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

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Vacation Time - Day 7

Every second morning the route for my walk would take me through the riverbed where I would check out what fresh animal tracks there were. Although I often saw new leopard ones, I never saw him. Today, I found many interesting dragonflies, damselflies and as always was astounded at the beautiful rocks.
This little grasshopper was less than half an inch in length and judging by the colors, is going to grow up to be a very pretty one. As you can see, it is just starting to develop its wings.
A Red Tip butterfly (Colotis antevippe gavisa) female is fairly common for this area and found the year round in higher rainfall areas.
Thanks to Johan Marais who identified this snake for me as a Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica). Their venom contains both cytoxic and neurotoxic components.
It is quite common in the area where I was on vacation and can be identified by the pink underside with the black bars. I am not sure what killed it but it had a big gouge out of one side of its body.
A Wandering Glider. A fairly common dragonfly whose range extends into Asia, America and Australia. Now if you add Africa, it seems like it is all countries starting with an A. :)
This damselfly with its red eyes was very attractive. It is a Riffle Sprite and found in our northern areas.
By sheer chance and luck I managed to get a shot of this Piedspot in flight!! I have tried a few times to get a shot like this but they never come out right. Now, I was not even trying and I get it. LOL!!
This is a female and they are found in semi-tropical areas not far from streams and pools.
I really struggled to get a picture of this. It is very small, maybe 3mm and would not stop running around. It is one of the wingless Stoneflies. They are always found near water in which they breed.
The mandibles of the Antlion is really made for gripping its prey. I would hate this to be bigger and land up in them. This is a different species to what I showed earlier on.

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