Citrus cicada from Palm Desert.. (i totally screwed myself and picked the wrong place to check out ) Im feeding her sections of orange tree branches, using flame to seal off the cut portion. This thing is LOUD! Iris oratoria 'mediterranean mantis' -an adventive species from europe that's established in our deserts, can be identified by the orange/yellow spot on the ventral side of the abdomen. Seems more intelligent than our native mantids
I almost killed a praying mantis yesterday with the weed whacker.. but stopped right before I got it. I like watching them fly, and watching them fly you can get an idea of where some inspiration came from with sci-fi aliens. Reminded me of those bug aliens in one of the Star Wars.. But anyway, I'm sitting here at work.. not really working, just watching some bugs and smoking.. when a worm landed right in front of me. I had to have fallen out of the tree, but it didn't look harmed and I didn't see any birds up there. It fell and was in a frenzy to get in the ground.. so I think something must of had it up in the tree. It was just so random.. Mobile mumbling..
If it was a red worm (eisenia fetida), it probably developed inside the tree and fell out. these worms love rotting wood.
You do know your shit.. It was a red worm, but it didn't seem like anything is dead up there. The tree is pretty healthy and the branches it would of came from start at about 40 feet. Standing under it now, I do see a tiny section of dead leaves in all the green. Lol, it was just one of those wtf moments.. and happened like a second after I was recording something else. I may have found another one of those jumping spiders. Body looks the same and the coloring is different, but similarities.. so it might be the opposite sex, but its not like I managed to hold on to the original anyway. Mobile mumbling..
It could very well have been a bird dropping it. I dunno, there couldve been a pile of dead decomposing leaves in the crotch of a branch. Worms do climb trees occasionally, especially redworms. This species can tolerate extreme heat, and doesn't even need a moist area to thrive.
Took a snapshot of the video I made with this other spider. Best I could do, but comparing them both I think they're a different species. I caught this one and another kind of jumping spider that does look similar to the "sexy spider" only half the size. I kind of want to put jumping spiders in the bushes out front and see if they make it home. I never see any spiders in the bushes and mosquitoes love hanging out there.. be nice if I can relocate some spiders to eat up some of these mosquitoes. Mobile mumbling..
Unsure, if its jaws were metallic green/blue/gold, it could be a juvenile Phidippus otiosus. Juvenile phidippus sp have an iridescent green back.
I'll get the video uploaded then, but I think that's what it is. It doesn't show it's jaws much, but a couple glimpses were greenish blue. And it's back is green. I looked up other photos too and they all look similar, except the others that are orange and black. So will this one turn orange and black as it matures? I had to clear a fence of vines and honeysuckle bushes that were growing up it, found it there. There were a bunch of other spiders too, but I didn't want my boss to see me going back and forth 50 times to get them into a cup.. he will be gone all next week, so I'll probably dick off more than I already do and go bug hunting.
She's still quite young. the species within the 'otiosus group' grow quite large- Regius, the second-largest jumper in the USA is a member of this group, both otiosus and regius can grow larger than 20mm in body length. Both are often seen eating lizards and frogs, too! Isn't it awesome when you find an individual that has no fear of you? Most will avoid you, and freak out if handled, but you get that one specimen that enjoys being on your hand.
I love it.. Jumping spiders have always been my favorite kind of spider. They show a lot of curiosity and intelligence, and how they make eye contact is just awesome. Ants are my favorite bug, next is spiders.. but my favorite is the ant mimic jumping spider. Combines both my favorites. I found one a few years ago and was just blown away cause I never knew of them. It tricked me too, I thought it was an ant at first and I went to go inspect it and it jumped away.. my mind was fucked for a second.
Hey bug lovers! Fellow BL here. Any ideas on this one? Never seen anything like it. Thought perhaps something cicada like but i dunno. On a variegated rubber tree.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/55974/bgimage Oncometopia nigricans 'Sharpshooter'.. A kind of leafhopper
Watching these while stoned is one of the most compelling and magnificent things I've ever had the pleasure of doing. I normally hate insects with a passion but this is so damn cool for some reason.
You should get baked and watch them live! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPx8OIKHTyI A big ass fly.. think something was wrong with it, but those eyes are awesome with how they reflect light. It shits itself when it flips over, didn't notice that til watching it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7s9uaGrrls This lil guy was the subject of an internet hoax it seems. A hoax about a spider that's known to hide under toilet seats and bite you on the ass and die.. and they used this spider for the rehashing of the hoax. Only weird thing is, I am in VA Beach and these things are said to live in Asian rainforests.. so I wonder how it got here.
the fly is a male horse fly, males are harmless, this one's likely dying. Male's appear to have their eyes fused together, females have them spaced a mm or two apart. The spider is a Thiodina species likely this one: http://bugguide.net/node/view/2014 they look VERY similar. Many tropical jumping spiders resemble the genus thiodina, despite not being closely related at all! ^^ Two male Phloeodes diabolicus feasting on greenshield lichen. They look like darkling beetles, but they're ironclad beetles, and are a bit closer to blister beetles (all three families share a common ancestor)