HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Bet you're wondering what happened to me. I've been really really busy lately and also I haven't been feeling to good. So that's why I haven't posted in a few days. So if you don't see any posts in a while it's due to the problems I've been having.

Wishing every one a Happy Halloween!

Bug Of The Month - Pseudomasaris edwardsii

A cute adorable wasp.

Range:

USA: WA, OR, ID, WY, CO, UT, NV, CA, and AZ.

Mexico: Baja California Norte

Food:

Adults may take nectar from various plants, but females provision their offspring with a mixture of Phacelia nectar and Phacelia pollen.

Info and photo from Bugguide. Enjoy!

Picturewing - Rhyothemis variegata

Another beautiful dragonfly. I originally was looking up R. fenestrina and came across this one. And this is what a few sites had to say on this species and any subspecies:

"It is a slow flier and hence less trickier to follow and take pictures! The variegations come in different combinations."

- Dave's Garden

"A beautiful dragonfly, looks like a butterfly. It is called 'Onathumbi' in Kerala India."

- Tarique Sani.net

And pictured here are 2 of the variations.

Dawn Dropwing - Trithemis aurora

Another beautiful dragonfly indeed. Especially the males. Got the photo and the following info from Chin's Nature Corner:

"Trithemis aurora: Is a beautiful dragonfly of medium size with a pink body and deep red veins."

- Chin's Nature Corner

The one pictured here is a male. And this is another reason why pink is one of my favorite colors. ♥

Disclaimer: The photo doesn't belong to me. I didn't take it. All credit goes to Chin's Nature Corner.

I ♥ Neurothemis sp.

They're so pretty! They're some of the prettiest dragonflies I've laid my eyes on. The one pictured is Neurothemis tullia and Wikipedia says:

"The Pied Paddy Skimmer ( Neurothemis tullia ) is a species of dragonfly found in South India. It is fairly common, with a black body and black and white wings with transparent tips."

- Wikipedia

Seriously I want to know more but there doesn't seem to be much on them. Another one that I like is Neurothemis ramburi which is similar to N. terminata. Another beautiful dragonfly. And luckily there's some decent info on N. fluctuans too which I'm happy about:

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Asia/Singapore/photo134474.htm

Hee hee hee! n_n It has a nice picture of the male too. And then there's one more that I know about which I'm going to see if there's any info on them or pics and get back to you. In the mean time enjoy them.

Flannel Moth Caterpillars

...They're fuzzy.......they're cute......but what ever you do don't handle them! And this is why:

From Wikipedia:

Very dangerous. Seek medical advice immediately. The venom from the spines must be treated within hours of first contact.

And the rest can be seen here along with photos and additional info. I'm telling you do not want to mess with these things.

Also Bugguide has a nice page on 2 species in the genius Megalopyge. Go a hunting and learn even more about these little devils. >:)

Cutest Millipede EVER!!!!!

Octoglena anura is the cutest millipede ever! I ❤ it! I love seeing them EVERY WHERE during the summer. If I could I would keep them. Wish there was more info.

Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede - Desmoxytes purpurosea

I'm not joking on this one either. I found out about via Arachnoboards and I was posting in the Centipedes and Millipedes section and that's when I came across the topic about them containing the PDF and photos.

The PDF list other species in the genius Desmoxytes as well. So I'm going to look those up too in the mean time enjoy the PDF which has alot of info in it.

They Came!

*Jumps up and down like a boingy* My hermit crabs came today and I've got 4 and like the other ones that I had before these they have the same shell so that's the only thing I'm trying to work on in naming them.

What can I do to tell them apart without hurting them in any way? I was thinking of marking each shell with a different color mark with a permanent marker but I don't know if that would harm them in anyway and I don't want to risk it.

Any one have any suggestions?

Mopane Worm - Imbrasia belina

Well as I said I provide you with info.....IMO the whole eating of the poor innocent larvæ is a crime. Any way Wikipedia has alot to say. These are definitely not on bugguide because they're in Africa! ;)

The Edible Stink Bug - Encosternum delegorguei

Ladies and Gentlemen I present the edible stink bug Encosternum delegorguei! Don't believe me? Click here and see for yourselves! Now please excuse me while I go puke.

Next: The "Mopane Worm". Yes this is edible too and is featured on the same site as the edible stink bug. If you have an uneasy stomach I would highly suggest that you stay far away from this post in particular......

.....it's for your own good.

Poke Weed

Warning this post is completely off topic.......

Ok so I finally found out what my mystery plant is! It's poke weed and just as I had suspected it's poisonous......fatally poisonous.....I wasn't expecting it to kill you though. God bless Wikipeidia! I couldn't live without it really.

Although it isn't always reliable it is helpful most of the time. It's helped me answer alot of my questions about what ever mystery thing I've come across.

Mystery Hermit Crabs

Well I wasn't expecting this nor was my mom. We got hermit crabs the only thing is that they're freaking tiny and they're definitely not what we ordered either. And half of them are dead because I have no idea what to do with them.

Nor do I know what kind they are. Oh yeah and they're snails in there too! O_O WTH is going on with my beloved Carolina Science? I know that they sent these by mistake I was just looking forward to hermit crabs full grown decent sized know what to do with hermit crabs.

All I know about these is that the thrive in water....lots of water.

Hermit Crabs And Books

Today I got the 2 insect books my mom ordered at the beginning of this week and the hermit crabs are coming tomorrow. I forgot what my mom told about why they didn't come but any way it gave my mom time to fix up the tank.

And the new pebbles are sooooo pretty! I also have a water dish and a plastic tree and a rock that I had since 1998 when I had my first hermit crab. That rock means the world to me because it has so much history behind it. Plus all the hermit crabs that I've had over the years crawled on it, pooped on it, moved it around, and sat on it.

So practically they're memories written all over it. My mom washed it of course. And the names of the 2 books that I got are:

❀ Peterson's Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies
❀ Peterson's Field Guide to Insects

And I have 1 more left that my mom will get for me. ♥

Hermit Crabs

Tomorrow I'm getting my hermit crabs! YAY! I'll get pics ASAP.

Milkweed Tussock Moth - Euchaetes egle

Size: Wingspan 32-43 mm

Identification: Wings are usually unmarked and gray. The abdomen is yellow with black spots.

Range: Easter half of the US plus Quebec and Ontario.

Habitat: Fields and edges with host plant ( milkweed ).

Life Cycle: Larvæ feed on milkweed ( Asclepias sp. ). Adults are sometimes found on the host plant during the day. Females lay eggs in "rafts" and the caterpillars are gregarious during instars 1-3. They become solitary in later instars when marked with bright tufts.

May defoliate milkweed. But at least they're not pest right? ;)

Hermit Crabs

My mom ordered my hermit crabs and she told me that they're coming on Thursday! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! I'll pics! *Does her happy dance*