Locust Borer (Megacyllene Robiniae) at Craggy Gardens (Blue Ridge Parkway)

...you see, I photograph other things besides cars ! ;)

This self-guiding nature trail passes through a high-elevation Northern Hardwood forest to a Heath Bald, and finally into a Grassy Summit. A large trail shelter makes an excellent spot for a picnic. Visit during mid to late June for a spectacular display of Catawba Rhododendron blossoms. Visit in late summer for a bountiful harvest of fresh mountain blueberries. And visit any time of year to study the high elevation environment in the Craggy Gardens area!
www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/craggy-gardens/craggy-gardens

A short drive (20 miles) from downtown Asheville takes you up, up, up on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Craggy Gardens. As you approach the area, you will first see a sign for the Craggy Picnic Area to the left, a short drive up the mountain to many picnic tables and gorgeous hike across the bald. If you continue straight on the Parkway a few more miles, you will reach the Visitor Center for panoramic mile-high views east and west. Enjoy the crisp air, summer rhododendron, and super scenic trails. Since this location is more than 3,500 feet higher in elevation than Asheville, temperatures 10-20 degrees cooler than the city.
www.romanticasheville.com/Craggy.htm

The Great Craggy Mountains, commonly called the Craggies, are a mountain range in western North Carolina, United States. They are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains and encompass an area of approx. 194 sq mi (503 km²). They are situated in Buncombe County, North Carolina, 14 miles northeast of Asheville. The Black Mountains lie to the northeast, across the upper Cane River valley.

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along the crest for most of the way between Asheville and Mount Mitchell. Craggy Gardens, an area of 16 km, is covered with purple Catawba rhododendrons in mid-June. The parkway through the area was closed from late 2012 through early 2013 due to subsidence caused by heavy rains, and had to be closed again during summer 2013 due to a reoccurrence of the same issues. Access to Mount Mitchell is only from the north or via detour from the south.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Craggy_Mountains

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for 469 miles (755 km) through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, mostly along the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. Its southern terminus is on the boundary between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina, from which it travels north to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and offers access to the Skyline Drive. While the two roads join together end-to-end, they are separate and distinct entities, built as two different projects and managed by two different National Park Service units. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisgah_National_Forest

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Taken in: United States / North Carolina / Buncombe (show map)

Taken on: August 13, 2016

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Asheville

Blackberry Inn

geo:lon=-82.38245666

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North Carolina

United States

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Craggies

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Locust Borer

Megacyllene Robiniae « less

Groups appears in: • Nature Photography • Insect Photography more » • Nature Heals the Soul • 105mm • Sigma 105mm EX DG f/2.8 Macro Lens • Nature...Anything Goes • NATURE'S BEST • nature is all - all is nature • \\*W*H*I*M*S*I*C*A*L*// • All Things ~*Earthy*~ • !!!Insects Around the World!!! • Insects on Flowers • SIGMA 105mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro • Sigma Photo (All Lenses) • Nature and all that is beautiful • !*Flickr All Stars*! • Nature and Animals (Wild Only) • fiori gialli « less

Camera: Nikon D800, f/11.0, 1/800 sec, 105mm, ISO 1600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D800
Lens:	105.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/800)
Focal Length:	105mm
ISO:	1600
Exposure Bias:	+3/2 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Light Source:	Daylight
Gain Control:	High gain up
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Microsoft Pro Photo Tools
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