Rock Flipping Day 2011

Rock Flipping Day has become an annual event that I look forward to with much happiness. While my invertebrate photography has taken a turn to animals that tend to stay above the surface of the earth, once a year I plop on my knees and start rooting through rocks and mud to find anything that crawls, burrows, digs, or otherwise hides from the sun (and, likely, people like me). With all the recent rains in the area, I came home more mud than person, and while I was chased from my task early due to an incoming storm, I still captured a few shots I think are worth sharing.

Termites were a popular find this year, perhaps being generated in bulk to address the many fallen trees left from Irene.

They were rapidly scurrying over their eggs and young upon my arrival (or maybe they just wanted my penny).

Here is a closer look at the tiny ones from the same picture.

Most of the crickets were faster than my trigger today, but I captured one before he disappeared last week (which exposes the fact that I actually go out a week early and practice for Rock Flipping Day, just to provide full disclosure).

A common find in the suburban nature trails is Paganicaious Ballus, or the common Golf Ball. By the looks of it, this one escaped (or, sliced) from its captor many moons ago.

Under Paganicaious Ballus was Lumbricus Paganicaious. I felt particularly bad for disturbing its home.

And it simply wouldn’t be a Rock Flipping Day without finding my favorite Arthropoda.

Finally, some hatched remains of potential subjects for next year’s Rock Flipping Day.