Never startle a sleeping gator!

 Off to one of my local "bug" hotspots, Ollie's Pond, in Port Charlotte, Florida for some insect photography.

Ollie's Pond Park link

 A few spring butterflies around.  Here is a Monarch (Danaus plexippus).

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 Roseatte Skimmer (Orthemis ferruginnea), Florida's only pink dragonfly.

Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus).  Odd....there was no milkweed around.

Rambur's Forktail (Ischmura ramburii).

Saw this six-footer sleeping in the sun.  They usually keep an eye on anything approaching them...but this guy was sound asleep and facing away.  I was trying to get a shot of an in-flight Red-mantled Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)....so I got a lot closer to the gator than I should have!

Well....I got the shot!  But, I also learned just how fast I can run from a not so happy, startled gator!

Every day in the field is an adventure here in SW Florida!