For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Desert Locust (Gastrimargus sp) Acrididae
These are large locusts and are found in both a green and brown form. Their egss are laid and lay over for the winter so hatch when summer comes around again.
Thanks Diane. A lot does depend on which camera you are using as to what kind of pictures you can get with it. I specificaly bought one which has close-up functions as that was the main reason for buying one. A lot of cameras have a macro function and it is just a case of getting used to using it.
Joan, wonderful photos of this grasshopper. I love grasshoppers and we have a similar type at home in my Free State garden. Thanks for sharing. Is the weather getting colder in Pretoria yet?
Thanks Jo. The days are wonderful and warm but as soon as 4pm arrives and the sun starts sinking, it is pretty nippy. Never as cold as the Free State of course, especially here on the north side of PTA which is sub-tropical.
Thanks Gaelyn. It is a pity I had to start that blog over but they have had a problem since December with importing articles and still have not got it fixed.
Somehow I can't fault your reasoning Craver, then again, we have never tried making a meal of them have we? Maybe some ketchup will do the trick? On the otherhand, I would rather eat grass and leaves. :)
Thanks Becky. No, fortunately not. The never form swarms here and that is when they actually do damage. I have heard of it happening in North and Central Africa though.
As grasshoppers go he looks much prettier than the big yellow/red ones we have here. I must say I do not like grasshoppers. My grandmother used to pinch their heads off when she found them munching on her beautiful daylilies. Happy Mother's Day!!
Great photos...I won't see any here for a while...My laundry room spider is on the move...mating? I don't know but it gave me a good look at it last night....Michelle
Thanks Michelle. Yes, it is mating season but mostly it is probably that it has got warm enough to go outside. Soon you may have lots of little ones wanting to get inside your coffee cup. :)
It was a big one Krista, about 4 inches in body length. :)
Thanks. I hope I can get you to like them as I seem to have helped Michelle get over her fear of spiders like this too. My proud 'success' story. :)
Krista, I have a problem with your blog. Everytime I go onto it and close the page, it spams me with a hundred pages so I have to switch off my PC to stop them coming through and this means I loose whatever else I have open at the time. I am so sorry about this as I like your blog very much. This is the reason I have not been onto it for the last while. So sorry!!
First of all... Joan that is awesome. 4 inches!!!??? Holy moly that is bigger than some of our squirrels. LOL!
Now... I am SO sorry to hear that my site has been spamming you!!! I haven't had any problems but I've posted a thread asking for assistance and asking if anybody else has had any troubles. This might sound a little obvious, but have you cleared your cache recently? Sometimes that will help with this stuff.
If you can, could you let me know what sites are opened? Are they from webshots (my photo hosting site), do you think? Any info you can offer might just help me fix this. Once again sorry!!! I hope I will be able to fix it so you can visit again soon! :o)
LOL!! We are used to them that size here Krista. :) This is deepest, darkest Africa after all. :
I have had this problem on some sites befor and I know the problem was the embedded comment box. When the owners changed it to a pop-out one the same as I use here, the problem went away. Have you changed your page set-up lately? It has been doing this for about a week or so now. When it happens I would just have my blog open and then click on the link to your page from my sidebar. As soon as I click on your site to close it is when it happens.
Hello Mary. We are still having very warm weather here for this time of year and today I found a beetle and yesterday a dragonfly. This weather is most unusual as I cannot beleive that some places there by you has still had snow recently. It is the middle of May already!!
Oh I remember those, when I used to live in Europe, they used to show up inside the house on the walls, lol, sometimes. What an amazing creature. Thanks for the nice photos. Anna :)
I haven't made any changes to the comment system on my blog lately, no. I have always used the embedded comment option.
:o(
I see that you visited again earlier today. Did it cause the same problem? I haven't heard from you since; hopefully that doesn't mean that my site blew up your computer!!!! *fingers crossed*
Sorry I did not get back to you on this yesterday Krista but it was one hell of a day!! :)
Yes, it did bomb the pc out again. I have tried it at home and at work and it does so on both. I have been giving it some thought and this started before you went away. I know there were problems with the embedded comment box but if you have not changed it, I do not know what else it could be.
Anyway, maybe it will go away sometime as it could be something in Blogger itself. I will keep on trying though as I do love your blog, just dont be mad if I do not comment too often. You could try making your comment box a pop-up one to see if it makes a difference.
Joan, I would never be mad at you! Particularly for not commenting; and especially considering visiting my blog creates problems for your computer! You're totally reasonable there, I don't blame you!
Anyway - I have temporarily changed my comment system to the "Pop up" option. When you get a second could you try it out, and let me know if it works for you? Then I can get in touch with Blogger and have some more accurate data for them.
thanks Joan - and sorry my bloggie is being a pain for you! Hope you're having a wonderful Monday!
Their egss are laid and lay over for the winter so hatch when summer comes around again.
They feed on both tough and soft grass.
37 comments:
Amazing photos yet again. I battle to get the whole insect let alone a picture of the eye!! Diane
Thanks Diane. A lot does depend on which camera you are using as to what kind of pictures you can get with it. I specificaly bought one which has close-up functions as that was the main reason for buying one. A lot of cameras have a macro function and it is just a case of getting used to using it.
Joan: Neat capture of your grasshopper, haven't seen any yet as we move into Spring.
Our insects are definitely gone for the winter with not much around right now Tom so I look forward to seeing what everyone there is going to post.
Joan, wonderful photos of this grasshopper. I love grasshoppers and we have a similar type at home in my Free State garden. Thanks for sharing. Is the weather getting colder in Pretoria yet?
Great grasshopper. Also love the Ganet. What an adorable little kitty.
Beautiful serie,but overall I like the third:insects eyes are always fascinating.
The patterns are fantastic and I can see them thanks to you! :-)
This was the diet of John the Baptist. I prefer a good hamburger, really.
Nice close-up of his good side! Every time I try get a pic of one, there gone...or jumping on the camera.
Thanks Jo. The days are wonderful and warm but as soon as 4pm arrives and the sun starts sinking, it is pretty nippy. Never as cold as the Free State of course, especially here on the north side of PTA which is sub-tropical.
Thanks Gaelyn. It is a pity I had to start that blog over but they have had a problem since December with importing articles and still have not got it fixed.
Thanks Andrea. I agree with you, the eyes are the most fascinating and always attract me too.
You are welcome Jose. I am pleased you enjoy the pics. :)
Somehow I can't fault your reasoning Craver, then again, we have never tried making a meal of them have we? Maybe some ketchup will do the trick? On the otherhand, I would rather eat grass and leaves. :)
You need to learn stalking Mike. I must have Indian or Bushman blood in me from somewhere. :)
Cool Locust Joan. I've never seen one!
Do they do much damage?
Thanks Becky. No, fortunately not. The never form swarms here and that is when they actually do damage. I have heard of it happening in North and Central Africa though.
As grasshoppers go he looks much prettier than the big yellow/red ones we have here. I must say I do not like grasshoppers. My grandmother used to pinch their heads off when she found them munching on her beautiful daylilies. Happy Mother's Day!!
They can be quite destructive Becky but I am not sure I would pull their heads off!! LOL!!
Happy Mothers Day to you too!!
Great photos...I won't see any here for a while...My laundry room spider is on the move...mating? I don't know but it gave me a good look at it last night....Michelle
Thanks Michelle. Yes, it is mating season but mostly it is probably that it has got warm enough to go outside. Soon you may have lots of little ones wanting to get inside your coffee cup. :)
Oh my goodness! It's hard to tell the scale of these photos but that grasshopper looks HUGE! How big is he?
Great shots regardless Joan... you are helping me to like bugs! Still not sure I would like to be surprised by one this big though... lol
It was a big one Krista, about 4 inches in body length. :)
Thanks. I hope I can get you to like them as I seem to have helped Michelle get over her fear of spiders like this too. My proud 'success' story. :)
Krista, I have a problem with your blog. Everytime I go onto it and close the page, it spams me with a hundred pages so I have to switch off my PC to stop them coming through and this means I loose whatever else I have open at the time. I am so sorry about this as I like your blog very much. This is the reason I have not been onto it for the last while. So sorry!!
First of all... Joan that is awesome. 4 inches!!!??? Holy moly that is bigger than some of our squirrels. LOL!
Now... I am SO sorry to hear that my site has been spamming you!!! I haven't had any problems but I've posted a thread asking for assistance and asking if anybody else has had any troubles. This might sound a little obvious, but have you cleared your cache recently? Sometimes that will help with this stuff.
If you can, could you let me know what sites are opened? Are they from webshots (my photo hosting site), do you think? Any info you can offer might just help me fix this. Once again sorry!!! I hope I will be able to fix it so you can visit again soon! :o)
Nice close-ups as always! I've only seen one grasshopper so far this year.
LOL!! We are used to them that size here Krista. :) This is deepest, darkest Africa after all. :
I have had this problem on some sites befor and I know the problem was the embedded comment box. When the owners changed it to a pop-out one the same as I use here, the problem went away. Have you changed your page set-up lately? It has been doing this for about a week or so now. When it happens I would just have my blog open and then click on the link to your page from my sidebar. As soon as I click on your site to close it is when it happens.
Hello Mary. We are still having very warm weather here for this time of year and today I found a beetle and yesterday a dragonfly. This weather is most unusual as I cannot beleive that some places there by you has still had snow recently. It is the middle of May already!!
Oh I remember those, when I used to live in Europe, they used to show up inside the house on the walls, lol, sometimes. What an amazing creature. Thanks for the nice photos. Anna :)
I am sure they did not do your indoor plants much good Anna. :)
Hi again Joan!
I haven't made any changes to the comment system on my blog lately, no. I have always used the embedded comment option.
:o(
I see that you visited again earlier today. Did it cause the same problem? I haven't heard from you since; hopefully that doesn't mean that my site blew up your computer!!!! *fingers crossed*
Talk to you soon!
Krista
Sorry I did not get back to you on this yesterday Krista but it was one hell of a day!! :)
Yes, it did bomb the pc out again. I have tried it at home and at work and it does so on both. I have been giving it some thought and this started before you went away. I know there were problems with the embedded comment box but if you have not changed it, I do not know what else it could be.
Anyway, maybe it will go away sometime as it could be something in Blogger itself. I will keep on trying though as I do love your blog, just dont be mad if I do not comment too often. You could try making your comment box a pop-up one to see if it makes a difference.
Joan, I would never be mad at you! Particularly for not commenting; and especially considering visiting my blog creates problems for your computer! You're totally reasonable there, I don't blame you!
Anyway - I have temporarily changed my comment system to the "Pop up" option. When you get a second could you try it out, and let me know if it works for you? Then I can get in touch with Blogger and have some more accurate data for them.
thanks Joan - and sorry my bloggie is being a pain for you! Hope you're having a wonderful Monday!
Thanks Krista. I miss seeing your lovely pics. I am going to try it now and will let you know.....
Krista: Seems like it is working well now - no bombing out. :)
Wooohoooo! Success!
Yes, thanks goodness it is sorted out. Thanks Krista. I know this happens on some of the embedded comment boxes.
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