This mango flower beetle was hanging out on the washing line. Probably wouldn’t be right at the top of a ‘cute creatures’ list.
Category Archives: Insects
Grasshopper on a tree heliotrope
This grasshopper was tucked away in the foliage of a tree heliotrope on the North Kohala coast. I think it’s a Schistocerca nitens.
Abstracts: Stick insect should stick to sticks
Stick insect are beautifully camouflaged on twigs and small branches, but there are other surfaces with which they blend well. This one, though, might not be the best choice.
Black and yellow mud dauber wasp
The black and yellow mud dauber (Sceliphron caementarium) is one of several mud dauber wasps. They’re large, quite common, and get their name from the mud nests they build. These nests are often attached to man-made structures, such as under the eaves of houses. They’re not aggressive, but are prone to startling me since they spend a good deal of time around the outside of the house.
Better Days: Black witch moth
This black witch moth shows the wear and tear of everyday life.
Bee on fireweed flower
Last week I posted here about the fireweed biocontrol moth, secusio extensa, which has been introduced into Hawaii in an attempt to control the spread of invasive fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis). On that same walk I saw lots of fireweed flowers such as this one, busily being helped to propagate by this bee. Such is the battlefield.
Hawaiian blue butterfly
The Hawaiian Blue butterfly (Udara blackburni) is also known as Blackburn’s Blue butterfly, Blackburn’s Little Blue butterfly, and the Koa butterfly. It is one of two butterflies that are endemic to Hawaii (the other is the Kamehameha butterfly). The caterpillars feed on Acacias, including Koa leaves, hence one of the names. It’s a small butterfly, only an inch or so long, but quite striking.
Katydid
A katydid, probably heading toward one of the basil plants. I think this one might be one of the bush katydids, but there are an awful lot of them.
Graham's Island 