Category Archives: Insects

The Numbers Game #66

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 187. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

A view of the base of the petioles of a Traveler’s Palm (*Ravenala madagascariensis*).

This bud’s for you

A Praying Mantis on a Plumeria with flowers and buds in Hawaii — A Praying Mantis on a Plumeria with flowers and buds.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Celebrate Spring or Autumn.’ See more responses here.

Since we’re a little shy on seasonal changes here, I’m going with some nominal signs of Spring, namely flowers budding out and blooming.

A Bee on haole koa flowers and buds in Hawaii — A bee on Haole Koa with buds and spent flowers.

A Peregrina flower and buds in Hawaii — A bee on Haole Koa with buds and spent flowers.

The Numbers Game #64

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 185. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Polydesma boarmoides moth

I saw this moth on a pair of pants hanging on a line. At first I thought it was the smallest Black Witch Moth I’d ever seen, but further investigation suggests that this is a Polydesma boarmoides moth. I can’t find out much about it though there is a similar moth, Polydesma umbricola, that is a problem on Monkeypod trees here.

After I took the photo, I shooed the moth away and brought my pants indoors before they became moth-eaten.

Favorite flowers in Hawaii

Flexibility is important in nature, as this mourning gecko demonstrates while drinking from a bird of paradise flower. — A Mourning Gecko takes a drink from a Bird of Paradise flower.

This week’s Sunday Stills challenge theme is ‘Favorite Flowers.’ Here are some of mine. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here

Maiapilo flowers in Hawaii — Maiapilo flowers start out white and change to pink as the day wears on,

Yellow and pink Hibiscus tiliaceus flowers in Hawaii — Maiapilo flowers start out white and change to pink as the day wears on,

A Wasp in an Ohia flower in Hawaii — A wasp in an Ohia Lehua flower.

Raindrops on Plumerias in Hawaii — A wasp in an Ohia Lehua flower.

And finally some photos from the Hilo Orchid Show last year. I’ve definitely become an orchid fan since moving here.

An Epidendrum Pacific Pastel orchid at the Hilo Orchid Show in Hawaii — Epidendrum Pacific Pastel.

A Paphiopedilum St. Swithin orchid at the Hilo Orchid Show in Hawaii — Epidendrum Pacific Pastel.

Monarch Butterfly on a leaf

I saw several Monarch Butterflies on my last visit to Hawai’i Tropical Botanical Garden. This one was exploring a large leaf.

The Numbers Game #62

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 183. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.

Hike to Kamehame Beach

Turtles resting at Punuluu on the Big Island Hawaii

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

This seemed a good opportunity to recap a hike I did last year, but have failed to get organized into a post! The hike started at Punulu’u Black Sand Beach Park, home of the island’s most famous black sand beach.

As usual, there were a few Green Turtles resting on the beach. The trailhead, at the east end of the beach, isn’t marked, but hike up through a narrow band of trees and it opens out onto a lava bench. On this bench is Kāne’ele’ele Heaiu, an ancient Hawaiian heiau where human sacrifices were carried out.

The Ala Kahakai Trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

An old sandy road on the trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

Beyond the heiau, the trail is marked by flat stones. This is the ancient Ala Kahakai trail, which followed the coast from the northern tip of the island all the way down and around the west and south coasts, to the southeastern corner of the island. The hike follows the coast, passing through scrubby vegetation and across stark lava fields.

A Castor semi-looper moth on the trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

A grasshopper on the trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

There are some tenacious plants growing along the way, notably Beach Naupaka, which tolerates rocky terrain and salt spray. There’s also a variety of birds and other wildlife to be seen.

A Black Sand beach on the trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

Lava cracks on the trail to Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

Cairns mark the trail, though they’re not always easy to spot. It’s easy to wander off the trail, which is not a good thing given the large cracks in the lava and potential thin spots that one could fall into.

But if you don’t get lost or fall into a lava tube, eventually Kamehame Beach will come into view. This beach is important as a nesting place for both Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles. The nesting season runs from June to November, which was when I was there, so I knew I wouldn’t be walking on the beach for fear of disturbing anything. In fact, I thought I hadn’t seen anyone on this hike once I left Punulu’u, but when I looked at my photos, I saw someone at the far end of the beach. This was undoubtedly one of the researchers who monitor these spots for turtle activity.

A View of Kamehame Beach on the Big Island Hawaii

The beach itself is quite steep and, even if it wasn’t turtle nesting season, I’d have been reluctant to walk it given the high surf on this particular day. The round trip hike is around 6 miles unless you get lost!

Also posted for Jo’s Monday Walk. See more responses here.

Graham's Island

Life on the Big Island of Hawaii