Category Archives: insect
Sundews and Sun Rings
This is my second post about our trip to Quincy. Frankly, my Darlingtonia… The native California pitcher plants (Darlingtonia californica) are a thing to behold, especially when they’re flowering. The blooms, hanging heavily from high straight poles, have flapping green … Continue reading
The Black Petaltail of Butterfly Valley
I have returned from an epic nature adventure with many friends, combining events celestial and botanical! The timing of the annular eclipse of the Sun coincided with the blooming of native pitcher plants in Butterfly Valley, a place my wife … Continue reading
This Silverfish Will Melt Your Heart
Some insects are an easy sell. Butterflies. Dragonflies. Honeybees. But for me it’s all about promoting the beauty inherent in the lesser-loved creatures on this planet, the ones who get no attention, or worse are vilified for having the temerity … Continue reading
Posted in insect, photography
Tagged Matthias Lenke, mayfly, mealworm, silverfish, water strider
1 Comment
The 27 Happiest Invertebrates In The World
Recently a friend sent out one of those gawker-style lists calculated to encourage maximum sharing and reposting: The 26 Happiest Animals In The World. It’s full of aww and squee, but one thing stood out- It’s absolutely devoid of invertebrates! … Continue reading
Posted in insect, lol
Tagged ant, antlion, beetle, centipede, chaetognath, cicada, cuttlefish, dragonfly, fungus gnat, isopod, jellyfish, jumping spider, mantis, moth, riftia, rotifer, sea cucumber, sea slug, snail, spider, stick insect, tardigrade, Tick, tube worm, wasp, Weevil
6 Comments
Sing a Song for Stenopelmatus
Happy Birthday to me! In celebration, I want to share with you all a very special friend of mine, a beautiful and noble beast who is tragically loathed and feared by nearly everybody I know, even friends who otherwise love … Continue reading
Posted in art, insect, JD
Tagged Birthday, cricket, Hopi, jerusalem cricket, Katsina, stenopelmatus, Susöpa
3 Comments
Deck the Galls
If you asked me what insect truly embodies the spirit of the holiday season, I wouldn’t hesitate for an instant. What other insect decorates trees in festive baubles, spreading joyful great glowing red ornaments and brilliant translucent spheres? That’s right, … Continue reading
Ambrosia
A well-written but brief article in Wired on the fascinating and destructive bark and ambrosia beetles, important economic pests whose biology is little-known. The real wonder is in the accompanying photos, showing the beautiful and diverse beetles themselves, SEM photographs … Continue reading
Time out for Chewing Lice!
Several plates from “Das Buch Der Welt”, an 1845 tome by Carl Hofmann. The context-free plates were found here, along with other pretty butterflies and beetles. I am of course fondest of the plate depicting several Mallophaga, or chewing lice. … Continue reading
House Beautiful
For July 4th I went adventuring with friends in Mendocino, CA, where late rains have kept things green well into Summer. On a hike in Van Damme State Park, we stopped by a bridge to watch for fish, birds, and … Continue reading
