Pretty

I thought this was pretty so I posted it. Found it while browsing on Bugguide. As usual no copyright infringement is intended. This is a Syrphid fly Sphaerophoria sp.

There are 16 species described, or in other words known to man. :P

That's about all that's known other then in order to identify on to species you have to have with you. Yes it's one of those bugs.

Well until next time kiddos!

Miniscule Series - The Ladybug and The Hungry Flies

Once again priceless. There's some truth to this. All flies think about are 3 things:

1. Get food......use whatever means necessary
2. Find a mate.....make more flies
3. Sleep....and don't get eaten!!

In other words NEVER trust the ladybug.....evil bastard. ^.^

Download:

The Lady Bug and The Hungry Flies

Until next time my pretties!!

BOTM - Halysidota Harrisii

I think it's time that I dedicate an entry to them.

I've had plenty of encounters with these over the years. I love them. I love all Halysidota sp. I've only seen one other Halysidota sp. Halysidota tessellaris and that was years ago.

These are just as variable H. tessellaris. They come in yellow, white, gray, or light tan-ish brown.

And they're all to die for. ^.^

The Sycamore Tussock Moth (Halysidota harrisii) is a species of moth of the Arctiidae family. It is found in South-Eastern Canada, the Eastern parts of the United States (but not Florida) and North-Eastern Mexico.

The wingspan is about 50 mm. The moth flies from May to June and from July to August depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Platanus occidentalis.

Did I mention that I love them to death? Yes? Ok good!

Bugs:

1 Eastern Tailed Blue
1 Cicada Killer
1 Geometrid ( ? ) Moth

Happy Birthday Mommy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!

Hope you had a nice one!

And the bugs I saw today:

♥ 1 Halysidota harrisii *adult* OMG! ( on terrace )
♥ 1 Harmonia axyridis ( on the ceiling in the hallway )
♥ dragonfly? ( the pool )

Halyisidota harrisii Count:

6 as of today. :P 5 larvae 1 adult

I didn't realize that I would be counting the adults too. *facepalm*

The Miniscule Series - The Bee Convoy

So this is what happened to all the "missing" honey......



.....oh this is priceless...^.^

Download:

The Bee Convoy

Enjoy my pretties! Until next time!

P.S. Finally went to the park today. I saw these:

♥ 1 orb weaver of some sort
♥ A bunch of carpenter bees
♥ 4 Cabbage whites

Was lovely out! I also finally had some sushi! YAY!

Greenhouse Millipede - Oxidus gracilis

2 mysteries are solved here ( as of 07 -15 -10 ):

Questions:

1. What kind of millipedes are these?
2. Why do I often find then in swarms on top of each other?

Answers:

1. Greenhouse Millipede ( Oxidus gracilis )
2. As quoted by Aaron Goodwin from Bugguide:

A lot of times the male millipede will run over the top of the female to stimulate her with his legs. I've seen it with captive African giants and also desert millipedes (Orthoporus ornatus).

It's interesting to see them mosey along at a slow pace, and then all of a sudden a male will move really fast over the top of a female. Once he reaches her head, they turn face-to-face for copulation, or sperm transfer.

- Aaron Goodwin @Bugguide

Finally. I would see swarms of these on the fences at camp on damp mornings and lots of them would be on top of each other ( sometimes 3 at a time! Males fighting for dominance? ).

I'm immensely pleased to know the actual reason. I knew it had something to do with.....hem hem... sex but since millipedes don't mate on top of each other I naturally had questions. But I didn't know where to begin to search for answers.

So I'm finally happy to have some after years of wondering. I thought many things but all of them were wrong....in a sense. I was right about one thing.

It all had to do with.....*blush* sex. So there you go. XD

Hope Mr. Goodwin doesn't mind me quoting him. ^.^;

The Miniscule Series - The Big Race

*Giggle* This is so cute!



Again there's a lesson in this. 10 bonus points if you guess what it is.

Download:

The Big Race

Until next time folks!

Holy Sh*t!

Moth flies.....this one is Clogmia albipunctata. Cute little thing yes? WRONG!

They can kill you.......

According to Wikipedia they have venom that's potentially fatal. I have yet to find out if any of this is indeed true as we all know that Wikipedia does contain lies.

But for now.....holy shit! I saw one in my house yesterday.

Despite their small size, Psychodidae are able to inject venom through human skin. The actual amount injected is very small in physical volume. When this small amount of venom is diffused throughout the body of a healthy, mature human, it usually does not amount to a fatal dose.

Deaths in healthy adults from Psychodidae bites are relatively rare in terms of the number of bites per thousand people. However, if enough sustained bites go untreated for a length of time, they can prove fatal. Sixty-three deaths were reported in the United States between 1950 and 1959.

Sweet Jesus......I've actually held these things many times over the years and I've never felt them trying to penetrate my skin before.

Unless you can't feel it? But mosquitoes are also small and you can feel them when they try to steal your blood so what's up with that? Like I said I'm definitely going to ask around about this and see if I can confirm this to be true.

And if it is. I want to know if all species carry this potentially fatal venom. It seems so unlikely though yet Idk for sure since I haven't gone out to back this up even though I don't want to back it up because I'm hoping for a false alarm.

You will certainly know if it is a false alarm. I hate to believe something so common has the potential to be so deadly if enough of them bite you.....

Lord have mercy. The source to this and other info on Psychodidae: Clicky!

Grapevine Epimenis - Pyschomorpha epimenis

This isn't a butterfly. It's a moth. That's the first thing I should point out to you. Funnily enough when I was searching for additional info on these that's one of the things pointed out that it's often mistaken for a butterfly.

Smh....this isn't the first time the internet has more or less "read my mind" so to speak. Anyway what do I know about these personally? Only that they're *GORGEOUS* and if I had seen one I would mistake it for a butterfly until I got a closer look.

Unfortunately they're not found around here. So I'd have to go upstate or down ( as they can be found in Florida and Texas ) to see them.

I don't particularly mind as I have plans to go to Texas someday for completely different reasons ( SELENA! ) though but the insect appeal is also a bonus. :P

While searching for info I came across the guide page from bugguide here.

Any more info ( still searching ) I'll post here. For now this is it. Enjoy.

Bugs I saw today:

1 moth fly
1 transparent flying thing. Idk what it was. It's possible it could've been a moth fly of some sort.

But I really don't have a clue.

Kawaii!

This isn't a miniscule but it's too cute not to post.



Enjoy!

Download:

Japanese/Thai Commercial With Caterpillars

YAY!

Halysidota harrisii Count:

5 as of today. YAY!

This one was huge compared to the other 4. Must be getting close to the final molt. I wish it and all other ones all the luck in the world.

God bless them. Halysidota is one of my favorite Arctiidae geniuses.

The Flies Need To GTFO or DIE!

No I'm serious they need to go or this is war.....they don't want war I'm telling you.

So I've....We've been having a fly problem.....as in they've gone fucking crazy and won't leave me alone. They were bothering me all day today as if I haven't got enough bothering me atm. Idk why or what's making them pick on me but it needs to stop.

I mean we've always have had the occasional fly but it was never like this. They've as I've said gone fucking crazy. How? Well......

* They keep getting in my face.....
*.......landing on me......
* Following me everywhere ( Paranoid? Hell no! )
* Interrupt me when I'm watching TV ( by flying all around it & the entire kitchen )

The only thing they so far haven't done is try and get in my food. They better not even think about it or I swear it'll be the last thing they ever do.

I'm not playing here as I've got 0% tolerance for something like this now.

The Minscule Series - The Flying Ants

Ants are the smartest insects in the insect world. End of discussion. :P

Download:

The Flying Ants

There is some truth to this. Ants overcome obstacles so brilliantly it puts others to shame. ^.^

Bugs

I had a long eventful day today. Bugs I saw:

1 wasp ( mud dauber? @ pool )
1 red admiral or silver spotted skipper ( although I think it was a admiral )
1 dragonfly?

Yeah that's all for today I'm exhausted. -_-

The Minscule Series - Christmas With The Spider and The Fly

Normally I would post something like this during the X-mas holiday....



.....but since it's nowhere near Christmas.....Enjoy anyway!

Download:

Christmas With the Spider and The Fly

You're very welcome!

Wishing You All The Best

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Hoping you all have a good one!

Please stay safe!!

Common Sulpher - Colias philodice

These almost always have their wings closed. Why this is I haven't a clue. I had the pleasure of seeing the white form of the female on a button bush along with either a male or the yellow ( regular ) form of the female.

I really don't know which. I'm guessing it was a male since it was larger. But what do I know when the damn things won't stay still and won't open their wings?

Any way once more we go with the info. Do extra research!

The Common or Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae.

This butterfly may be encountered in fields, lawns, Alfalfa or Clover fields, meadows, and roadsides. Swarms of these butterflies will congregate at mud puddles. They range over most of North America with the exception of Labrador, Nunavut, and northern Quebec.

This I already knew to some extent. What shocked me is this:

The pale yellow eggs are laid singly on the host plants. The eggs turn red after a few days, then turn gray just before they hatch. The young larvae will eat one another. The larva is green with a white stripe running along each side of the body.

The white stripes may contain bars or lines of pink or orange. The green chrysalis hangs up right by a silken girdle. Just before enclosion, the chrysalis turns yellow with a pink "zipper".

Holy shit.

Are you freaking serious?! If this is true I might as well stop thinking right this minute. I've heard and read about cannibalistic caterpillars but this is insane in the fact that it doesn't go into this more and left me not only with my jaw on the ground but wondering how any survive to make it to adulthood.

Surely some survive cause I wouldn't see any at all anywhere if they didn't. I wonder why? Is this a characteristic thing with this species or even the genius? This is not only horrifyingly fascinating but it's confusing.

And it's because they don't go into detail about it. Such a shame. I'll definitely look into this more. You mark my words I will. Although not now because I'm tired.

Interesting though huh? Copyright infringement is not intended.

Halysidota harrisii Count:

4 as of today. Ironic isn't it?

FINALLY!

Halysidota harrisii Count:

3 so far!

2 today and 1 yesterday. *Squee* I'm so happy and I certainly hope I see more. I'm keeping track of my fuzzy little friends. I brought one home to show mommy ( let it go afterwards ). XD

I love you!! God bless you!

Convergent Ladybug - Hippodamia convergens

When I saved one from drowning in the pool I was utterly shocked at how tiny these things are. But they're fast. Once it was pretty much dried off ( it was still working on it's wings ) it was running around my hand like crazy.

Mine was more orange though. You'd be surprised at how variable these things can get. Not within color so much ( it's always between red and orange ) but with the spots.

Crazy I say. I found this out while browsing for photos of this little pretty "lady".

Hippodamia convergens, commonly known as the convergent lady beetle, is one of the most common lady beetles in North America and is found throughout the continent.

Oh really? If it's sooo common then why is this my first time seeing one? I might've seen one years ago but I really don't remember.

Honestly Harmonia axyridis is more common around here! Maybe that will change?

Hopefully as I really like these petite ladybugs. Although if my memory serves correct the Ash Grey Ladybug ( Olla v-nigrum ) could give it a run for it's money!

I remember seeing one a million years ago at camp.....that was the only time I saw one.

And it was tiny!

Spotted Cucumber Beetle - Diabrotica undecimpunctata

Found one in my house. This would be for a second time in years. At least I know that they're around here which isn't something to be happy about for housing who plants all the plants around my house.

And I suppose me? But I don't think they'll attack Sycamores or Japanese Pagodas....

Would they? Idk but I do know that they are pests and shouldn't be taken too lightly. They should be watched just in case their numbers get out of control.

We wouldn't want that now would we? Nope.

The spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) is a major agricultural pest insect (see also cucumber beetle). In the adult form it eats and damages leaves of many crops, including cucmbers, soybeans, cotton, beans and many others.

In the larval form, which is known as the southern corn rootworm, it tunnels through the roots of young plants, stunting or killing them. These native pests have a wide range of host plants, but will readily infest a field of crop plants, most notoriously corn.

Adult beetles are greenish-yellow with six large black spots on each elytron. They are about half a centimeter long. The larvae are yellowish and wormlike.

They can obviously be mistaken for yellow ladybugs. There are yellow ladybugs but I haven't seen any around here. Chances are if I did most likely it would be some weird color morph of Harmonia axyridis.

Smh....so anyway I think the total of how many I've seen so far in my life time has been 3.

Yeah I know pitiful. :P 2 at home ( each a different year ) 1 at camp. Of course I probably did see more but I just don't remember.

And here's a linky with more substantial info: Clicky!

Copyright infringement is not intended. Please don't sue. -_-