Fascinated by the Fascinators

I saw this pic on Facebook this morning and decided to do whatever I can to eradicate arachnophobia and add a bit of spidery cheer to the world. Enjoy!

Admire these pics of jumping spiders (salticidae) wearing hats. Also, be a little jealous of their luxurious long lashes. After spending...ehmmm more than five minutes researching on the web, I was unable to find any commentary on the reason for this behavior. I am left to conclude these spiders are just awesome and have a quirky sense of fashion.

My real, mostly uneducated, theory is that this may have something to do with their vision.. and light refraction... perhaps?

Happy adorable bug trick for today. Jumping Spiders Wear Water Droplets As Hats http://t.co/2daJ2ONb9U  via @buzzfeeders
— Adorabugs (@Adorabugs) January 10, 2014

'Cause I'm an English teacher...
Lu, Christina. "BuzzFeed." Weblog post. Community. N.p., 21 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Jan. 2014.

Don't Bother to Argue...

... but their may be some who never believe you when you insist this is not a hummingbird but rather a moth that simply looks and behaves like a hummingbird.
Alas, yet another photo taken with my phone. I do have a nice camera but it's never with me when I encounter unique insects. Perhaps I'll make it a habit to carry the Nikon around all summer.

Meet the very busy snowberry clearwing moth, hemaris diffinis, otherwise known as the hummingbird moth, for obvious reasons.



Hummingbird Moth by Cozytailmom on deviantART

Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art. 

I Love Bee Butts and I Can Not Lie

I do love a good bee butt!
Honey bees are fascinating and disappearing at an alarming rate. Read up on this!
I'm thinking of starting an urban apiary. Maybe just a box or two, so I can see more of these "round things in my face" and help out these important cutie pies.

Ever wonder how bees carry pollen? pic.twitter.com/L0oqhNPoik
— Marina Marchese (@RedBeeMarina) January 8, 2014

'Cause I'm an English teacher.
Sir Mix-a-lot. I Like Big Butts Lyrics. N.d. - Sir Mix-a-lot. Web. 09 Jan. 2014

A Dinner Party Tragedy

Truly tragic tales accompany this luna moth photo. The first being that I took the picture on my phone and gave it the Instagram treatment. The resolution is not great, but I think the graininess is a fitting 90s artsy angst.
The second sadness is that I informed my house guests of the alluring luna's short life span (7 days max) after they all decided that it truly was a bug they could love.
The worst of all revelations came after our own glutonous feasting when I revealed that lunas can not eat after metamorphosis. I suspect some guests left crying. For real...

Actias Luna 


'Till My Dying Day by Cozytailmom on deviantART



Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art.

Giddy up

 Yes ma'am. Check out this handsome Saddleback Caterpillar just strollin' along my back deck.

Sibine stimulea

Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art.

A Pretty Girl

A pretty girl needs a pretty seat. She also needs a crown and a bed of flowers.

I have yet to discover a new species in my lush backyard, BUT I may have found the loveliest.
Check out this sweet crab spider on one of my fragrant lantana blooms.
Thomisidae


I Can be Pretty Too by Cozytailmom on deviantART

Photo by Christie Acker. Print available on Deviant Art

I'm this big! .... stands on tippy toes...

Completely adorable!
I love inchworms and those who have an inflated self-esteem are over the top!
Check out this big guy! Streeeeeeetch....

He can lean precariously over the side too! Just imagine the strength required to hang onto that leaf.
I am super impressed. What a little big man! (or woman)

Photo by Christie Acker

Lotsa Little Legs in my Apple

Last week we went apple picking in a nearby orchard. Whenever I go to these local orchards I feel as if I am ripping off the owners. Not only do we get boat loads of apples for practically nothing, not to mention the nine apples that were eaten while the three of us picked, we also get an eensy bit of protein tossed in for free.

Here's hoping Poopsie #1 checked this one for squiggles before using her mouth as an extra hand.

Rose Colored Glasses Make Everyone Pretty

There she is, Miss Mothera...

photo by CTMom

Easily the prettiest bug to visit these parts in a while, meet the rosy maple moth (dryocampa rubicunda). I'm just going to say this specimen is a female because I'm tired of the males in the animal kingdom getting all the good looks. Plus, I read that the females have bushier antennae than the males and these antennae look rather bushy to me. So there!  I am now finished with my diva rant on behalf of plain-lookin' females everywhere.

Hubba Hubba

Hunks! I know how to find them. I am referring, of course, to this tomato hornworm and not the guy behind it because he’s my brother and calling him a hunk would be gross. But really, everywhere I go I find the biggest, juiciest and most bizarre bugs. Spotting them is kinda like my secret super power. I realized over this past summer that I could be content if my only job was to travel the world and take pictures of insects. If that were my actual job, I would certainly post more blog entries. I think I have a year or more worth of bug pics to share.


When I first saw the tomato hornworm munching on my parent’s garden I thought it would most definitely metamorphosis into the most incredible moth. Unfortunately, no. The moth is quite plain and the grub is loathed by tomato growers everywhere. I’ll always have a place in my heart for you, you giant squishy!