Animals are certainly a favorite subject. And many a dramatic event can occur if you wait long enough.
Certainly nothing dramatic here with its little tails rubbing together and feeding. “The movement of the tails is believed to attract a potential predator’s attention to that part of the wings which then is torn away allowing the butterfly to escape. This “false head” defense has been documented to be effective against the attacks of jumping spiders (Sourakov 2013).” Source: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/redbanded_hairstreak.htm
The Carpenter Bees were oblivious to us on the Marsh Fleabane (Pluchea odorata)!
The large black ants busily were going up and down the blades of grass. I had hoped to see the ant stop for a sweet reward from an aphid.
We waited for a good view. However I could not get an angle to show the slurping.
On the same blade of grass with the aphids this white blob caught our eye. Just viewing by eye I thought at first a cluster of eggs.
Oh my it had legs and moved! First thought was a mealybug of some sort. It was about 4 or 5 mm long. Turned out to be the larva of a Dusky Lady Beetle (Scymnus)!
Now the drama! It was eating an aphid! And the other aphids seemed to be oblivious to their mate getting eaten. Maybe the others did not like that mate. 😉
I thought the Western Dusk Singing Cicada (Megatibicen resh) was dead until I picked it up. LOL Then it wiggled.
Since it wasn’t moving much closeup shots was easy to take. 🙂
Speaking of mealy bugs, I’ve seen more in my yard this year than ever before. A plethora of them. Maybe because it’s so dry???
Maybe so. 😊 I have not run across many at our house though.
Love that dusky lady beetle larva video – yummy aphids,
We have been seeing great stuff😊
The dusky lady beetle video is awesome! Congrats for being there at just the right time to capture that moment.
It was amazing to see.
What an exciting day!