eccentric_entomophile's Favorites

Erythemis simplicicollis (accompanied by a robber fly and a praying mantis)

This is an old slide scan--I think I had just got extension tubes and was playing around. I was on the ground inches away from them but they were preoccupied sharing a meal.

I wasn't there to see who acquired the meal but neither one of these guys seem like they would be sharers to me. Just curious how they ended up together. I probably should have stayed to see if the mantis took the robber fly afterward.

Scorpions with two metasomae (tails) are extremely rare, with one estimate I saw as one in every 5,000 specimens. This specimen is approximately 3cm long head to stinger and is being maintained in captivity to study its behavior.

I found this using a black light flashlight with BJ Stacey (@finatic) at the Carrie Nation Trailhead parking lot at Madera Canyon, Arizona.

Read a detailed account of this specimen's discovery and observation updates at the journal post linked below:
http://www.inaturalist.org/journal/jaykeller/7020-rare-arizona-bark-scorpion-with-two-metasomas-tails-and-stingers

My favourite little parasite this season:
There were at least 2 individuals of this small braconid wasp stalking the green vegetable bugs on the Cleome in my garden. (Were they first discovered in NZ by you, Stephen?)
The first one (photos 1-7) quite obviously was successful in parasitising a bug, but the second one (photos 8-17) was never quite able to connect, despite a number of attempts.
It was fascinating to watch the behaviour. Mostly the wasps managed to stay behind the bugs, and so out of sight. However, occassionally they were rumbled and then got short shrift from the Nezara.