The weird world of insects continues to provide distractions from my humdrum existence. When I spotted this insect on the stalk of a sunflower, I thought it was a cicada exoskeleton. Getting closer, I found it was a worthy photo subject, and raced inside to get my camera. I only got four photos before the beetle went "Sean Penn" on me. Such is the life of an insect paparazzi.
My August slow walks in search of insects yielded one next-to-impossible water walker, and one trip to Jurassic Park. The late graphic artist Charlie Harper made several designs of water striders. His alphabet series uses water striders for the letter X. My creek has a shallow spot with tens of water striders, all defying my photo attempts. A water strider has an X for a body. Its feet create O ripples on the surface of the water. xox xox xox...
Water striders are also known as Jesus bugs because they walk on the surface of the water.
This wheel bug made getting sunburned and dehydrated at Oak Point Nature Preserve one August Sunday all worthwhile. I felt like I was in Jurassic Park photographing a triceratops:
The wheel bug eats caterpillars, even big ones like tomato hornworms.
© 2010 Nancy L. Ruder
1 comment:
"an insect paparazzi" -- what a funny description.
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