That was easy!

It was 4 in the afternoon and I was still dithering around, undecided as to a blip, feeling a bit unmotivated.  I was meandering around the yard, looking for any unsuspecting insects I could swoop into a jar for tomorrow's Nature Camp when I suddenly saw...this!  The first Eastern Garter Snake I've seen in the garden in several years.  So, up the hill to the house to get the 300 mm lens, then dash back down the hill and crouch in the garden to get an eye-level shot.  I was hoping for the flick of a tongue, but - alas - the snake couldn't have cared less about me.

Technical stuff - shot with 300 mm; then stacked two images in Photoshop to get both the nose and eyes in focus.  A couple of minor exposure adjustments and about a 10% crop.  Good to go.

Eastern Garter Snakes are common throughout the eastern US and lives in a variety of habitats.They eat amphibians, slugs and worms and anything else they can overpower.  They are rather small, averaging 20--26 inches (50-66 cm). They vary greatly in color from greenish to brown to black with either a yellow or white stripe.  And while all snakes have some venom, these are not considered "poisonous" snakes.  They can certainly bite, but pose no risk to humans other than the fright-factor.  

Apologies to snake-a-phobes, but I just can't resist the opportunity to blip one of these little serpents.  And now that I know where he lives, I'll be keeping an eye out for him!

I've captured two different moth caterpillars and two different katydid nymphs for tomorrow.  I may try to zip out early in the morning and see if I can find a couple of other things.  I'll also be bringing some of my mealworms in all three of their life stages - worm, pupa and beetle.  I plan to talk about the value of insects and spiders in terms of the planet,  and then to focus on how they reproduce (nymphs versus larval forms) and the compound versus simple eyes.  Lots of photos to pass around.  I hope the kids will enjoy it.

Cheers!
Debbi