alfredoreilobodasneves's Favorites

Leopard toads have for years known to come onto the property known as Belletuin Sectional Title Scheme from the field that borders the property to the east. The field has ponds which flood during seasonal rains. During winter months the toads are known on occasion to come on the surrounding properties. The field is known to the residents as the Ottery Wetlands. On perfect quiet evenings, croaking can be heard in the distance.

20km NE range extension. Males calling from clumps of sedges, palmiet and waterblommetjies. Network of vleis on the floodplain of the Nuwejaars river. Individuals calling from areas of quickly moving water as well. Acidic soils, with a sandy and peaty component. Around 10-15 males heard in the vicinity.

A green chiton attached to a half crab. We observed this alien looking commensal beast while undertaking an intertidal survey on the reefs off Hawera. It made us jump when we first turned over the rock.

A scrappy expanse of silky refuges and capture webs littered with body parts of previous victims. When preferred prey is entangled, the female spiders emerge from their 'nests' and overpower it by grabbing its extremities. In this case, a wasp https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319446.
Presumably they inject venom because after a minute or so the prey stops struggling. Then they snip it out of the web and carry it into one of several 'nests' or refuges.
Unwanted prey, often beetles (see https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319435 ) are also killed but sometimes left in the web, uneaten. Ants, in this case, Maranoplus ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319390 )scavenge around the periphery of the webs, feasting on unwanted beetles or other left-overs.