Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Deadly Spider Bite!

My love and fear of these things just increased...

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Worlds Biggest spider

Ok. So that's a freaking huge spider but it's not the biggest in the world. I'll tell you that. :)

But I was shocked to see how big it was anyway! O_O

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Apioscelis bulbosa


I absolutely love these grasshoppers! Yes this is a grasshopper. The photo posted is also featured in one of the books I'm reading and on this site which is in French and it shows pictures of other species of Apioscelis.

I think that they're adorable! Don't you?

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving!


Wishing you all a good one!

I love you guys!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Another Mystery Solved


See this? This is the beetle that I saw at camp this year that's be bugging me ever since I left. And I finally found out what kind of beetle it is via 2 sources blessed by God:

The book I got for my birthday this year

The internet/Bugguide.

And it's Colliuris Pensylvanica. Long-necked Ground beetle. :) And no they're not that big! They tiny! I will search for decent info on the life cycle and what ever else I can find and update this post.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Pear Slugs ♥


Just found out about these today and I love them! No they're not caterpillars they're the larvae of sawflies!

Pear Slugs! They're called that for obvious reasons :)

Written on the 18th due to the internet being down that day.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Found a Lady Bug

Yippee! I found a Harmonia ayxiridis Asian Lady bug outside on my balcony! He's in a little box with a see through lid. I don't think I'll be able to get any pics but I just thought I should let you know of my findings :)

Peace!

We need more of it in this world......

Monday, November 12, 2007

Ms Frankenstein's Spider Goat

This is true. I'm not making this up. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.....

Friday, November 09, 2007

False Ringlet Butterfly Coenonympha oedippus


A rare and very seriously threatened species. As is usually the case, habitat destruction is forever responsible for the decline of a rare species. I found it flying in an idyllic spot above Lake Como in 1997 in mid July. I revisited in the early season of 2003 when it was well out on mid summer's day, and probably had been flying for some weeks. I've heard reports that it is found further east on the southern slopes of the Alps, fairly widespread but always extremely local on limestone grasslands.

It flies low in the characteristic manner of the Coenonympha (Heaths) but is very plainly darker. It does not bask with wings open so I was very lucky to find this specimen flexing its wings in the shade of a tree trunk in extremely high temperatures. It can be seen to completely lack the more normal orange of the Coenonympha on the upperside. The bright underside eyespots are also diagnostic. Only the equally rare Coenonympha hero resembles this insect.

Photo and info from http://www.eurobutterflies.com/species_pages/oedippus.htm

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Water Hyacinth Weevils & Moths


This is really interesting because last night I watching Nature and they were mentioning invasive species and other animals to control them. And they mentioned an insect that I've never heard of before The Hyacinth Weevil. They explained that these insects were needed to bring down the Water Hyacinth because they were so numerous.

This took place in Lake Victoria. The Water Hyacinth was taking up so much space and the people that live in that area couldn't get food because they were every where. But when the weevil was introduced the plants started decline until there were no more.

I was searching for info on the beetle and that's how I came across the Water Hyacinth Moth. I don't know if the life cycle is similar to that of the weevil but to think that the beetles emerge out of the water is amazing. I found a site that mentions both the moth and the weevil.

Clicky!

The picture above show 2 different species of Water Hyacinth weevils Neochetina eichhorniae and N. bruchi. Got them from the site provided.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Papilio homerus


Found out that this beauty is a threatened species. I found this on it as well as some other stuff that I will post soon. I'll see if I can find more pictures of this beauty.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Papilio xuthus - Asian Swallotail


Another beautiful Swallowtail that I came across today via Google and Wikipedia. There's not much on Wikipedia but it has some very decent info. Here you go!

Friday, November 02, 2007

White Monarchs & Orange Pupae?!



I wouldn't be posting this if it weren't true. I came across 2 pictures of White Monarch Butterflies! I know it's amazing and what's eve more amazing is the fact that the pupae of some Monarch butterflies come in the color Orange! I'm stunned with amazement and excitement.

There's a PDF that mentions the orange pupae and it also mentions the white monarchs too. It's featured on this site and it's the 1999 issue and it's on pages 50-53. I still can't believe it.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Bug Of The Month


I've decided to this one early. So any it's the Chinese Peacock Swallow Tail Papilio bianor It's a beautiful butterfly. I found a site with all kinds of tropical butterflies. Alot of Swallow tails that I've never even heard of. Of course they're 700 species of Papilionidae so I'm not going to know or see every single one.

But to find so many beautiful ones that I've never heard of or see is a jack pot to me. This beauty for some reason seems to fit the month though.

They also have a number of subspecies too according to Wikipedia. Linky!

I'll post more pics later. They're really pretty. There's also a Filipino Peacock and another one that I can't remember the name of but I'll definitely do something on those too. :)