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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs

@chasingbugs.com

4.3K followers 1K following 170 posts

I talk about, write about, and photograph backyard bugs and wildlife. Conservation starts at home. 🏡 chasingbugs.com

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jan 22

Hi. I wanted to take a moment to properly introduce myself. I’m Danae and I like bugs. I’m a macro photographer, conservation educator, writer, and public speaker who focuses on fostering appreciation and stewardship of insects and spiders. If you like bugs, let’s connect. 🪲🦋🐛🐞🐝

A woman in a grey sweater poses for a photo in a field while holding a camera.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · 15d

Entomologist 1: Hmm, what should we name this one?

Entomologist 2: Well, its red spots make it look as though it’s been stabbed. Twice.

Entomologist 1: Perfect, we’ll call it the twice-stabbed lady beetle.

A round black beetle with two prominent red spots rests on a brown branch against a dark background.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · 18d

Oak treehoppers are out! Known for their endearing maternal care, mamas remain with their babies until they emerge as adults and eventually leave the oak branch where they were born.

Oak treehopper nymphs lined up on an oak branch.

A mother oak treehopper (right) stands face-to-face with her nymph on a branch.

A mother oak treehopper (left) stands next to her newly emerged adult children and a nymph on a branch.

Two newly emerged oak treehopper adults stand face-to-face on a branch.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · 22d

This week, migrating monarchs stopped to roost in large clusters among the branches of silver maples and spruce in rural Ohio. It was a spectacular sight! #monarchs

Dozens of monarch butterflies congregate amongst the green leaves of a silver maple tree.

Hundreds of monarch butterflies congregate amongst the green leaves of a silver maple tree.

A single monarch butterfly rests atop the branch of a spruce.

A single monarch butterfly with outstretched wings rests amongst the tangled branches of spruce trees.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Aug 30

It’s oak treehopper season! We went scouting for oak treehopper colonies last night and found three mamas keeping a watchful eye on their eggs. Soon, eggs will hatch, giving way to small nymphs. Mama will stay with her offspring until they mature and leave the colony as new adults.

A mature female oak treehopper rests on a small oak branch next to rows of eggs tucked into slits in the bark.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Aug 3

I’m in Ohio!

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Aug 2

Did you know that firefly glow as larvae and pupae? I found this shrimp-like pupa in my garden earlier this summer. 🍤

A firefly pupa with glowing lantern rests on a brown leaf.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jul 23

The cutest little bumble bee (I believe a Bombus perplexus) found respite from the afternoon sun under a coneflower in my pollinator garden. 🐝

#pollinator #bee

A closeup of a fuzzy yellow bumble bee tucked under the pink petals of a purple coneflower.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jul 11

First monarch of the summer!

A closeup of a monarch butterfly resting on a green leaf in front of brick house.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jul 6

It’s World Firefly Day! Everyone loves the glow. But #fireflies spend most of their lives underground, hidden in the damp soil and leaf litter, glowing softly where almost no one sees.

So what do fireflies need from us?
🌙 Darkness
🌱 Undisturbed soils
🍂 Leaf litter and logs
🚫 No chemicals
🕰 Time

Colorful poster showing the four distinct life stages of a firefly—egg, larva, pupa, adult—in a natural habitat with leaves, logs, trees, and tall vegetation.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jun 18

I need to photograph firefly larvae. What’s the best way to find them? Start digging through leaf litter in my yard?!

Thousands of firefly flashes illuminate a darkened forest.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Jun 1

The synchronous fireflies are beginning their annual light show in the Great Smoky Mountains right about now. And like an insatiable thirst, my soul aches to be there.

Thousands of small glowing fireflies light up a dark forest.

The light trails of glowing fireflies light up a dark forest.

Thousands of small glowing fireflies light up a dark forest above a reflective pool.

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Reposted by Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs

BITEradio.me @biteradiome.bsky.social · May 22

The Bringing Inspiration To Earth Show/podcast library of 1,500 episodes is now available at www.spreaker.com/podcast/bite...
Be sure to click the 'Follow' button to get info information about new episodes!

#spreakerpodcast #iHeartRadio #applepodcasts #bringinginspirationtoearth @chasingbugs.com

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 20

Today is World Bee Day.

There are around 20,000 species of bees in the world, yet honey bees gets most of the fanfare.

Here’s to the sweat bees, the leafcutter bees, the mason bees, the longhorn bees, the bumble bees, the carpenter bees, the squash bees, and all the rest of our unsung bee heroes!

Photo mosaic highlighting 12 colorful closeup photographs of a diversity of bees.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 13

IT’S PUBLICATION DAY!

Grass Isn’t Greener is officially out in the world! And I’ve been busy jumping from one interview to the next to promote the book. Between this week and next, I have nearly 20 media interviews and I couldn’t be more excited! 🥳

Book cover with title of “Grass Isn’t Greener” held up in front of computer screen next to microphone.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 11

Yep—a mother oak treehopper with one of her nymphs. I photographed several colonies last year!

Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 11

It’s officially the week of the release of Grass Isn’t Greener, and I had the pleasure of joining Ray Brown on this morning’s episode of @talkinbirdsradio.bsky.social to chat about the book. You can listen to the segment here: www.talkinbirds.com/archive

Smiling women with long brown hair holds up book titled “Grass Isn’t Greener.”

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 11

Happy Mother’s Day to mothers of all sizes and sorts.

A mother oak treehopper rests face-to-face with her nymph on a tree branch.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · May 4

May the forest be with you.

Hundreds of small glowing fireflies illuminate a dark forest.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 28

To exist on the same planet as this creature is a privilege.

Closeup portrait of a fuzzy yellow and pink rosy maple moth against a black background.

Closeup dorsal view of a fuzzy yellow and pink rosy maple moth on a stick against a black background.

Side portrait showing the fuzzy yellow and pink body of rosy maple moth on a stick against a black background.

Side view of a fuzzy yellow and pink rosy maple moth against a black background.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 25

Hello, bright eyes. 🤩

A small jumping spider sits amongst many bright green plant stems.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 22

It’s easy to feel the weight of lost protections and broken promises. But stewardship was never theirs to give or take.

Small acts still matter—in the patches we rewild, in the pollinators we protect, in the native seeds we sow, and in the wild things we tend. Hope still matters.

Happy Earth Day.

A large tiger swallowtail butterfly visits hanging clusters of white flowers against a green background.

A chunky green caterpillar rests on a silken web spun across a folded green leaf.

A small white jumping spider with beady black eyes sits on a green leaf.

A blue, red, and yellow leafhopper stands on a pale green leaf.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 22

Using their antennae, males can detect the pheromones emitted by females from up to 6 miles away! www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/what...

What is it good for? Absolutely one thing. Luna moths use their tails solely for bat evasion

In a pair of complementary studies, researchers take a close look at Luna moth (Actias luna) tails through the eyes of birds and female moths to test their role in predation and sexual selection. Scie...

www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu

Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 21

Peek-a-boo!

This male luna moth’s large, feathery antennae aren’t just for show. They’re finely tuned instruments designed to pick up the faintest scent of a female from miles away (think of them as nature’s GPS). Also, when are we going to get a moth emoji? And a firefly!?

Close-up portrait of a male luna moth with large feathery antennae against a black background.

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Reposted by Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs

The Spirit of Lorenzo the Cat @lorenzothecat.bsky.social · Apr 20

And now, my favorite Easter tradition.

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Danae Wolfe | Chasing Bugs @chasingbugs.com · Apr 19

And so begins a busy season of book promotions. I have 13 upcoming radio, TV, and podcast interviews and around a dozen different talks scheduled in the coming months. I’m also working on a second book proposal for a bug book, which I’m incredibly excited about. Busy as a bee! 🐝

A laptop displaying a PowerPoint presentation title slide with the title “The Everyday Conservationist” and a photo of a gray tree frog next to a book entitled Grass Isn’t Greener.

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