Jump to content
Whatbird Community

Recommended Posts

I meant to post this here this morning but post it The "other" things things topic instead. I think the bug people will appreciate it more. Found this on our patio this morning. It is apparently a Hammerhead Worm and we should have killed it as they are predator of earthworms which are beneficial to soil... They are also considered invasive. I'm glad I got a photo because with the naked eye I couldn't tell for sure if it was pushing something or if the hammer shape was it's head. It was it's head as you can see. Apparently their mouth is also their anus.? But their mouth is on their underside. Apparently they ooze enzymes on earth worms which liquefies the earth worm then they just slither over the liquid to consume.   

001.JPG

Edited by Clip
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After finally getting a herps life list going (58) I decided to count up my Tiger Beetles. I came up with 15 but I have 7 that I have not identified yet. I only have Festive Tiger Beetle counted as one but I have photos of 3 color variations of Festive. The unicolored one is Florida the others all Colorado.

015.JPG

019.JPG

121.JPG

145.JPG

071 (2).JPG

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From yesterday, Four-toothed Mason Wasp, I was told at BugGuide.

waspside50crop2.jpg


What I think are Punctured Tiger Beetles had taken over the trail.  They're sober and businesslike in the shade,

tigerbeetleshade42crop.jpg


Flashy and fierce in the sun.

tigerbeetle59crop.jpg

 

A bad picture of a cool insect: female velvet ant, probably Dasymutilla sp.  It would be a lot easier if they ever stopped moving.

velvetant09crop.jpg

 

The Variegated Meadowhawk is usually the first dragonfly I see in spring.  Where have they been?  This one was my FOY today.  She's "obelisking" in the afternoon heat to reduce the amount of sunlight that hits her.

variegated4crop.jpg

Edited by Jerry Friedman
Rearrange, obelisking
  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Seanbirds said:

I made the mistake of trying to pick one up one time…
 

That was before I found out it was in the bee/wasp family. ? ?

Ouch! So I'm told.

Real ants are in the bee-wasp family too.  If you believe the tree diagram at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrita, ants are closer to a group that contains bees and digger wasps than velvet ants are to a group that contains spider wasps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, Seanbirds said:

Yeah, I know, but ant stings don’t amount to much with me. We don’t have fire ants.

Or harvester ants, I guess.  We have them here in northern N.M., and their stings are quite unpleasant, though probably not as bad as velvet ants'.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/24/2021 at 4:00 PM, Avery said:

Love the Mohawk on it! Oh, are these Eastern Cottontails? They are all over our neighborhood. 
Looking at 3 right now as I listen for Timberdoodles

D43CC32A-B510-479A-9EA3-2F6E55125D5F.jpeg

2BDC9A9E-D007-49A3-B5A5-E846E692FAB0.jpeg

Since you posted this in the Bugs thread, I'd just list it as Bugs Bunny!! ?

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...