Category: Daniel Stowe Conservancy

2025 Cell Pic Sunday/Monday Portrait: 15/16 June

Arilus cristatus

Click on each image for enhanced/enlarged views.

Aka the
North American wheel bug
or simply wheel bug,
a species of large assassin bug
in the family Reduviidae
and the only species of wheel bug
found in the United States.

The North American Wheel Bug is one of the largest terrestrial true bugs in North America, reaching up to 1.5 inches (38 mm) in length in its adult stage.

North American wheel bugs prey on caterpillars and beetles, such as Japanese beetles, the cabbage worm, orange dogs, tent caterpillars, and the Mexican bean beetle, all of which they pierce with their beak to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue.

The North American wheel bug is most active in daylight, but may engage in predatory behaviors at night in areas illuminated by lights.

It is considered beneficial since most of its prey are pests, however, I did not consider myself a pest and didn’t care for it as my sitting companion.

John’s Cell Pic Sunday

Monday Portrait

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Location: Outdoor Seating Area; The Trailhead Store; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Have a wonderful Bug-Free week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 SYD: June 15

Share Your Desktop

Clare from Clare’s Cosmos invites everyone to join her in Sharing Your Desktop (SYD). Below are her suggestions for participating in the Share Your Desktop Challenge .

To do so, simply share the photo (not a screenshot) you have set as your wallpaper; Provide as little or as much detail as you wish; Use a pingback, or post a link here so I know you have joined in on the fun; Then finally, share the fun around.

I am sharing my Wallpaper from both my Laptop and my Smartphone. I enjoy looking at different images each month. Most of which revolve around Coleman (my grandson) and nature.

Here are my Desktop Wallpaper and Screensaver for my Laptop:

From My HP Laptop:

Desktop Background Wallpaper

Coleman looking over the Pond
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Desktop Screensaver

Color Pop of Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

From My Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: 

Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Cairn
at Rocky Branch Trailhead

Personal Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Bench
inside a Gazebo
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Reading Focus

Coleman
sitting on a Fence Post
on The Carolina Thread Trail
by The Trailhead Store
at Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Hiking Focus

Coleman
by a
Do Not Enter
Trail Post
on the
Rocky Branch Trail

Click on each image for enlarged viewing.

Share Your Desktop – June 2025

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved. 

Cameras: 1) Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL Filter attachment; 2-6) Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max

Locations: 1-2 & 4-5) The Trailhead Store, Daniel Stowe Conservancy, Belmont, North Carolina; 3 & 6) Rocky Branch Trail, Cramerton/Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Having a Wonderful Week. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.

2025 Flower of the Day: 14 June

Veronica spicata

Spiked Speedwell
The Farmhouse Garden Center
at Stowe Conservancy

Click on image for enhanced viewing.

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Cee’s FOTD

Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge-2025 Week 23

Photo Credit:©️2025 Deb L. Waters … All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel T3i with Canon EF-S55-250mm lens and Altura UV & CPL filter attachments.

Location: The Farmhouse Garden Center; Daniel Stowe Conservancy; Belmont, North Carolina, USA

God Bless. Stop and admire the Flowers. Enjoy Nature. Thank you for visiting and sharing your time and thoughts with us. I appreciate y’all very much.