Miscellaneous Southern California Invertebrates

GQ.

Arachnodemon
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A few weeks back I took my youngest daughter out for a hike. She stops at nearly every hole in the ground to look for tarantulas. (No, I wouldn't let her jab a stick into a real tarantula burrow)

Little Q Looking for Tarantulas


She soon spotted her first tarantula find! It was a mature male wandering the hillside. She said "Look!" and pointed right at the spindly male.
Little Q’s First T Find – Aphonopelma sp.


Another male was spotted the very next night at almost exactly the same time of day. It was photographed exactly as it was found.
Mature Male Aphonopelma sp.
 
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GQ.

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 12, 2002
Messages
767
Interesting Little Bee


I found several individuals of the above bees. Each one was found singly in one of the below flowers.

Calochortus splendens – Splendid Mariposa Lily


Fuzzy White Caterpillar – This was found on mustard plant.
 

GQ.

Arachnodemon
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This was about the coolest thing I've spotted in awhile. It is definitely in my top ten finds. I was toting the little one around the hills and spotted this gorgeous blue spider wasp perched on a trapdoor burrow. I always wondered how a wasp would get one of these critters out of their burrow. I had no idea they just sat on top and waited for the little buggers to open their door.

Wasp - Aphorus sp.? Waiting for Trapdoor Spider – Bothriocyrtum californicum


Every now and then the wasp would wag its abdomen back and forth like a cat ready pounce. I would have stayed all night to watch the drama unfold if I didn't have the little one with me.

Wasp Waiting for Trapdoor Spider


I often find abandoned trapdoor burrows with these holes drilled into or out of the burrow.

Trapdoor Lid With Hole – Wasp Exit?
 
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GQ.

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 12, 2002
Messages
767
Tenebrionid Beetle


Robber Fly


Orb Weaver Blowing in the Wind. The photo is blurry, but I like it for some reason.


Diabolical Ironclad Beetle – Phloeodes diabolicum
 
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GQ.

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 12, 2002
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767
Anuroctonus Burrow – Anuroctonus pococki


Cabbage White – Pieris rapae?


Butterflies Mating – California Hairstreak – Satyrium californica?
 

Texas Blonde

Arachnoangel
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Dec 2, 2003
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Awesome pics as usual. I love the wasp, that would definitely be a cool find. Too bad you couldnt stay to watch it catch the spider.
 

GQ.

Arachnodemon
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Thank you Sky, beetleman, and David. :) I've been mixing it up a little with the variety of invertebrates I photograph.
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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May 10, 2007
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wow, all of those are great photos.

...especially the wasp. amazing!
 

GQ.

Arachnodemon
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Thanks for the link! I may have to grab a cocoon next time I see one. I would like to see a wasp emerge from one of those cocoons.
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Jan 5, 2005
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Thanks for the link! I may have to grab a cocoon next time I see one. I would like to see a wasp emerge from one of those cocoons.
i suspect if you emailed that guy he could provide an ID if he has had someone look into it... or maybe contacts to people you could send a corpse to for ID... people that would actually be happy like "well, *only* if you let me keep the body. teehee"


truth be told, those shiny wasps are one of the only things out there that make me a little uncomfortable. them and grass spiders.
 

What

Arachnoprince
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Jul 13, 2006
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those shiny wasps are one of the only things out there that make me a little uncomfortable. them and grass spiders.
Grass spiders make you uncomfortable? That is hilarious, I am trying to breed them. {D
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Grass spiders make you uncomfortable? That is hilarious, I am trying to breed them. {D
have you seen a mature male yet? they look crazy. external spiral emboli on their pedipalps. looks like the "boxing glove" has a giant spring wrapped around it.
 

What

Arachnoprince
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Jul 13, 2006
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Yeah, I have a mature male right now. I just need to find a nice big female to mate him with....
 
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