Category Archives: Animals

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.

Gold dust day gecko drinks from a ti plant

In the morning, it’s common to see geckos taking a drink of water. Sometimes it’s from morning dew or leftover drops from overnight rain. Here, a gold dust day gecko drinks from water collected where a ti leaf joins the main stem.