The Numbers Game #40

A boat anchored off the beach at Anaehoomalu Bay in Hawaii
A Covid-year photo of a sailboat anchored off a deserted Anaeho’omalu Bay beach.

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

Also, seven photos posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

Seven springs

Seven coiled springs arranged to look like the number seven.

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

I’ve gone for Spring, seven of them, each with seven coils. I was going to pair it with something for Fall, but I couldn’t arrange a photo shoot with Humpty Dumpty.

Also posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

Seven Nenes

Seven Nenes at Spencer Beach Park, Hawaii

I was down at Spencer Beach Park one recent morning, and the place was crowded with Nenes, 15 or more of them. It was tricky getting just seven in a shot, but this is the best of them. I believe they were drawn there by the park’s sprinkler system being in operation, as it often is at that time of day. Something to drink and assist with morning clean up, and fresh green grass for breakfast.

Posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

Seriously subdued spider in seven shocking scenes

A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.

At work recently, I was alerted to the presence of an odd wasp, with a ‘sac’ under its body, trying to get into a small hole in the window frame. I grabbed my camera, opened the window, and took photos.

It quickly became clear that the ‘sac’ was a spider, and not a tiny one either. What was less clear was whether the wasp would succeed in its quest. I assume the hole is a drainage outlet, but what the wasp was up to was less clear. A little research cleared that up.

  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.
  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.
  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.
  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.
  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.
  • A Yellow-legged mud-dauber Wasp stuffs a paralysed spider into a hole as future food for its offspring.

The wasp is a Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp (Sceliphron caementarium). Not sure what kind of spider it is, but I do know its days are numbered. Sadly for the spider, it will not be a swift end. According to Wikipedia, “After building a cell of the nest, the female wasp captures several spiders. The captured prey are stung and paralyzed before being placed in the nest (usually 6-15 per cell), and then a single egg is deposited on the prey within each cell. The wasp then seals the cell with a thick mud plug. After finishing a series of cells, she leaves and does not return.” Notice that the spider is paralyzed, not dead. Got to have fresh food for the kids!

Posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

Avast mateys!

An attention getting pirate at Honokohau Harbor, Hawaii

Aarrr! I bin shiverin’ me timbers out ’ere fer months now, but today be me reward. That’s right, mateys, ’tis Talk Like a Pirate Day! So ’ave at it ye scurvy dogs. I got two fine ships ’ere an’ the weather’s fair fer separatin’ unsuspectin’ landlubbers from their valuables.

An attention getting pirate at Honokohau Harbor, Hawaii

Whoa, stab me vitals with a boat hook! Must ’ave ’it a patch o’ rough water, or I ran o’er that there Seven Bollard Reef again!

Posted fer Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses ’ere.

Just the one monk seal

A Hawaiian Monk seal rests at Upolu, Hawaii

I saw this Hawaiian Monk Seal resting at Upolu earlier this year. So what qualifies her for Becky’s Squares: Seven? (See more responses here.) Nothing obvious in the top photo, but let’s take a closer look. A couple of scars, one of which looks a bit like a 7, but probably not that.

Scars on a Hawaiian Monk seal at Upolu, Hawaii

Hmmm. Too hard to figure out how many whiskers we’ve got here.

A Hawaiian Monk seal rests at Upolu, Hawaii

Ah, here we go. The tag on the flipper is M37. This is a prime way for researchers to track seals around the islands. I posted a photo of her with an M36 tag, but this one would have been in the other tail flipper.

Tag on a Hawaiian Monk seal at Upolu, Hawaii

The Numbers Game #39

A sign in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
A dramatic sign at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

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

Also, seven photos posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.