, Brenda, I don't get close enough to snakes to even try to tell what they are! Can't identify the others either, but I know what that is below!
The snake is definitely an eastern milksnake (harmless) and from the look of its bright coloration, may have recently shed its old skin.
The turtle is a wood turtle (Clemmys insculpta), and reputed to be rather intelligent…for a turtle.
The plant is bittersweet nightshade (not deadly nightshade) and mildly poisonous, but you'd have to ingest a lot and the stuff tastes awful. Not really a danger to people, though I wouldn't want my cat to eat it—not that a cat would. I did a post about bittersweet nightshade recently (http://riverdaze.blogspot.com/2009/06/pretty-poison.html) you might enjoy.
You got me on the fly. Looks like it might be a species of saw fly or bee fly—but that's just a guess. If you do get an I.D., I'd like to hear about it, as now I'm curious—plus I'm almost certain I've seen these flies around.
Hey, I got the I.D. on your fly! It's a Golden-Backed Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus thoracicus.)
Chrysopilus means "golden-hair" and thoracicus apparently refers to the golden patch on the thorax. About the size of a house fly with distinctive smoky-colored wings and gold patch on upper thorax. Eastern North America; Deciduous woodlands. Which means it's also around here in Ohio. Knew I'd seen that critter!
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Orthorrhapha" (Brachycera excluding Aschiza and Schizophora))
Infraorder Tabanomorpha
Family Rhagionidae (Snipe Flies)
Genus Chrysopilus
Species thoracicus (Golden-backed Snipe Fly)
Thank you for all of your ID support! I am so pleased to find out especially what that darn fly was. Thanks to everyone of you!!
I'm so glad you got everything identified!! Very cool pics, especially the fly :)
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