We typically think of spring as the time when things come alive and get active in the natural world. From the sound of wood frogs in a vernal pond to the sight of bald eagles carrying sticks to a nearby nest, it is very evident that spring is the time that many animal species breed and propagate—and yet, there are exceptions to this timing due to factors such as climate or the physiology of the animal.

Most of these exceptions are insects. Unless they lie in dormancy during the winter months as an adult (such as the mourning cloak butterfly), many insects hatch in the spring from eggs deposited during the previous summer or fall. These tiny insects are either in the larval or nymph stage, and require anywhere from several days to a few months to grow and develop into adulthood, where they themselves can breed and reproduce. 

Larger insects that live only a single year are most evident now. In late summer and early fall, they are adults and have developed enough to breed. As an example, the first katydid is not usually heard until August; they will call until the first hard frost. All the images in this column were captured during late summer to early fall.