Description

A Katydid, also called a longhorned grasshopper, rests inside an okra flower where it was happy for the entire day on my deck planter.

Katydids are a family of insects that may also be called grasshoppers, because of their super-long antennae. Many resemble green leaves, an effect accentuated by prominent veins on the outer wings. The okra flower blooms for only one day, hence the one day home.

This Katydid was there from first light to sunset, giving me a chance to wait for the best light to capture the best image. This was take number 3.

One Day Home by Mark D Phillips, 11″ x 17″ printed on aluminum

While working at the now defunct Tampa Tribune in the 1980s, I began a love of photographing animals that has carried through my entire career.

You wouldn’t think of Tampa as a wildlife center, but it really was. With Busch Gardens Tampa and the start of Lowry Park Zoo, there were more exotic animals to be photographed than In most African game parks. I latched on to every animal assignment I could get. When Busch Gardens hosted Ling Ling, a Panda on loan from the Chinese government, I was able to photograph both his arrival and birthday party. The feed truck at Busch Gardens gave me one of my all-time favorite animal photographs of three giraffes.