OniOniOniArt

Phengodes sp . (likely plumosa ) While tromping around today I was excited to come across this male glowworm! He's a tiny little guy and I almost missed him. The female glowworms remain larviform in adulthood, and they and the larvae are the ones that glow, males do not. Alas, no females (or larvae) in sight. (Those are my binoculars behind him for contrast... my camera kind of sucks at focusing on tiny things)

Two insects (with names implying they are clearly up to no good)  were on to me with my camera... (For more fun, click on the photo and use your arrow keys) The Assassin: Perhaps there's some lovely prey over there? "!!!!!!!!!!!!" ...and then the Assassin flew away. The Robber:   Surely that blade of grass does not provide much coverage... "!!!!!!!!!!!" ...and then the Robber flew away. They lived happily ever after to assassinate and rob another day. I feel obliged to add: both of these insects eat other insects which are considered pests to humans; so clearly, according to our own human standards, they are up to some good. :)

Eyed click beetle , Alaus oculatus The eyed clicked beetle is quite large at a little over 2" in length. One of its defense mechanisms is to snap a spine on the ventral side of its thorax into a groove which causes the beetle to launch into the air while producing an audible click. This one demonstrated for me when I got too close with the camera. Cicindela sp. , Tiger Beetle Efferia sp. This robber fly appears to be having a Flatid for lunch...possibly a palm planthopper. Rhynchomitra microrhina , Dictyopharid planthopper on milkweed Isn't it adorable?

Just looking at this gives me anxiety I finally did it and quit my day job. I've felt it's weight pulling me down with the gravitational force of a dying star for over a year. Time to move on. I've got the funds to float on while I look for something better (and perhaps put the tiny house plans into motion a bit prematurely). My colleagues will be greatly missed. So what is it that I used to do for a living?  Perhaps these work-related photos will shed light on the subject... (WTF Nuvi?) ...or perhaps not. Regardless, I look forward to having a functional brain again. Here are some lovely fortunes and parting words of wisdom:

Stokes blue aster This is the first time my garden has had this many blooming plants at one time since I began planting two years ago - hoorah! Almost all of the plants in the Dirt Patch were started as seeds or cuttings - lots of work and waiting finally paying off. And all with what I contend is some of the worst soil in the world ;) Echinacea Sunflower Dianthus African iris Besides these, the marigolds, Hawaiian blue eyes, a peachy-colored black-eyed Susan vine, day lilies, browallia, Mexican petunia, and blue bedder are all blooming as well. Still waiting on those ground orchids...

Broad-headed bug (Alydidae) nymph on blue bedder. There have been numerous Hemiptera nymphs in the Dirt Patch lately. I hope some of the adults stick around so I can get more photos. Above is a strange one- the nymph of the broad-headed bug is an ant mimic. It's a very good one, too, at first I thought it was a slightly larger than usual carpenter ant; then I got closer and thought...velvet ant? It's still strangely shaped for an ant...then I clearly saw its proboscis (visible in the photo above), and scrambled inside to get the camera. It moves very much like the larger species of ants do, very quick and alert. A few years ago I photographed an adult broad-headed bug on the work vehicle I was using for that day's field assignment (third below). nymph Adult broad-headed bug Leaf-footed bug (Coreidae) nymphs  Many Hemiptera nymphs congregate when they are newly hatched through one or two instars (molts). Safety in numbers! Though the br...

Arilus cristatus  nymph on devil's trumpet I really hope this juvenile assassin bug hangs around in my garden! This species is called a wheel bug because as an adult it has a structure on its pronotum ("back") that resembles part of a cogwheel. Adult wheel bug, photo courtesy of J

Amorphophallus titanum On my lunch break today I visited the blooming corpse flower at the Rollins College greenhouse in Winter Park, FL. They have been caring for the plant for 11 years and its bloom only lasts about 36 hours. It is considered a rare event as it only blooms once every 9-12 years, and only about 200 have bloomed under cultivation worldwide since its western discovery in the late 1800s. It is  about 5' tall and smells like something familiar...I couldn't quite place it at the moment, but my colleague and fellow petstore alumnus, L,  helped me quickly: small frozen critters (like rats) that are about to turn rancid. The flower uses the nasty odor to attract cadaver flies and carrion beetles which pollinate the plant.  I had to stick my nose over the edge of the petals to smell it, I later found out it was past its peak smelly-time. This  link  leads to a live streaming video.  (And...Part of my diligent note-taking a...

Phyllomydas parvulus , female  Thunderstorms are one of my favorite things about Florida and I am enjoying this last week's odd weather pattern: afternoon thunderstorms (typical of summer) in April. Glancing out the window at the Dirt Patch I noticed an interesting insect shape and quickly stumbled over myself to grab the camera and dart outside. Success! At a distance I thought, perhaps it is a sawfly (a relative of bees and wasps)...but then its Diptera (fly) characteristics became more apparent: one set of wings (the halteres are clearly visible above) and sucking mouthparts. This is a smaller species of Mydas fly. The female is brightly colored as seen here, and the male is a more uniform black. Prepops fraternus  While photographing the Mydas fly, this guy flew past me and into the palmetto. It is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae. Euthyrhynchus floridanus I am so glad I planted the onion last December - it has attracted all kinds of interest...