Upper Midwest Stem Insect Survey

Art

Description

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A selection of ASCII images, drawings, and related works I've created over the years. Many of these show creatures or scenes I encountered during my insect fieldwork.

ASCII art

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I may have updated the HTML and TXT versions of some of the following art with minor character substitutions since the JPG thumbnails and PNG files were made, so in those cases, the raster images are a snapshot in time rather than the most current versions of the art.

PreviewTitleDescriptionFile link(s)
a large-eyed fly perched on a flat surfaceFlyLateral view of an adult fly at rest, maybe an agromyzid, with its wings folded.
grublike larva in its rough-walled tunnel in a plant stemBorer larvaThe stylized larva is seen in a longitudinal section of its stem as it excavates its tunnel in the pith. Frass is accumulating behind it.
A conehead katydid with long antennaeKatydidConehead katydids (genus Neoconocephalus) have been a favorite insect of mine for some time. I have enjoyed deciphering their songs and spotting the rare individual that makes itself visible to a curious human. This depiction shows a katydid in lateral view with its long antennae extended in front of it.
a slithering rattlesnakeSnakeI have occasionally encountered timber rattlesnakes while looking for insects in the Upper Midwest. This one is shown in an active pose with its tongue out.
a rotund bee in flightBeeI created this bumblebee art in honor of a friend's rare sighting of Bombus perplexus while he was conducting biological surveys near where I live.
bug face with tapered chin, compound eyes and bent antennaeBugfaceA head-on view of an insect's face, perhaps a mantid.
A bird perched on a wire, hunting for a wormBird on a wireThe sparrow- or finch-like passerine is perched calmly on a thick wire.
 List of ASCII artwork with a thumbnail preview, title, description, and file link(s) for each piece

On paper

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I have enjoyed drawing wildlife all my life. A few random sketches and other selections are included below. (These artistic approximations may not be completely anatomically correct.)

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Drawings

Image #: 1-27 A fly larva excavates the pith of a stem, leaving behind a tunnel with typically rough walls.
Image #: 1-01 A lizard eyes a cricket.
Image #: 1-02 A fly perched on a leaf of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) with dodder (Cuscuta) and with the heavens shining above.
Image #: 1-03 A black-legged meadow katydid (Orchelimum nigripes) stretches out on the far side of a grass stem.
Image #: 1-04 Field sketch of conehead katydid, Neoconocephalus sp.
Image #: 1-05 Wasp.
Image #: 1-06 A spider dangling from a twig during the dormant season.
Image #: 1-07 Orthopteran.
Image #: 1-08 Ottoe skipper (Hesperia ottoe).
Image #: 1-09 Leaf mine.
Image #: 1-10 Striped caterpillar on leaf.
Image #: 1-11 Flies and other flower visitors on willow catkins.
Image #: 1-12 Insect hole in acorn.
Image #: 1-13 Lateral view of a fly with a large haltere.
Image #: 1-14 A mordellid perched on its host plant stem in the sun.
Image #: 1-15 "The Image Inside".
Image #: 1-16 Bees asleep in a wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) flower.
Image #: 1-17 Anterior end of a stratiomyid larva.
Image #: 1-18 A conehead katydid on a grass stem in a sunny prairie. I messed up and drew the pigmentation on the wrong side of the cone! Oh well...
Image #: 1-19 Spider face.
Image #: 1-20 Imaginative Leonard's skipper (Hesperia leonardus) on a flower.
Image #: 1-21 Imaginative Leonard's skipper.
Image #: 1-22 "Sun Party". Includes a sprouting wild cucumber plant (Echinocystis lobata).
Image #: 1-23 Cartoon of a beetle face.
Image #: 1-24 A decoratively patterned insect.
Image #: 1-25 A waxwing pursues a mayfly in mid-flight.
Image #: 1-26 Field sketch of tufted titmice extracting Metzneria lappella moth larvae from burdock seedheads. Handwriting replaced with digital text.

Other art

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An assortment of additional creations.

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Miscellaneous

Image #: 2-01 "Bungalow" (made from bits of dead herbaceous stems I was searching for insects)

Page created: September 28, 2026. Last update: none