Tuesday, June 12, 2012

More Insects and Arachnids -- Could There Ever Be Too Many?

Many little critters are out and about! Here are some more observed in Cuyamaca Woods in the past couple days (most at the house here).

Acmaeodera sp. on sunflower

Acorn Weevil (Curculio sp.)

Western Rose Curculio (Merhynchites wickhami), on California Wild Rose (as expected)

Eleodes acuticauda, a common darkling beetle in these parts

Latrodectus geometricus male (Brown Widow). Tiny -- only about 4 mm in length, in a miniscule web on the patio last night

A solifuge (wind scorpion) on my patio. An arachnid, but not a spider. This individual is MUCH fatter than the solifuge that I photographed about a week ago. The same one, after it found some good meals?

4 comments:

  1. The Rose Curculios are still my favorites!

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  2. Same sorts you and I saw on our walk last year by Pine Valley.

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  3. Robyn

    I lived 24 years north of you up in Anza in Riverside County. I attracted beneficial insects with several plantings of California Coffeeberry chaparral. I was hoping Margarethe would have found an Arizona Buckthorn which is related to photograph this spring, but maybe not.

    These shrubs have a rather plain dull green inconspicuous flower, but attract every kind of winged critter in the Bee/wasp family, Fly/Mosquito Family Beetle Family, etc. It's funny to watch them all climb and stumble all over themselves. Anyway on my Timeless blog I wrote about it. Still I wish I had a photo from back then.

    Digital wasn't invented yet.

    Kevin


    --

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  4. I planted two Coffeeberries (that I ordered from a native plant-providing nursery) right next to my house here, and there are a fair number growing wild in the vicinity. Maybe one of my next postings can feature them. I have two Toyons right near the house, too, and their flowers are also insect-magnets.

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