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

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Flowers / Inchworm

After 5 days of continuous rain, it was nice to see some sunshine again. I love the rain, but hate the cold it brought with it as a reminder that winter is on the way.

These are probably the last of the sunflowers I will be able to take pictures of for this season. The petals are starting to droop and discolor.
I was lucky to find this inchworm...or should I say, he found me!! When I brought my bags in from shopping, he was crawling on the handle of one of them. I don't know where I could have picked him up, but he was kind enough to pose for some photographs. He is about 1.5 inches long and very thin, about the size of a #12 knitting needle.

30 comments:

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

5 days of rain? That is exactly what we need to break this drought.

Wendy said...

Awesome shot!! Inchworms are sooo cute, I love them :)
So winter time in Africa, is it the raining season? We had planned to go to Gabon this month but we were told it was the raining season and that we should wait until summer time.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Joan: Hard to tale if the inchworm is coming or going.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Gosh I really wish I could send you some Jonker!! It seems so unfair that we are getting it all.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Leeloo. I love watching those worms and alway think of that song out of Hans Christian Andersen. :) Yes, it is getting to their rainy season so it might not be nice for a visit right now.I would think that the best time to go there would be round aboutAugust september as then it is not too hot either.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! It is difficult to tell Tom as he does not look much different at either end. :)

Unknown said...

That inchworm is 12 kinds of adorable Joan! Aw... So glad you are the type to take him out and let him go!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Oh hello Krista!! :) I was wondering how long it would take you to let us know your name. :)

Thes worms are SO cute!! I am always glad when they find me. :)

Mary said...

What a great close-up of the inch worm. I've never seen the patterns on the sides of one like this. Neat!

Unknown said...

Haha... yes I have revealed the super duper *real* name! I promise you this is the real one and I won't change it again. LOL! It was never meant to be a huge big secret... I just wanted to be Penny for a while I suppose! ;o)

We have some inchworms here. I couldn't tell you anything about species or even specifics about what they look like. Next time one finds me I'll have to take a picture to share!

(ps... I took a picture of a butterfly in MX... it turned out crap though and I haven't had a chance to take a closer look to see if I can fix it yet. I didn't get close and sure as heck didn't land on me... it was the butterfly that creeped me out immediately after I had been handling the python and the tarantula. LOL)

Gaelyn said...

OMG, not winter already. Sure glad to see the flowers I might miss. Love the adorable 1.5 worm.

13 days left.

Craver Vii said...

(whispering) I wonder if there's a way to sneak in Gaelyn's luggage for a free trip to South Africa.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Well I like Krista!! When I started blogging and doing stuff on various forums, I heard such a lot about the weird people you got on them that I used another name too. I eventually made good friends with two of them and told them my real name but we still used the other one in public. It was only after about two years when I went to another forum and started on my blog that I began to use my real name, so dont feel bad at all. I was always so pleased I started blogging and came across all these wonderful people from all over the world. I really do love it.

I really laughed at you getting a fright for the butterfly when you had just been handling all those other creatures. LOL!! I hope you can fix it to show us. I sometimes put crappy pics on as it is all I can get of something I particularly want to show. :) My thinking is if they dont like it, tough luck!! LOL!!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Mary. It is kind of neat isn't it. One does not normally notice these things just that it is a worm!! :)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Most of them will still be in bloom Gaelyn. There is a decided chill in the air early in the mornings when I go outside to have my coffee. You are going to be here at the best time of year as it is not extremely hot anymore.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

I will tell her to pack you too Craver. The three of us would certainly have a great time!! :)

Becky said...

Apparently he was just looking for a free ride.LOL
Good thing he found you or who knows what might have happened to him.
B.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! On the otherhand he might have got into my veggies and landed in my stew pot Beck!! LOL!!

Anonymous said...

We're still struggling through winter here, but it's suppose to warm up soon & head for Spring! YaY!

Your sunflower is a beauty & that inch worm is sooo cuuute! He really is posing for you! LoL!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Tricia. I think everyone is looking forward to warmer weather by now. Just when it seems to be getting there, I hear of another snowfall. Well soon I hope all of you in the north will be taking out your summer things. :)

It is sometime hard to get these critters to stop moving for a few seconds in order to get their pictures. Maybe I should start talking to them and asking nicely? :)

SaraG said...

Pretty pretty flower and that inch worm is sooo cool!!!
Great photo's Joan!!
Take care

Rambling Woods said...

You get closer to winter and we to spring. I do hear the birds making some spring calls..so... Cute little inchworm..maybe he wanted to have some tea with you and talk ....Michelle

Anonymous said...

We had some really heavy rains last night here too Joan. But spring has actually sprung almost a month earlier than normal. The first flowers are blooming and the trees and brush are just now leafing out. We will be having inchworms here soon enough too.

FAB said...

Sounds like you have similar weather to us..rain, rain every day..where is the sunshine we all crave for? FAB

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Thanks Sara. You take care too....

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

I am dreading the thought of it getting to winter Michelle but I guess I have to go through it if I want to experience spring again.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

It is still raining here Bernie and yet some parts of the country has not had any rain this summer and have severe drought. It does not make much sense does it?

I am so glad to hear you are getting signs that summer is on its way. It is always a pleasure when it comes around again.

When are you leaving on your hike?

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

I really love the rain Frank so do not mind it at all. As far as I am concerned it can rain every day. All of it has been nice soaking rain which does a lot of good. Thissummer we have not had one heavy storm compared to the previous summer when everything flooded.

Unknown said...

I like Krista too. ;o) I had been 'on the internet' for years before I started my blog (as you know I'm still a newbie!) but I didn't know if I might want to post some things that I didn't want associated with me in any way! LOL!

The butterfly thing is funny! I hope to have plenty of time for playing around this weekend so maybe I'll post it for a good laugh. :o)

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

LOL!! I sometimes post things which people don't really think is "Me" either. I get into these thinking moods and come out with all kinds of weird things. LOL!! But in the end, it is all 'me' although I see a lot of people avoid commenting on such stuff. But that is alright we cant all like everything.

Yeah, post it so I can see what frightened you after the tarantula and python. LOL!!