CRG 1598
Caterpillar: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/163181320
This series shows Watshamiella alata watching Sycoscapter cornutus oviposit into a Ficus burkei syconium (fruiting body) for over seven minutes; after the Sycoscapter female departs, the Watshamiella female proceeds to oviposit into the same hole. Compton et al. (2009) described this behaviour for different species of Watshamiella in Uganda and Kenya on Ficus sycomorus and Ficus artocarpoides.
Compton, S.G., Van Noort, S., McLeish, M., Deeble, M. and Stone, V., 2009. Sneaky African fig wasps that oviposit through holes drilled by other species. African Natural History, 5, pp.9-15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230580629
25 Oct: Long, tidily constructed tube sticking up from a hole in the ground. No inhabitant activity seen.
The tube was removed and left next to the hole.
26 Oct: A new small tube had been started overnight. There had been some fiddling with the original tube.
27 Oct: A portion of the original tube had been cut off and attached to the short new tube.
29 Oct: Three more burrows and grass tunnels found in a 2x2m area around the original burrow.
The tube was removed from burrow 2. On re-inspection 4hrs later the burrow entrance had been concealed by cut grass pieces.
The tube was removed from burrow 4 - on re-inspection the entrance had been sealed with a very strong lattice of transparent threads.
30 Oct: Five more tubes found, total now 9 in an area of 4x4m.
20 Nov: Attempted excavation of larva resulted in the lower half of a larva being recovered.
21 Nov: Larva seen (and photographed) moving bits of vegetation in the early morning (04:53) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoVSiIsogcs
22 Nov: tubes continue to be repaired or replaced.
23 Nov: larva excavated in the early morning and housed, with its host plant, in a bucket covered with shadecloth.
28 Nov: a thorough search of the thick grass was done and 5 more tubes were discovered in the 4x4m area. Interestingly, one tube is considerably narrower than the regular sized tubes and another was found of an intermediate size.
10 Dec: no signs of the captive larva, found it dead and dry under the host grass.
18 Jan: Larvae still active - two damaged tubes were repaired on 18 and 22 Jan
16 March: live larva collected
5 Apr (approx): pupated. See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110835074
19 May Adult eclosed. See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117838457
14 Mar 2023: Second site found https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/151118075
A tiny little thing, ridiculously cute.
See her swinging her bolas: https://youtu.be/DKMrKwTNV5k
Some more wonderful photos of this lady by photographers much better then moi. She is quite a celebrity!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/101951926508391/permalink/4394361263934081/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/101951926508391/permalink/4397220953648112/
with black-chested snake-eagle
Captured during mark-recapture research at the Kalahari Research Centre.
Bokkie rocking the daisies.... after some intense bokkie chases. This is the chasee
The wasp was walking the cockroach. It would grab the head and then the cockroach would follow the wasp, as if it was pulling a sensitive body part.
Location not exact! Seen on Punda sunset drive
About 5mm. Dropped out of a Karee tree (Searsia pendulina), bounced off my head onto the ground.
First known wild observations and discovery of natural fluorescent in an old world mammal or any mammal outside of North and Central America, images of the Springhare taken in August 2019. Incredible to see it’s orange and pink glow firsthand, especially when it wasn’t expected! Accidental discovery whilst out photographing scorpions under UV light
Shot using a Nikon D850 Handheld with a Nitecore Chameleon C6 ( 365nm ) torch.
For anyone interested in February 2020 a Scientific journal was released by a American research group ( no relation to me ) about this UV trait and science behind it from research in museum & zoo specimens in the US.
There are a few more images, but you might be able to imagine photographing a rather skittish nocturnal creature on foot with a UV torch in one hand and a large DSLR in the other during a unexpected encounter whilst also trying to expose a camera correctly for UV light isn’t the easiest thing to do the split second.
My young friend Ethan Griffin found this beast in his garden and would love to get any insights on this warped snail. Photos by Ethan.
Update:
I found several of these at Cedar Bog again this year. The last one might be Hexatoma brevicornis, so if you have expertise, please D.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420801
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420799
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172420798
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/175243975
Note: I have photographed this Hexatomini at Cedar Bog in Champaign County, Ohio for at least 17 years. Always in the same area.
I've added two other observations; one from back in 2004.
Links to those observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88273567
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84762884
Here's an observation this year (2022) with better pics of wing venation. Same location.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124010854
It's from the same location as this one (I didn't see flowers) http://www.ispot.org.za/node/260003 but I just had to post these fascinating leaves. I love the name stekeltee which I saw in another post. Does anyone know if it can be used for tea or is it called tea just because it is aspalathus?
Bark Mantis?
But was not on a tree, at ground level in veg garden.
very poorly known species, with only 3 or 4 records, from Steinkopf to Matjiesfontein; fairly common, but very local, on thin shale rock sheets; plants to 5cm tall; fls only open half and hour before sunset and remain open all night; extremely sweetly scented; no evident threats, although a large wind farm is proposed for this property
We had just returned from the coast and stopped to watch a brown hyena high on the hillside. It made its way down to the 2 cars, inspected them and then decided that under a car was a good place for a nap. Quite a memorable encounter. The guides thought it might be a young animal.
This is the Outramps CREW 100,000 obs and we celebrated it with Tilla who is the Head of the Threatened Plants Programme and the CREW Programme. It represents our involvement with plant monitoring from 1992 to 2021. It has been a joyous ride. So thank you all for so many years of fun, laughs and learning. Keep going!
Little "jumping-bean" - about 5mm long by 3mm wide - jumping really high and far. Under Searsia lucida (although did not realise the significance of that at the time). Remember seeing these as children and knowing that they contained larvae but did not know the whole story till today - while looking for galls on Searsia for a different observation entirely. Have a look at the Biodiversity Explorer information: http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/lepidoptera/cecidosidae/scyrotis_athleta.htm
Am now going to keep a really keen lookout for "green" galls and monitor the full cycle if possible :D
I'm guessing that these guys are cleaning out and revamping a nest that was damaged by the fire 2 months ago. Lots and lots of dead bodies!
A movement on the road caught my eye and on approaching was thinking of either something had caught a chameleon or it was injured and thrashing about in death throes. They were absolutely still after this flurry of movement, just eyes moving. One brief flurry again, followed by another long period of almost absolute motionless, another brief flurry and they parted. Never seen one as pitch black as the female, marking around the eyes standing out almost as clearly as under UV light. Both returned to more normal colours rapidly after parting, both removed by hand to the relative safety of near by shrubs. Total time actually witnessed 1 hour and 5 minutes, but I believe from others that they started mating some time before that.
Comments of selling price of a breeding pair shocking at R12 000 or there abouts!
Foto by Hanna Roland ; @marcepstein do you know this species?
seen at Stables in 35m of water
Just for interest, added cycad seeds being sorted . Nobody seems to know who brought them in or where they came from, but many of the seeds have similar holes, similarly empty. None of our cycads have cones now, so thinking this beastie came in with the seeds.
This caught my eye as it was as bright as a cooked lobster and had just emerged from its 'skin'. Wings were only tiny blobs to start with. Quite magical to watch and trust he flew off after I left him on a Watsonia stem. Magriet took pics of the 'skin" and should add an obs.