Thursday 6 September 2012

A photopost of strange things

First up is this yellow Crab Spider [Misumena vatia]....

"Perhaps no one will spot me... will they?"


now Crab spiders are renowned for their camouflage... Misumena is usually found on flowers. This one was probably hunting in the flowerheads of the yellow Compositae [Dandelion family] ... mainly Hawkbits/weeds... that are below this Spindle. [She also comes in White or Pale Pink... the male is smaller and quite dark.]
But... this is her egg sac... hidden inside those folded leaves....
She is meant to stay guarding her valuable deposit until her death...
which given this colour combination will probably be sooner rather than later.
And the seed head of the Spindle is well on its way to becoming bright pink...

Perhaps she is hoping that the pink will confuse predators....

Then there was this little weevil on the window yesterday evening....

The weave on my handkerchief will give you some idea of how small a weevil it is.


...some weevils, despite the damage that they can do to plants and fruits, just seem to look rather cuddly in close-up. This could be one of three Curculio sp. weevils... most probably C. nucum which feeds on Hazel nuts... with the other weevil pictures that I have recently taken, a Weevilly Recognized post is on its way.


Then there was this American import... the Buffalo Treehopper [Stictocephalus bisonia] Cicadelle bubale or Membracide bison.. a truly alien looking, alien import. And for the damage it can do take a look at A French Garden where its egg laying harms the vines and leaves red leaves!

Come on then! Have a go...


5 comments:

Susan said...

It's nice to know someone else thinks nut weevils are cute :-)

Tim said...

Pauline wasn't that keen on the little pest when I told her its probable foodstuff.

Jean said...

Marvellous photos. The weavil makes me think of "War of the worlds".

Tim said...

I think that he's far too cute for that... more like R2D2 from "Star Wars" but without the blue paint.

And as I type... WERE GETTING SOME RAIN!! Not a lot as yet.... but there is more predicticated for l'apres-midi... but I am not holding my breath.

Amelia said...

Your weevil really is cute, I had never seen a close-up of one before and had imagined them much more evil looking.