Category Archives: Insects

The Numbers Game #61

A gecko checks out the scene from the coin return slot of a Pepsi machine.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 182. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

V22 Ospreys landing at Upolu AIrport.
The 1820 Mission building in Honolulu.
Papakōlea Beach, near South Point, is better known as Green Sand Beach.
A Praying Mantis peers down.
A Wild Turkey struts his stuff.
A Dendrobium secundum orchid.

Fresh Off The Grid

A roadside food stand sign near Pololu in Hawaii

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Fresh.’ See more responses here.

A couple of miles before the end of the Akoni Pule Highway, at Pololu overlook, there’s a roadside food stand called Fresh Off The Grid. There’s no power at that end of the road, hence the ‘off the grid.’

I confess, I’ve never eaten there, in part because I seldom go to Pololu these days. It’s a bit overrun and the parking is terrible, though now they have stewards directing traffic and controlling the comings and goings, which is a big improvement.

Skyflowers in Hawaii
Skyflowers.
A Red Hibiscus flower in Hawaii
Hibiscus.
Shell ginger flowers in Hawaii
Shell GInger.

But the food stand gets good reviews and seems to have a good selection of locally-grown food on the menu. It also has a nice variety of flowers around and a killer view of the ocean, plus mules and horses. What’s not to like.

A sign near Pololu in Hawaii
You have been warned.
A Bee on a bromeliad near Pololu in Hawaii
A bee on a bromekiad.
Mules on the coast near Pololu in Hawaii
A good view of the mules!

Monstera and stink bug

Monstera leaves in Hawaii

I took the top photo for Becky’s Squares, but never got round to posting it. I love the leaves and was pleased to spot a stink bug on one of them. Yes, it’s visible in the photo, but here’s a closer look below.

A stink bug on a leaf in Hawaii

Update: Karen at https://over50travel.blog/ has identified the bug as Coleotichus blackburniae, otherwise known as the Koa bug or the Koa shield bug. It’s a Hawaii endemic and the first I’ve seen.

The Numbers Game #59

The golden pools at Keawaiki, Hawaii
One of the golden pools at Keawaiki.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 180. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A Katydid on a Castor Bean plant.
A Lesser Blue Butterfly.
Rooster and hen.
Hibiscus tiliaceus.
A Hawaiian Hogfish.
Small fish in the golden pools at Keawaiki.

The Numbers Game #58

Lava from Kilauea Volcano’s Pu’u O’o vent enters the ocean as if from a firehose.
The fire hose of lava entering the sea from Kilauea Volcano in 2017. Original post here.

The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 179. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A Fireweed Control Moth.
An endangered Palila.
The mural on the side of Hawi Post Office.
A school of mackerel scads, or Opelus being hunted by a rainbow runner off Hawaii
A Rainbow Runner chases a school of Opelu.
A breaking wave in Hawaii
Breaking wave incoming!
Keck 1 and 2 telescopes atop Mauna Kea.