This is, I believe, Dolomedes okefinokensis, the Okefenokee Fishing Spider. Ranging throughout south Georgia and north Florida (at the very least), this is an impressive species of fishing spider found above the waterline, from where it hunts passing prey underneath. This particular individual was perched a few feet from the boardwalk trail at Grand Bay WMA and was rather fiesty. It wasn't happy I was photographing it and repeatedly moved to the opposite ends of its foliage to avoid my sightline.

Janson Jones, http://dusttracks.com

This is a rather faded striped mud turtle, Kinosternon baurii, photographed at Grand Bay WMA in southern Georgia on 22 June 2012. Mud turtles are quite common in this neck of the woods. Unfortunately, I see them DOR quite often, as they hit the roads after heavy summer rains. Fortunately this little camper was alive and kicking.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

I cannot for the life of me figure out what species this is! I was able to snag a couple of quick shots of this dragonfly before it darted off over our fence, back to the northeast -- toward the creek basin. Any ideas?

Updated for Slaty Skimmer. See comments below.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

The only thing really remarkable about this one is that I managed to actually catch it. I caught a fleeting glimpse of the skink disappearing beneath a bed a pine needles in my backyard. Somehow I managed to find the little scamper! We've got quite a few of these on our property, but most of them remain well hidden and out of sight.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

A fork-tailed bush katydid visited the back patio on 17 June 2012. I have no idea what's going on with the posterior, but welcome any explanation from those more In-The-Know!!!

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

This northern dusk singing cicada, Tibicen auletes, was just completing ecdysis, the process of shedding its pupal exoskeleton and taking the form of an adult (imago) cicada. Most of the cicada’s life is spent as a pupa, hidden underground and feeding from tree roots. Quite late in its life span, it emerges from the ground, sheds its pupal exoskeleton, and assumes its winged, adult form with a new brand-spanking-new exoskeleton. Only then is the cicada a sexually-reproducable adult.

I was quite lucky to find this bright green cicada just at the end of ecdysis. By the time I ran back inside, grabbed my camera, and got back to the fence line, the cicada had just finished emerging from the old exoskeleton.

This is Tibicen auletes, the Northern dusk singing cicada, photographed in my backyard on 17 June 2012. We had a ton of these in the neighborhood during June, flying into the house, calling from the trees, and making a general racket. This individual was fairly sedate, perhaps starting to wind down?

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

In this part of south Georgia, southern cricket frogs are reportedly dominant; however, there are accounts of northern cricket frogs as being present in Grand Bay WMA -- and their standardized range (in a few sources, at least) does put them very close to this area. I had a frog expert buddy check this and other frogs out and she believe this is a Northern cricket frog -- based on the snout and the webbing. I take her at her word! What say you?

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

I have a devil of a time distinguishing between northern and southern cricket frogs. Southerns *should* be more common in this area of south Georgia, but Northerns are reported to also be in Grand Bay. I had a frog expert buddy check this and other cricket frog shots from Grand Bay. She's confident this is a southern cricket frog. What say you?

Technically, if you go by subspecies this would be the Coastal plains cricket frog, Acris gryllus gryllus.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

This little orange assassin bug was patrolling the edge of the pitcher plant bog at Grand Bay WMA in south Georgia. I barely caught sight of its legs under a leaf. Fortunately, it wrapped around and posed for a few moments -- until heading down into the denser foliage.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

While rummaging about for cricket and greenhouse frogs, I came across this skittish little brown skink. In south Georgia, I've seen far more broad headed skinks than any other species -- but that's probably because of their size and surface activity. These little dudes and dudettes tend to stay somewhat hidden. I've seen maybe a half dozen or so in my backyard this past year.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

Looks like we've got greenhouse frogs established in our south Georgia neighborhood! I've seen a few of these this past year in the backyard. Far less common than the cricket frogs, but still enough to make an impression. The species is native to the West Indies, I believe.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

While a good number of other arthropods were busy clamoring around my back patio lights, this false bombardier was patrolling a backyard tree -- well away from the hustle and bustle of patio life. A cool bug with an impressive ability to spray acid at would-be predators. (I kept my distance, just in case.)

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

This click beetle is one of many click beetles and other arthropods clustered around my back patio lights on 22 May 2012. I've seen a good number of these during the late spring and early summer nights.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

This was a new one for me, the snowy tree cricket. It was a visitor to my back patio, attracted by the patio lights. It's the only one I've seen in my neighborhood this year. A very cool camper who soon after took off for another recreational, nocturne park with bright lights.

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.

There is apparently no shortage of Acanthocephalas here in Valdosta. I've seen quite a few, along with this year's crop of wheel and assassin bugs. Quite abundant in my backyard!

~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com

Yeah, so "roly-polies" are pretty common, but still... I figured I'd photograph and represent a couple -- at least for Life List purposes. Here in Valdosta, we've got a ton of these isopods. Very, very abundant in my neighborhood.

~ janson, http://dusttracks.com

This was a cool little katydid. I found it patrolling the edge of the cypress boardwalk trail at Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area in south Georgia. It cooperated and hung back for a few moments, but then fled into the cypress marsh. Note: this a youngster!

~ janson, http://dusttracks.com

This thundering beetle was found --as they often are, it seems-- hanging out under a fallen log. It looks like it's got a hefty number of mites riding its head. Must be fun. I've seen a ton of these in the south Georgia area this spring and early summer. This was at Grand Bay WMA just east/northeast of Valdosta, Georgia.

~ janson, http://dusttracks.com

This southern green-striped grasshopper was one of many such grasshoppers in a narrow open-field stretch of Grand Bay WMA in south Georgia. They were out, about, and extremely active!

~ janson, http://dusttracks.com.

This is a palmetto weevil, Rhynchophorus cruentatus, I found trekking around our front yard in Valdosta, Georgia. The little critter was cooperative for a moment and then swiftly flew away.

~ janson, http://dusttracks.com