One #antkeepers at formiculture is raising a colony of #Pheidole pallidula, and has allowed Paussus favieri beetles ... terrible moochers who eat baby ants and let the ants feed them while doing no work, live with the colony. #ants
Since the colony has basically unlimited food and a cushy life these #beetles won't kill the colony. But, I'm torn about the whole thing. Can't stop watching for updates, though and they just posted a new one:
Some diary paintings! I didn't really know how I wanted to decorate this time, so I went to r/sketchdaily and just selected one of the prompts. This prompt was "covered in beetles."
(What are they?) Edit: they are evil (Japanese beetle, invasive species in the US, thank you @arri)
Additional edit: the little white spots in them are not artifacts of the photo, they are eggs from a parasitic wasp that was specially introduced to fight the spread of these beetles… nice
My first recording of Meloe proscarabaeus L. (Coleoptera Meloidae) in October!
Actually my first record past June.
It foraged in clearings.
In our region, this grotesque beetle is often seen trying to cross some road in Spring early chilly days before tree display their leaves, which is rarely a good idea for this slow animal and not a good place for shooting pictures, This is why I have none. But you can see what it looks like here: https://www.biolib.cz/cz/taxon/id14482/
I saw this funny pollinator in the brambles this morning. Looks like a mixture of a bumblebee and some beetle. Very fluffy head and the interesting pattern on the back with the cushion style border around it. Do you have any ideas?
Die fehlerfreie mehrmalige Aussprache des wiss. Namen des Vierzehntropfigen #Marienkäfer|s (Calvia quatuordecimguttata) wird nach dem einen oder anderen Gläschen zur Herausforderung.
Der niedliche Borstige Blattschaber (#Cionus olens) ist, wenn man genau hinschaut, an #Königskerzen (#Verbascum) zu finden. Im Ruhrgebiet kann man ihn im Umfeld von Brachen finden.
"The new beetle species (Austrospirachtha carrijoi)—found beneath the soil in Australia’s Northern Territory—emulates a termite by enlarging its abdomen, a phenomenon known as physogastry. Evolution has reshaped this body part into a highly realistic replica of a termite (as seen above), head and all, which rides on top of the rest of the beetle’s body."
Um yeah... crazy huge colorful flea beetle (Aspicela scutata). Whoever said blue is hard to find in nature didn't study tropical insects. I am really curious though if this is a refraction trick or if this is actual pigmentation. I presume its the latter.
I believe this huge weevil is Heilipus guttiger (corrections welcomed). This genus is referred to as the Avocado girdlers. This critter was found off the walking path at my hotel.
Here for your perusal and enjoyment is a wonderfully eye-catching banded alder borer (Rosalia funebris) photographed in our #PNW back yard this afternoon.
Despite the ominous name, it is not an unwelcome or invasive pest, and apparently these gorgeous creatures are drawn to recently painted houses - exactly true in our case - where they can gather in large congregations.
Perhaps this one is waiting for some friends to show up.
Der Kleine Uferläufer (Elaphrus riparius) lebt räuberisch in feuchten Gebieten an schlammigen, vegetationsarmen Ufern. In meinen Augen ist er ein wahres Schmuckstück!