Two-pip Policeman (Coeliades pisistratus) Hesperiidae

This differs from the Garden Policeman by the black dots on the wing. In the warmer areas, they breed throughout the year.

Miscellaneous Spiders

We have a very wide variety of spiders here but there are not many which I know the names of. Most of these are small to medium in size.

Long Skimmer male (Orthetrum trinacria) Libellulidae

It blends in so well on this pathway.
Their eggs are scattered just under the surface of the water.

White-banded Clear-wing moth (Chamanthedon) Sesiidae

This is a quote from my Field Guide to Insects of South Africa which I use for almost everything, except in this case where I have to ask Ted's help. He is a star!! :)

"Clear-wing moths - Family Sesiidae : Easily distinguished as their wings lack scales and are transparent with a black, brown yellow or orange border.
Body often banded and legs may be heavily cloaked in hairs. Fan of long hairs at the end of the often-slender abdomen.
Excellent mimics of wasps and bees, day-flying but rarely encounted as they are never common and have a very rapid flight.
Larvae are borers of trees and shrubs and, in temperote regions, may attain pest proportions in orchards.

Probably far more than the 90 known species in the region."

This book is the only one on insects available and the authors are Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths and Alan Weaving. My thanks to them on an excellent publication.

Mystery Monday - Part 13

Todays mystery is going to be completely different. As you can see, I am showing you the whole insect and asking you to guess what it is.

Here are 2 things to bear in mind:

1. If you think you know what it is, think again because it isn't.

2. I did not know myself what it was and had to ask my good friend Ted from Beetles In The Bush for his help in identifying it. LOL!!

3. Does it sting or bite? The answer will found in tomorrows post. :)

Sorry Ted, you are excluded from guessing on this one, I have sent you enough kisses to last you a while anyway. LOL!! Thank you very much for your help on this one. :) You kindness is much appreciated.

Montecasino - Bird Show - Part 3

The Gymnogene (now renamed African Harrier-hawk) is found in most areas of SA. They are fairl large in size and easily distinguished by their pink beak and yellow legs. They are usually solitary and hunt by raiding nests of other birds such as weavers and swallows. In courtship flight, the male rolls over and touches the talons of the female.
Great White Pelicans breed in Africa, and in Europe and Asia from Greece to Vietman. The world's population is thought to total about 90 000 pairs, of which about 80% are in Africa.

Their diet consists of fish and some crustaceans. I love the way I managed to catch this one skimming along prior to landing in the water.

Great White Pelicans are gregarious birds and large flocks often fish together encircling and trapping shoals of fish in shallow water where all the birds are easily able to scoop up fish in the skin pouch below the bill. They are excellent swimmers and also good fliers.

White Pelicans usually nest in colonies situated on an island, or remote parts of a large pan. The nest is a stick structure placed on the ground.

A single, strange colored Peacock was sitting above the building watching the show too.

The Spotted Dikkop has large eyes as he is a nocturnal bird and is very vocal, especially after rain. They eat grass seed, insects, crustaceans and frogs.

Crested Guineafowl prefer matted thickets at the edge of grasslands. They are found in flocks of up to 30 birds and will follow troops of monkeys to feed on fallen fruit.

Waterfalls

Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls constitutes one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world. The Local people call it "Mosi-oa-Tunya" -- the smoke that thunders and the Falls are remarkable.

There is a magic about them manifested in the towering column of spray when the river is high, the thunder of the falling water, the terrifying abyss and tranquil lagoons upstream in which hippo and deadly crocodiles lurk.The Victoria falls is 1 708 meters (about 5125 feet) wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m (270 ft) and 107m (410 ft) into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic meters of water plummet over the edge every minute.

Remarkably preserved in its natural state, Victoria falls inspires visitors as much today as it did David Livingstone in the 1860's. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared National Parks and a World Heritage Site, thus preserving the area from excessive commercialization.

Seasons

The river's annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 meters (1,300 ft), and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 km (30 miles) away. During the flood season, however, it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia's Knife-Edge Bridge.As the dry season takes effect, the islets on the crest become wider and more numerous, and in September to January up to half of the rocky face of the falls may become dry and the bottom of the First Gorge can be seen along most of its length.

The minimum flow, which occurs in November, is around a tenth of the April figure.


Augrabies Falls

Few sights are as awesome or a sound as deafening as water thundering down the 56-m Augrabies Waterfall when the Orange River is in full flood. The Khoi people called it ‘Aukoerebis’, or place of Great Noise, as this powerful flow of water is unleashed from rocky surroundings characterized by the 18 km (54 ft) abyss of the Orange River Gorge.

Picturesque names such as Moon Rock, Ararat and Echo Corner are descriptive of this rocky region, characterized by the 18 kilometer (8 mile) abyss of the Orange River Gorge and craggy outcrops dominating scrub-dotted plains.

Klipspringer (a small buck species) and kokerboom (quiver trees) stand in stark silhouette against the African sky, silent sentinels in a strangely unique environment where only those that are able to adapt ultimately survive.

The 28 000 hectares on both the northern and southern sides of the Orange River provide sanctuary to a diversity of species, from the very smallest succulents, birds and reptiles to springbok, gemsbok and the endangered black rhino.

The most characteristic plant in the park is the giant aloe called quiver tree (kokerboom), Aloe dichotoma. The tree gets its name from the fact that the Bushmen (San) used the soft branches to make quivers for their arrows. The eye-catching silhouette of the quiver tree is typical of the Northern Cape landscape.

Of special interest in the Park are: The Falls, Moon Rock, Ararat, Arrow Point and Echo Corner.

Ramblers with limited time can take the very easy 2,5 km path to view the gorge, Twin Falls and Arrow Point. To reach Moon Rock takes about an hour and to the potholes about 1,5 hours.


Zasm Waterfalls

Found on the way to Kruger National Park is situated on the Elands River in the heart of trout country and is about 50 ft high. If no rain falls in the region, it is liable to dry up as it did here.

The Victoria Falls is situated on the Zambezi river and is the source of the Cobora Bassa Hydro Electric scheme, built in 1975. For some more information here is a link:

http://www.clickafrique.com/Magazine/ST054/CP0000002603.aspx

Yellow Mongoose

Living in colonies of up to 20 individuals in a permanent underground burrow complex, the yellow mongoose will often co-exist with ground squirrels or Suricates and share maintenance of the warren, adding new tunnels and burrows as necessary. The tunnel system has many entrances, nearby which the yellow mongoose makes its latrines. They hunt for insects and birds or eggs in the daytime and sometimes at night.
They also share a broadly similar diet (mainly insects) but differ ecologically in that Suricates locate much of their prey by digging, whereas Yellow Mongooses are surface foragers.

Members of these species don't all look alike: in the warmer north, the yellow mongooses are grey and have shorter hair and tails, and smaller bodies, than their southern counterparts.

Opinion

Today I am going to do something different again. I would like to hear everyone’s opinion on this please.

Why is it that if a person is alone, the older you get, the more reclusive you become?
This is a recent discussion I had with someone and I came to the conclusion that it could be for one or all of these reasons or maybe something entirely different:

A: As we get older we become more discerning and knowledgeable about ourselves and who we are. We look for someone with our own outlook and interests in life and when we do not find someone like that, we prefer to spend the time on our own.

B: We cannot get over the loss of our loved ones and prefer to live without anyone if we cannot have them.

C: Maybe if we have been on our own so long, we are too set in our ways and are too selfish to change them and so avoid getting to know anyone else which might cause the need for it.

Tiny scorpion (Pseudolychas ochraceus) Buthidae

This is the same tiny scorpion which I posted a long time ago. It has moulted and got a bit larger but I decided to let it go and took some final pictures of it.
Although it has got larger, it is still under an inch in body length.