Category: Insects

Not in the mail box

On By CarynIn Insects

I have a red paper wasp that is trying really hard to establish a nest in our mailbox.

Photo description: paper wasp nest knocked down from the back of a white mailbox

The wasp flies out when I open the box, and I remove the nest when I get the mail. I’m hoping eventually she’ll look for a different spot.

Happy Halloween

On By CarynIn Insects, Wildlife

Here is a collection of spiders from around the house in celebration of Halloween.

Photo description: Garden Spider closeup. This girl is set up at the back of the house by the catio.
Photo description: the chunkiest high-eyelash jumping spider I have ever seen, hanging out on a metal gate.
Photo description: a different high-eyelash jumping spider hanging out on a different gate with a pretty abdomen pattern
Photo description: Orb Weaver Spider silhouette against a clear blue sky. She set up in the meadow and I was able to get under her high web for the photo.
Photo description: Scarlet Jumping Spider. This one is new to me, and he was hanging out on the metal gate. I love the way they look at me, calculating risk. I took many, many photos of him, trying to get the focus right. I didn’t quite get it sharp, but he was quite small.

Where there is prey…

On By CarynIn Insects

I was quite confused when I saw Queen butterfly wings caught in the foliage of the Gregg’s Mistflower as I walked by.

Photo description: Queen butterfly wings at an odd angle surrounded by Gregg’s Mistflower plants

I stopped to look and saw that the butterfly wasn’t just haphazardly hung up, it was in the grip of a large Praying Mantis the exact color of the leaves. I had stumbled upon the predator mid-meal. Here is a video short.

The Carolina Mantis was completely unconcerned how close I was with my phone. If I had passed by a minute later, I would have only seen the butterfly wings on the ground, and not the camouflaged mantis.

A few bugs

On By CarynIn Insects

This fall is giving us the opportunity to observe some rather large insects.

Photo description: Vine Sphinx Moth looking a little ragged hanging out on a window screen
Photo description: camel cricket living its best life in the chicken coop at night, the length of its antenna is impressive at 5-6 times its body length, photo taken with flash
Photo description: Carolina Mantis clinging to a glass window, as seen from inside

House spider for the win

On By CarynIn Insects

My youngest told me there was a large bug in the bathroom, so I went to look. It was indeed a large bug, a bark scorpion, but it had been taken care of by our friendly neighborhood house spider. I have no idea how the scorpion became entangled in the web an inch off the floor, but the spider definitely had the advantage.

Photo description: house spider feeding on a bark scorpion vastly larger than the spider, day one
Photo description: same spider, same scorpion, day three, the scorpion is looking decidedly desiccated

The spider is certainly eating well, and we find it revisiting different parts of the scorpion as well as taking breaks from feeding. I’m going to leave the scorpion until there is nothing left, then clean up the web and let the spider rebuild. Go spider go.