Another hot one on tap today, eh. At least ERCOT did not have to put out an alert.
My first close up! A shiny June Bug that was impaled on the barb. This is a Loggerhead Shrikes signature caching method. However, I had not noticed one around this summer. Occasionally one will nest in the area.
Here is what got me going this morning! This Spurthroated Grasshopper (subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae) was the perfect opportunity to get a photo of the underside at our backdoor. Do you see the spur between its front legs? All the critters in that subfamily have the spur or as some call it a peg. However, I go with spur because I have a reference guide, Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States (Capinera, Scott, and Walksr) that refers to them as such. Their armored exoskeleton is pretty awesome too!
As I stood taking the video, I noticed the palps wiggling. It has four palps. These are sensory organs and also can help hold stuff. The upper ones are called maxillary palps and lowers one are labial palps.
So when I looked up the names of palps, I noticed in the diagrams there were ocelli. Ocelli are simple eyes unlike the compound eyes that can be seen easily. In this case I had to get one under the microscope to see them. Not very obvious, eh.
Last, a very cooperative Robber Fly (Asilidae). Beautiful brown eyes!
A big mess at the exit!
Only one nestling left from the mail box nest box at noon! I did not check to see if it fledged later in the day. I will check manana!
There must be a shrike about even tho you haven’t seen one. Robber flies are interesting looking critters. Yes very pretty eyes.
Must be unless another creature does it too. I could not find it tho if there is.
I like the upclose grasshopper view. Also fond of robber flies – I’ve found several exuvia in our yard so we must provide decent habitat.
Nice grasshopper view! Glad there is a shrike around.
Shrikes yes!