Tag Archives: invertebrate
Invasive Bugs at Home
I wondered why many leaves on the avocado tree in my yard were getting brown blotches. I carefully shook some leaves over a large plastic dish. Several tiny transparent insects started crawling around the dish and I took some photographs. … Continue reading
The Orb-Weaver Spider
I saw the wasp struggle in the web high over my head and watched the huge spider speed towards it. In an instant she was spinning – almost spitting silk – until the wasp was wrapped in a white cocoon … Continue reading
Some Halloween Critters from Taiwan
I am posting some photographs I took of wonderful and sometimes startling creatures that I saw in Taiwan – in honor of Halloween – A large centipede, huge red wasp, slug, land crab in the forest, brightly colored fiddler crabs … Continue reading
Insects in Taiwan
Taiwan is famous for its beautiful butterflies and dragonflies. Most of them moved too fast for my camera to catch but here are a few examples of the wonderful insects I saw recently. The forests and wetlands were full of … Continue reading
Green Katydid on the Road
I found a slightly stunned Katydid on the street. It looked fine but was missing half an Antenna and not moving. I carefully picked it up and put it on a table in the garden. I took photographs as it … Continue reading
Nature is Everywhere
Over the weekend I spent a few minutes searching my postage-stamp of a yard for the wildlife that is there but often overlooked. I do not mean just the birds or the large butterflies that pass through, but also the … Continue reading
Unlikely Ocean Relatives
Not all gelatinous, transparent animals floating in the ocean are jellies. Some of the most fascinating of these animals are actually tunicates called Salps. This means they are Chordates and are more closely related to me than to jellies! They … Continue reading
A Guided Walk Around San Elijo
Last Saturday I went for a guided walk on the Rios Trail at San Elijo Lagoon. I wanted to learn more about some of the habitats surrounding the lagoon. The docent leading the walk was very knowledgeable and I learnt … Continue reading
Mayfly
I was in Ireland this year at just the right time for the Mayfly. Large quantities of these ancient insects crawl out of the limestone lakes and crawl up reeds to hatch into adults. The nymphs live for two years … Continue reading
Irish Spring More Butterflies and Dragonflies
When I was in Ireland Spring was late and many of the usual species were not around. Within a week the Speckled Wood butterflies were defending territories and courting along the woodland edge in patches of sunlight. The Green Veined … Continue reading
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