Mutzenmore Photography

Mutzenmore Photography Welcome to Mutzenmore Photography's page! Mutzenmore Photography is located in North Oakland County, Michigan.

We specialize in, but are not limited to, photographing animals and people. We offer various services and packages for you to choose from.

Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar Fifth Instar. For the first four instars, Giant Swallowtail caterpillars do resemble wet b...
09/08/2026

Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar Fifth Instar. For the first four instars, Giant Swallowtail caterpillars do resemble wet bird droppings. The fifth and final instar is a curious surprise. Suddenly, it looks dry and has a different pattern, quite pretty I think. If you zoom in, you'll see what most surprised me. It's the bright, bluish purple, irregular spots on its body, which appeared in the light. They actually shined, but I didn't notice them at all until I zoomed in with my macro lens. This is one of the reasons why I love macro photography... so many neat things I'd otherwise miss. Nature is full of surprises. Did I mention that some people think the "eyes" by the head of the final instar make the Giant Swallowtail caterpillar look like a snake, which may scare off predators?

Poppies, Orlaya, and Grasses
09/07/2026

Poppies, Orlaya, and Grasses

Giant Swallowtail. It's almost hard to believe that what started as a caterpillar that looked like a bird dropping turn...
08/31/2026

Giant Swallowtail. It's almost hard to believe that what started as a caterpillar that looked like a bird dropping turned into this butterfly. Not only is it gorgeous, but it's also our largest butterfly, with a wingspan that can be 6 inches. The upper side (dorsal) and under side (ventral) of the wings look very different. You can see a bit of the blackish and yellow dorsal side in this image, compared to the colorful ventral side. This one was puddling on a beach, getting vital nutrients from it.

Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense). It's called showy for good reason, as this is arguably the most beautiful of ...
08/31/2026

Showy Tick Trefoil (Desmodium canadense). It's called showy for good reason, as this is arguably the most beautiful of the many Desmodium. Standing 2-6 feet tall, it will grow in various soils and can easily spread. The hairy seeds are what's been called "hitchhikers," clinging to people and other mammals that help transport them far from the original plant's site. Birds and mammals will also eat the seeds. Hummingbirds, bees and butterflies love the nectar and pollen of the flowers. Showy Tick Trefoil is also a host plant for several Lepidoptera, including Gray Hairstreak, Eastern-tailed Blue, Hoary Edge, and Silver-spotted Skipper. This native perennial is a legume the fixes nitrogen into the soil.

Sessile-leaved Tick-trefoil (Desmodium sessilifolium). While this native perennial has disappeared in some states, you ...
08/30/2026

Sessile-leaved Tick-trefoil (Desmodium sessilifolium). While this native perennial has disappeared in some states, you can still find it in Michigan. It prefers sunny, sandy, drier areas. In ideal conditions it can get 5 feet tall, as this one was. It's a legume and like many other legumes it fixes nitrogen into the soil, which also helps other plants. Wild Turkeys and other animals like to eat the seeds. Many native bees can be found pollinating the flowers, which extend the bloom period by not all blooming at once. It's also a host plant for several butterflies and skippers.

Dragonfly on Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum). If you're tired of deer and other critters eating your flowers, this nativ...
08/30/2026

Dragonfly on Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum). If you're tired of deer and other critters eating your flowers, this native perennial may be a great plant for you. It has a pungent scent that critters don't like when they try to nibble on it, so they tend to leave it alone. Then hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators have flowers to enjoy. Nodding Onions are easy to grow in average to moist well-drained soil. They prefer a sunny location but will also grow in partial sun. The 2 inch, nodding, pink flower clusters bloom atop 1-2 foot stalks that rise from shorter leaves that look like grass. They look lovely in the front of a garden, especially when planted in mass.

Sunflower and Orange Sulphur
08/26/2026

Sunflower and Orange Sulphur

Bumblebee on Grass-leaved Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia). This is a member of the aster family. It's named for its t...
08/24/2026

Bumblebee on Grass-leaved Goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia). This is a member of the aster family. It's named for its thin long leaves, and is also called Flat-Topped Goldenrod because of the shape of its brilliant flowers. It is a common native plant, especially in wet, sunny areas where it easily spreads. It's a crucial host plant for many Lepidoptera caterpillars and other insects. The nectar and pollen are an important food source for at least 10 types of specialist bees. Monarchs are known for visiting Grass-leaved Goldenrod during their migration and songbirds eat the seeds.

Eastern Pondhawk. These are very common dragonflies in our area. This one is perched at the shore of a lake, which is ...
08/23/2026

Eastern Pondhawk. These are very common dragonflies in our area. This one is perched at the shore of a lake, which is typical behavior for Eastern Pondhawks. They can ambush their prey from this posistion or from a higher perch or from the air. Prey can even include insects as large as them and they can get quite agressive about it. They also tend to be territorial. Females and young males are green. The bodies of males turn greyish blue, with a green head. When I zoomed in on this one, I could see a tiny bit of blue on the abdomen, so maybe it's a very young male that's just starting to change.

Silver-spotted Skipper on Ironweed. The most common Ironweed in Michigan is Missouri Ironweed (Vernonia missurica). I...
08/22/2026

Silver-spotted Skipper on Ironweed. The most common Ironweed in Michigan is Missouri Ironweed (Vernonia missurica). Its vivid flowers atop the strong, tall stems demand attention. This is an important native perennial that draws various pollinators and serves as a host plant for several Lepidoptera. In the winter, birds will eat its seeds and use it as shelter.

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North Oakland County
Michigan

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