hidono's Favorites

Toitū te Whenua BioBlitz.
Beating, regenerating native bush along the stream. Main species were Karamu, Manuka, Mahoe, Pohutukawa, Kawakawa, Cabbage tree, and so on- I did not distingish samples per tree species they fell from, since most species were found on any of the tree species.

Waiparuru Nature Trail, Grafton Gully/Symonds St Cemetery, Grafton, Auckland. Two live male beetles resting by day on the lower surface of different leaves on a mahoe tree, in a shaded native bush remnant. Although this is the first time that I have observed this species at this location, that is probably only because I have overlooked it until now.

So, this is a polyergus bilateral gynandromorph! ½ worker caste (red), ½ alate (black). The mandibles, eyes, single wing, and antennae are the more obvious caste traits reflected in each half of this individual. Found them shortly after leaving the colony possibly (I found one a few feet away).
See: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124878696
& https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124879042

Tearing off the abdomen of a bee caught by a California Bee Assassin (Apiomerus californicus).
REF: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130029872

Timeline:
09:46:14 bee captured by Bee Assassin
09:48:12 Yellowjacket is latched on to bee
09:49:40 Yellowjacket has separated bee abdomen from thorax

This ferret popped out of a hole that the prairie dog seemed to be trying to cover up. The two animals seemed to be aware of each other, but they did not interact. Eventually the prairie dog wandered off.

Insecta: Lepidoptera
Oecophoridae, Stathmopodinae
Stathmopoda orbiculata

Lam Tsuen San Tsuen, Tai Po, Hong Kong.

This is the second record of this small (6mm long) moth in Hong Kong

The Stathmopodinae have a very distinctive resting posture and heavily bristled legs - an unmistakeable combination!

Note that Stathmopodinae is regarded by some taxonomists as a valid family within the Gelechioidea, and was treated as such in the overview of Lepidoptera by van Nieukirken et al., 2011

The caterpillar is coming along. I thought it'd spin a cocoon, but instead it just sat unmoving on the underside of a bean for a couple of days before starting to turn grey yesterday. Apparently its cocoon is just its own skin. Much darker today. Still fuzzy around the edges, like the caterpillar. Has a few small silk threads holding it in place.

[Hatched out into a lovely Gray Hairstreak in late August, and was released back into the yard.]

Part 1, fresh green caterpillar: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/348784

Part 2, older greyer caterpillar: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/350581