For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Vacation Time - Day 10 Part 4

Sometimes one has to be very careful when identifying things. Take a look at the next two pictures and see if you think it is the same species.
They both have the same coloration but the bottom one has black on top of its head although both have the black eyes. The one below also has a red spot on the edge of the wing near the end which the other does not. I am no expert but to me the top one is a Longhorn beetle and the bottom a wasp belonging to the genus Zombrus, two entirely different species.
This Froghopper is well disguised and hiding at the bottom of a palm leaf.
What a great hideout!! It should be toasty and warm there during the winter and away from predators eyes.
When it gets warm, these Skinks forage amongst the leaves on the ground for insects.
I have been asked what these are as they are often seen in lawns. They belong to funnel-web spiders of which there are many species.
The new shoots of the grass make a yummy meal at the beginning of the season and this ground squirrel is making the most of it.
Many plants put out a sweet nectar at the beginning of the season and attract ants which lap it up.
Now this one is just as confusing…. In one book it t is called a Meadow White (Ponta helice) but in the other book the butterfly with the same name has a picture of a different butterfly!! How the hang am I supposed to learn these things with such a mess!! So, all I can say for sure is that this is a butterfly of the Pieridae family.

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