ljsbugblog

[ljsbugblog]

hello creature enjoyers, there's going to be a brief pause in your usual daily bug posts, as my PC likes to do this fantastic thing where it just. doesn't turn on sometimes. it's old as hell and I fear that it may be on its way out.

I feel this is as good a time as any to finally mention that I have a Ko-fi page. It's a bit empty at the moment, but I'm open to any ideas about additional content I could put on there (so far I'd like to put some bug-centric art up for sale, and maybe offer high-res downloads or prints of some of my favourite photos). Please let me know your thoughts, and do not feel obligated to donate. this blog exists to freely share and appreciate our invertebrate friends, first and foremost, although any contribution would certainly help me to get a more reliable machine a little bit sooner.

thank you all for your continued support of the blog, I will try my best to get some more posts out as soon as I can <3

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #text post #blog update

[ljsbugblog]

this Mud-dauber Wasp chose our windowsil to build her nest! after a bit of investigation of me and my camera, she graciously allowed me to photograph her while she worked on her construction.

in the photos above, she has arrived with a ball of mud collected from somewhere nearby. this nest isn't for her to live in, but for her young to grow and pupate. in this mass of mud she will craft several individual cells, and provision them all with the paralysed bodies of orb-weaver spiders. each cell will have a single egg laid on the first spider, before being sealed off with more mud.

here, she picks the next spot to deposit her ball of mud, using her mandibles to smooth it onto the structure. when the larvae hatch, they will consume all the spiders in their respective cells, before pupating and then emerging as adults wasps.

each time she finished with a layer of mud, she would take a moment to groom her forelegs and antennae, before flying off to repeat the process. these photos were taken earlier in the Summer, and as of posting this, the adult wasps have yet to emerge.

Covered-cell Mud-dauber Wasp, female (Sceliphron laetum).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hymenoptera #aculeata #wasps #sphecidae #thread-waisted wasps #sceliphron #slender mud-dauber wasps #sceliphron laetum #covered-cell mud-dauber wasp

[ljsbugblog]

Orange Swift (Parnara amalia).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #lepidoptera #butterflies #hesperiidae #skippers #parnara #straight swifts #parnara amalia #orange swift

[ljsbugblog]

the sexual dimorphism of dragonflies is always interesting! the male Scarlet Percher above is feiry red all over, while his female counterpart below is a subdued brown, with a subtle scarlet gradient on her abdomen.

(top) Scarlet Percher, male (Diplacodes haematodes).

(bottom) Scarlet Percher, female (Diplacodes haematodes).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #odonata #anisoptera #dragonflies #libellulidae #skimmers #diplacodes #perchers #diplacodes haematodes

[ljsbugblog]

on the topic of favourite moths, here's an Oriental Leafworm who spent the day on our front door. at a glance they seem inconspicuous, but a closer look reveals incredible beauty.

Oriental Leafworm Moth, male (Spodoptera litura).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #lepidoptera #moths #noctuidae #spodoptera #armyworm moths #spodoptera litura #oriental leafworm moth

[ljsbugblog]

Hi I love all your pictures and thought I would share my two favorite moths that I’ve seen at my apartment

I am also amateur but I believe this is spilosoma (virginica?)

And my all time fav who decided to spend a day with me on my balcony screen

Which from my googling I think is callosamia angulifera or promethea

Correct me if I’m wrong bc this is just from my limited googling 😂😂

Anyway these are both from central North Carolina. I don’t know anyone else who will appreciate them so here I am 💕

those are some gorgeous moths, thank you so much for sharing!! I'm so jealous of your Callosamia encounter, what an amazing creature! I'm afraid I can't offer any help with ID, although at a glance both Spilosoma virginica and C. anguilifera look possible. iNaturalist is always good for an accurate ID, if you ever wanted to know for sure!

thanks again! may many more moths come your way🦋

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #text #asks #submissions #lepidoptera #moths

[ljsbugblog]

a couple of Blues (Polyommatinae subfamily) seen resting in the tall grasses at dusk.

(top) Spotted Pea-blue (Euchrysops cnejus).

(bottom) Common Grass-blue (Zizina otis).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #lepidoptera #butterflies #lycaenidae #gossamer-winged butterflies #polyommatinae #blues #zizina #zizina otis #common grass-blue #euchrysops #smoky blues #euchrysops cnejus #spotted pea-blue

[ljsbugblog]

Unknown Stink Bug (genus Paramenestheus).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hemiptera #heteroptera #true bugs #pentatomidae #stink bugs #paramenestheus #unconfirmed id

[ljsbugblog]

legs OUT!

Common Gum-tree Bug (Amorbus robustus).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hemiptera #heteroptera #true bugs #coreidae #leaf-footed bugs #amorbus #amorbus robustus #common gum-tree bug

[ljsbugblog]

just for fun, a compilation of every wasp species I've seen drink from the pond so far.

Spider Wasp, genus Fabriogenia.

Potter Wasp, subfamily Eumeninae.

Potter Wasp, genus Paralastor.

Square-headed Wasp, subfamily Crabroninae.

Vase-cell Mud-dauber Wasp, Sceliphron formosum.

Square-headed Wasp, genus Pison.

Australian Paper Wasp, Polistes humilis.

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hymenoptera #aculeata #wasps #pompilidae #spider wasps #fabriogenia #vespidae #potter wasps #eumeninae #paralastor #crabronidae #crabroninae #square-headed wasps #pison #sphecidae #thread-waisted wasps #sceliphron #slender mud-dauber wasps #sceliphron formosum #vase-cell mud-dauber wasp #polistes #paper wasps #polistes humilis #australian paper wasp

[ljsbugblog]

a Squathopper with some amazing eyespots, mimicking those of a jumping spider.

Unknown Squathopper (genus Platybrachys, likely P. vidua).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hemiptera #true bugs #fulgoromorpha #plant hoppers #eurybrachidae #squathoppers #platybrachys #unconfirmed id

[ljsbugblog]

this past summer I was able to witness the nuptial flight of a colony of Banded Sugar Ants (Camponotus consobrinus). usually I would only see individual workers foraging in the garden at dusk, but this event occuring at the top of our fencepost gave me an excellent chance to see the different castes of this species.

in the photo above, the giant head of a queen emerges from under a layer of metal, as the smaller workers fuss around her. 'nuptial flights' refer to synchronised mass-dispersal events seen in ants and termites where, on days/nights when the conditions are just right, virgin queens and fertile males (known as alates) will emerge from their nest and take flight, hoping to find and mate with those of other colonies.

here is an alate, with a much different build to the workers, and sporting a robust pair of wings. generally, males will die soon after mating, although not much is known about C. consobrinus reproductive cycles specifically.

here is an emerged queen and an alate, shortly before taking off. after mating, the females will descend to the ground, and usually remove their wings. there, she will attempt to form a brand new colony, although the success rate for this is generally extremely low.

it was a breezy, warm afternoon that this event took place. after getting these photos I soon had to back away, as all the queens and alates began dispersing and filling the air with generously sized winged ants, and I didn't want to be another obstacle in their mission.

Banded Sugar Ant, several individuals (Camponotus consobrinus).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hymenoptera #formicidae #ants #camponotus #sugar ants #camponotus consobrinus #banded sugar ant

[ljsbugblog]

young stinker.

Unknown Stink Bug, nymph (genus Poecilometis).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #hemiptera #heteroptera #true bugs #pentatomidae #stink bugs #poecilometis #unconfirmed id

[ljsbugblog]

Plantain moth, female (Scopula rubraria).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #lepidoptera #moths #geometridae #geometer moths #scopula #scopula rubraria

[ljsbugblog]

No common name (Anthomyia silvestris).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #diptera #flies #anthomyiidae #root-maggot flies #anthomyia #anthomyia silvestris

[ljsbugblog]

exquisite creature chilling under some gumtree bark.

Unknown Cockroach (genus Methana).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #insects #blattodea #cockroaches #blattidae #household cockroaches #methana #unconfirmed id

[ljsbugblog]

had the incredible privilege of witnessing this Bronze Huntsman molting on our front gate. this was my first time seeing a spider molt in action, and also my first time encountering this species of huntsman-- extra special indeed!

the process of ecdysis is a very vulnerable one for the creature, as their new exoskeleton requires time to dry and harden, leaving them at risk of injury and predation. in the photo above you can see the single thread of silk tethering her to the gate while she dangles.

between her unhardened joints, her blue-green hemolymph is seen.

after dangling for a bit, she began to flex her legs as her fresh new exoskeleton became more firm.

we found her back on the gate the next night, looking beautiful and healthy!

Bronze Huntsman, female (Isopedella flavida).

#ljsbugblog #bugblr #entomology #macro #arachnids #spiders #sparassidae #huntsman spiders #isopedella #isopedella flavida #bronze huntsman