Entomology Outing at Whittier Narrows Nature Center
Apr 28, 2017 05:08:46 #
Last Tuesday, five photographers and an entomologist visited the Whittier Narrows Nature Center near Los Angeles CA. It was hot & dry, but provided a few unusual critters.
The first observed was a very large female orbweaver spider, Araneus andrewsi. Her abdomen was the size of an US nickel coin. Her silk safety line is quite obvious.
Next was a female Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca), residing in a knot hole on a damp stump. She was smaller than an US quarter coin.
Quite close on the same stump was a pair of fungi caps, also about the size of an US quarter coin.
On a Prickly Pear cactus, Opuntia genus (Family Cactaceae), was a group of Cactus Coreid nymphs (Chelinidea vittiger), and a pair of mating adults.
Two different instars of White-Lined Sphinx caterpillars, one less than an inch long, and another about 2-inches long, were observed on Desert Primrose. Nearby was a female White-Lined Sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) ovipositing on same plants.
Feeding on a nettle plant was a Red Admiral caterpillar (Vanessa atalanta).
A small Fuller Rose Beetle (Naupactus cervinus) attempted to hide on the underside of a stem.
The first observed was a very large female orbweaver spider, Araneus andrewsi. Her abdomen was the size of an US nickel coin. Her silk safety line is quite obvious.
Next was a female Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca), residing in a knot hole on a damp stump. She was smaller than an US quarter coin.
Quite close on the same stump was a pair of fungi caps, also about the size of an US quarter coin.
On a Prickly Pear cactus, Opuntia genus (Family Cactaceae), was a group of Cactus Coreid nymphs (Chelinidea vittiger), and a pair of mating adults.
Two different instars of White-Lined Sphinx caterpillars, one less than an inch long, and another about 2-inches long, were observed on Desert Primrose. Nearby was a female White-Lined Sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) ovipositing on same plants.
Feeding on a nettle plant was a Red Admiral caterpillar (Vanessa atalanta).
A small Fuller Rose Beetle (Naupactus cervinus) attempted to hide on the underside of a stem.
Female Araneus andrewsi Orbweaver
(Download)
Baja California Treefrog (Pseudacris hypochondriaca)
(Download)
Fungi Caps
(Download)
Cactus Coreid nymphs (Chelinidea vittiger)
(Download)
Mating Pair of Cactus Coreid
(Download)
1-inch long White-Lined Sphinx caterpillar
(Download)
2-inch long White-Lined Sphinx caterpillar
(Download)
Ovipositing Female White-lined Sphinx moth (Hyles lineata)
(Download)
Red Admiral caterpillar (Vanessa atalanta)
(Download)
Fuller Rose Beetle (Naupactus cervinus)
(Download)
Apr 28, 2017 06:04:08 #
Lastly are a few photos of the life-cycle of Twice-struck Lady Beetle (Axion plagiatum), starting with a 1-mm long nymph next to a mature nymph in final molt to a chrysalis.
Next is a just-eclosed adult, not yet fully colored, and mature adult in full color.
Next is a just-eclosed adult, not yet fully colored, and mature adult in full color.
Twice-struck Lady Beetle Nymph & Chrysalis
(Download)
Recently-eclosed Twice-struck Lady Beetle
Mature Twice-struck Lady Beetle
(Download)
Apr 28, 2017 06:45:29 #
Apr 28, 2017 06:59:53 #
I've seen some large orb weavers but that one may be the biggest. The white linx cat is wonderful. Nice variety. Thanks for sharing....
Apr 28, 2017 07:32:56 #
Nikonian72 you have given me a biology course I never got in HS. The school I went to in Grand Blanc, Michigan, at that time it was milk cow country. In Biology class the curriculum had a fixation on inseminating cows!! While it was important and relevant to the farm, surly it affected the sex life of many a young man! We perhaps spent two days each on Taxonomy, some on intestinal disease of pigs... crop rotation... soil erosion. At my home, we had chickens, some bred to be beautiful; special ordered by dad for us kids to have as pets. I never at that time associated the tent caterpillars in the trees with butterflies; they were just caterpillars.
In addition to looking closely at the photos presented here, I googled Nymph & Chrysalis, it is amazing that the life cycles are so different at differing stages. If one saw A, one would not connect that with B, and certainly not with C; each stage looking so very different. Thank you for the prompt to continuing education of this ol' dude. These biological stages are so detailed and complicated; amazing how the genes are triggered to go to the next stage.
I have always enjoyed your photography first noticing you for the beautiful hummers.
In addition to looking closely at the photos presented here, I googled Nymph & Chrysalis, it is amazing that the life cycles are so different at differing stages. If one saw A, one would not connect that with B, and certainly not with C; each stage looking so very different. Thank you for the prompt to continuing education of this ol' dude. These biological stages are so detailed and complicated; amazing how the genes are triggered to go to the next stage.
I have always enjoyed your photography first noticing you for the beautiful hummers.
Apr 28, 2017 08:57:45 #
Apr 28, 2017 09:19:58 #
Apr 28, 2017 09:29:37 #
dpullum wrote:
Small world! I live here now! I am sure it is quite different from what you remember.Nikonian72 you have given me a biology course I never got in HS. The school I went to in Grand Blanc, Michigan...
Apr 28, 2017 16:04:04 #
What a lot of marvellous finds, all beautifully shot. How well the lens does in such skilled hands.
Apr 29, 2017 04:47:21 #
Douglass, I guess you did ok. You will eventually get the hang of it.
Apr 29, 2017 10:07:20 #
Apr 29, 2017 12:11:46 #
Macronaut wrote:
You have been such an inspiration in my drab life. I miss our macro outings. Douglass, I guess you did ok. You will eventually get the hang of it.
Apr 29, 2017 13:11:10 #
Nikonian72 wrote:
You have been such an inspiration in my drab life. I miss our macro outings.
Apr 29, 2017 13:30:57 #
Macronaut wrote:
....to add to the comment Douglass made, I miss your postings and comments.Apr 29, 2017 15:03:43 #
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