On September 5, 2014 while Free Range Running the WooFPAK in the Shenandoah Valley we were able to see a lot of different kinds of wildlife. This included this Cabbage White Butterfly(Pieris Rapae) landing on these beautiful yellow flowers. It got it’s name from the crops it likes to feed, the cabbage family of plants, but prefers broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. This makes this butterfly a pest amongst farmers, but beautiful in a different respect.

Wikipedia’s Webpage to learn more about the Cabbage White Butterfly and also here Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University

September 5, 2014 in the Shenandoah Valley while Free Range Running with the WooFPAK, WooFDriver was about to snap a picture of this beautiful Black Swallowtail Butterfly(Papilio Polyxenes). Their habitat are gardens, hills and open areas like the meadow where the WooFPAK loves to run!

Wikipedia’s Webpage for the Black Swallowtail for more information.

Enjoy this album of these beautiful butterflies captured by the WooFDriver!

The little spider pictured above we saw on our Free Ranging Run on September 18, 2014. I believe it to be a Spotted Orb Weaver. They can be found everywhere you go outside like in woodlands, fields, gardens, parks, and backyards. Mostly active in the summer months of May and August, these hairy spiders are nocturnal but it is not unusual to see one during the day. Read More About the Spotted Orb Weaver and other species here.

Please enjoy the photos of this species of spider captured overtime:

The Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) is a North American nymphalid butterfly, or so I believe it to be. They live in wooded areas and city parks, or generally in areas which feature trees and free spaces, places where the WooFPAK loves to run!! The way their wings appeared textured and are colored aids in camouflage by resembling a dead leaf. Read More About the Question Mark Butterfly Here

These magical creatures the WooFDriver are often a sight around the streams and ponds where the dogs love to Free Range run. Dragonflies usually remain within a few miles of where their egg was hatched and are carnivorous in both larval and adult stages of life. As larva they eat tadpoles and small fish. And as adults they eat other small insects, mostly mosquitoes, helping with population control.

Dragonflies are found on every continent except Antarctica, but the loss of wetlands threatens their populations around the world. They are powerful, agile fliers capable of migrating across oceans and can move in any direction and changing direction suddenly, propelling itself upward, downward, forward, back, to left or to right.

Wikipedia’s Webpage for Dragonflies to learn more!

Enjoy these pictures of the Dragonflies the WooFDriver has captured on his adventures!

This is a Beautiful bright green Praying Mantis. When I was a kid I was told it was illegal to hurt a Praying Mantis because they are so important to our ecosystem as they feed upon a lot of insects and bugs we consider pests. I don’t know about the legality of it ( I try to never hurt any living creature) but I do understand that they are very important to our Ecosystem! I spotted this one at our cabin in The Shenandoah with the WooFPAK. this was photographed around the Fall of 2003. Read more about The Praying Mantis here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis

This beautiful Butterfly I believe is actually called a Red-Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis). I love Butterflies as to me they are like water color paintings just so incredibly striking. I spotted this one in The Shenandoah Summer of 2004.  Read more about this Butterfly at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limenitis_arthemis

This is a Cool Nature Experience!! On one of our Free Ranging Runs the dogs and I caught a glimpse of a school of Butterflies!! I have found that they actually frequently congregate in this one particular area on our runs. We are cognoscente not to disturb them the best we can. I was able to grab this quick footage which is cool but it was even more spectacular in person!! Hope you enjoy!!

This is a weird one!! The WooFPAK and I ran into this scene at one of our Free Ranging areas we call The Mill. Mother Nature doing it again and creating some phenomenal wonders. This is actually a couple of branches from a tree coated with an insect they call a Cottony Cushion Scale!! The WooFPAK and i actually stopped to take a rest and as I glanced over to this branch I saw Vibrating I was stunned to see all of these little critter like insects. Of course I didn’t know what they were but I researched them and think the Cottony Scale is the correct name of the insect. My video seems to be one of the most abundant in these creatures. From my reading they are actually pests that can create a problem for some crops. You may see one of my Dogs in the background. You can read more about this insect here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icerya_purchasi

This is a very colorful and interesting Lattice Orbweaver Spider. This was a pretty large Spider. According to my research they make a Silk like web with Velcro or Sticky like qualities to catch their prey. That’s how I discovered this beauty. I inadvertently ran into it’s web. He actually wound up on my ATV while I was Free Ranging at the place we call The Mill. I was able to gently move him to the tree where his web was located. His yellow body area reminded me of a Turtles Shell!! Truly spectacular. We captured this photo on September 28, 2012. Read more about this Spider here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orb-weaver_spider