This rusty millipede cast a giant shadow as it wandered back and forth on a dirt track. Every so often the strong, blustery wind would blow it over like a many-legged tumbleweed.
Tag Archives: Macro
Sphecid wasp
I saw this creature on a wall being eyed by a gold dust day gecko as a possible meal. Eventually the gecko thought better of it, which is probably just as well. This is a sphecid wasp and they can pack a sting, though they aren’t aggressive.
From searches on whatsthatbug.com and bugguide.net, it appears that this sphecid is in the genus Prionyx, probably P. fervens.
Variable lady beetles
A pair of variable lady beetles mating on the underside of a leaf on a passion flower vine.
Naio
Naio (Myoporum sandwicense) used to grow in great abundance in Hawaii, but now is much less common. It has some similarities to true sandalwood and was passed off as the latter without much success, leading to it’s other names of false sandalwood or, less sympathetically, bastard sandalwood.
This small tree was found growing on the lower slopes of Mauna Kea.
Mango flower beetle
This mango flower beetle was hanging out on the washing line. Probably wouldn’t be right at the top of a ‘cute creatures’ list.
Fagraea berteriana
Fagraea berteriana is also known as perfume flower tree and pua keni keni. In Hawaiian, pua keni keni means “ten cent flower,” which used to be the price of a lei made from these flowers.
There’s a lot going on with these plants. The fragrant flowers start out white, then turn golden yellow. Later it will produce smooth green fruits that will become wrinkled and red.
Rusty millipede
I came across this rusty millipede (Trigoniulus lumbricinus) while out on a walk. It was going at a good clip, at least until the terrain got a little tougher. The big question, of course, is what happens when a millipede trips?
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.
Graham's Island 