Ken
@kenwnc.bsky.social
I enjoy science, photography, historical documentaries, symphonies, and philosophy. At times when it comes to music, I can be a real rocker. I abhor politics, political discussions and view points. Don't like sports either, well maybe baseball.
Indian pipes, pale color due to the lack of chlorophyll.
January 30, 2026 at 6:29 PM
Indian pipes, pale color due to the lack of chlorophyll.
From what I have read, Opiliones are an evolutionary marvel, not having changed in over 400 million years. Those below don't look to be a day over 375 Ma.
January 29, 2026 at 9:55 PM
From what I have read, Opiliones are an evolutionary marvel, not having changed in over 400 million years. Those below don't look to be a day over 375 Ma.
Opiliones/Daddy Longlegs - Said to be poisonous, that is a myth, they have no venom sacs. They are detritivores, feeding on decaying organic matter. As they mature, they may develop pincers or claws, maybe mistaken for fangs. Here the two are mating.
January 29, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Opiliones/Daddy Longlegs - Said to be poisonous, that is a myth, they have no venom sacs. They are detritivores, feeding on decaying organic matter. As they mature, they may develop pincers or claws, maybe mistaken for fangs. Here the two are mating.
Pisgah Forest, the return trip to the Pink Beds trailhead. I hope to one day make this 5 mile loop again but I doubt it. It's not a strenuous hike, level ground most all the way through, just some tricky footwork required in the marshy areas but other than that. Just look at the lush greenery!😊
January 28, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Pisgah Forest, the return trip to the Pink Beds trailhead. I hope to one day make this 5 mile loop again but I doubt it. It's not a strenuous hike, level ground most all the way through, just some tricky footwork required in the marshy areas but other than that. Just look at the lush greenery!😊
Darwin took issue with Ichneumon wasps, in that they were parasitic. Darwin asked, "How can a benevolent being such as God, create and allow such a creature to prey upon others for its existence.?" Sometimes I ask myself, "are we anymore the different?"🤔
January 28, 2026 at 12:17 AM
Darwin took issue with Ichneumon wasps, in that they were parasitic. Darwin asked, "How can a benevolent being such as God, create and allow such a creature to prey upon others for its existence.?" Sometimes I ask myself, "are we anymore the different?"🤔
Ichneumon wasp. One of my favorite wasps to photograph and no, that is not a stinger. It is an ovipositor for laying eggs. This is a little female and please don't swat her should she happen to land on you. These little wasps are quite timid and harmless to humans as far as I know. 😊
January 27, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Ichneumon wasp. One of my favorite wasps to photograph and no, that is not a stinger. It is an ovipositor for laying eggs. This is a little female and please don't swat her should she happen to land on you. These little wasps are quite timid and harmless to humans as far as I know. 😊
Another shot of the Snuggle bugs, at least that is what I call them. The more I look at them, the more they remind me of a very tiny scarab. 🤔
January 26, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Another shot of the Snuggle bugs, at least that is what I call them. The more I look at them, the more they remind me of a very tiny scarab. 🤔
Snuggle bug? Actually I have no idea what kind of bug it is. They are like Lady beetles, they show up only during cold weather and invite themselves in. This one has a cracked elytra (left). Wooonder how that happened?🙄
January 26, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Snuggle bug? Actually I have no idea what kind of bug it is. They are like Lady beetles, they show up only during cold weather and invite themselves in. This one has a cracked elytra (left). Wooonder how that happened?🙄
Sitting here in the quiet, I think back to my childhood when the game Mouse Trap was so popular. It takes on a whole new perspective these days when you use real mice and real traps though. "SNAP! Argh! Squeak, squeak, gasp, cough, choke, Ack . . .😵" 😁
January 22, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Sitting here in the quiet, I think back to my childhood when the game Mouse Trap was so popular. It takes on a whole new perspective these days when you use real mice and real traps though. "SNAP! Argh! Squeak, squeak, gasp, cough, choke, Ack . . .😵" 😁
I always enjoyed a walk through the woods in the winter. It's so quiet, sometimes you can hear snowflakes falling on the dry autumn leaves and the smell of some distant woodstove or fireplace and imagine the warmth therein the home. The wind sometimes whispers her secrets.
January 18, 2026 at 2:47 PM
I always enjoyed a walk through the woods in the winter. It's so quiet, sometimes you can hear snowflakes falling on the dry autumn leaves and the smell of some distant woodstove or fireplace and imagine the warmth therein the home. The wind sometimes whispers her secrets.
The small creek in the hollow . . . winter🥶🥶
January 18, 2026 at 2:27 PM
The small creek in the hollow . . . winter🥶🥶
Acid rain, Mt. Mitchell, Western North Carolina
January 18, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Acid rain, Mt. Mitchell, Western North Carolina
This is where I do most of my macro work during the warmer months. Go between the two trees in the center and a footpath leads to a small creek in the hollow. There's more to see here than one would think and it's in my backyard.🙂
January 18, 2026 at 1:33 PM
This is where I do most of my macro work during the warmer months. Go between the two trees in the center and a footpath leads to a small creek in the hollow. There's more to see here than one would think and it's in my backyard.🙂
These appear to be pycnidia but I am not sure. I just found them interesting. In the top left corner, there appears to be ostioles 🙂
January 17, 2026 at 9:07 PM
These appear to be pycnidia but I am not sure. I just found them interesting. In the top left corner, there appears to be ostioles 🙂
Soredia, lichen reproductive structure
January 17, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Soredia, lichen reproductive structure
New camera, Lumix GX85 mirrorless. Ditched the heavy dSLR for something lighter and much easier to use. Foliose lichen 12-60mm (X2 cf 35mm equv. 24-120mm) with Canon 2.5 Close up lens @ 50mm. Foliose lichen, not sure of species.
January 17, 2026 at 10:20 AM
New camera, Lumix GX85 mirrorless. Ditched the heavy dSLR for something lighter and much easier to use. Foliose lichen 12-60mm (X2 cf 35mm equv. 24-120mm) with Canon 2.5 Close up lens @ 50mm. Foliose lichen, not sure of species.
I'm having one of my moments. I wrote from a song, "and a rock feels no pain and an island never cries." When I think more on the subject, I also come to the conclusion that even stones sometimes bleed. ❣️
January 16, 2026 at 4:36 PM
I'm having one of my moments. I wrote from a song, "and a rock feels no pain and an island never cries." When I think more on the subject, I also come to the conclusion that even stones sometimes bleed. ❣️
I enjoy philosophy and I find it in the oddest of places sometimes, e.g. a Simon and Garfunkel song . . . "and a rock feels no pain and an island never cries."
- I Am a Rock
- I Am a Rock
January 16, 2026 at 4:27 PM
I enjoy philosophy and I find it in the oddest of places sometimes, e.g. a Simon and Garfunkel song . . . "and a rock feels no pain and an island never cries."
- I Am a Rock
- I Am a Rock
One of my favorite quotes: "No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth" - Plato
January 16, 2026 at 4:15 PM
One of my favorite quotes: "No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth" - Plato
Lycogala epidendrum, slime mold. Curtis Creek Gamelands, Old Fort North Carolina, McDowell Co.
January 14, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Lycogala epidendrum, slime mold. Curtis Creek Gamelands, Old Fort North Carolina, McDowell Co.
Industrial pollution among some others, mixed with rain, in some cases may get you a shower of sulfuric acid or acid rain. This is what it does to trees above the 5,000 ft. mark on Mt. Mitchell. The foliage has been burned from the limbs.
January 10, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Industrial pollution among some others, mixed with rain, in some cases may get you a shower of sulfuric acid or acid rain. This is what it does to trees above the 5,000 ft. mark on Mt. Mitchell. The foliage has been burned from the limbs.
Fritillary I think. Backyard photo before it was logged and clear-cut. 😒
January 8, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Fritillary I think. Backyard photo before it was logged and clear-cut. 😒
Old Iron ore mine, Roan Mountain State Park, E. Tennessee Hwy 19E. Be careful to stay on the marked trail. You never know where there may be an air shaft. You fall through one and they will never find you. 😱
January 7, 2026 at 12:47 AM
Old Iron ore mine, Roan Mountain State Park, E. Tennessee Hwy 19E. Be careful to stay on the marked trail. You never know where there may be an air shaft. You fall through one and they will never find you. 😱
