Pale Ranger (KedestesCallicles)

It is not often that I get the chance to photograph a series of pictures like this so was very pleased when I got home and discovered it.

This Skipper landed on a flower and this shows how it curls up its tongue afterwards. Click on the photographs to enlarge them.

Leaf Beetle (Euryope terminalis)

Leaf Beetle (Euryope terminalis) family Chrysomelidae

 These beetles cause considerable damage to Stapelia plants, where the larvae tunnel in the fleshy, finger-like ‘stems’ of the plant.

 Adults have also been seen damaging the plant’s ‘stems’.

Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)

This is one of a group of more than ten morphologically nearly identical jellyfish species in the genus Aurelia. In general, it is nearly impossible to identify Aurelia medusae without genetic sampling, so most of what follows about Aurelia aurita, could equally be applied to any species of the genus. The medusa is translucent, usually about 25–40 cm in diameter, and can be recognized by its four horseshoe-shaped gonads that are easily seen through the top of the bell. It feeds by collecting medusae, plankton and molusks with its mucusy bell nematocyst-laden tentacles and bringing the prey into its body for digestion, but is capable of only limited motion; like other jellies it primarily drifts with the current, even when it is swimming.

Feeding

A. aurita and other Aurelia species feed on plankton that includes organisms such as mollusks, crustaceans, tunicate larvae, rotifers, young polychaetes, protozoans, diatoms, eggs, fish eggs, and other small organisms. Occasionally, they are also seen feeding on gelatinous zooplankton such as hydromedusae and ctenophores. Both the adult medusae and larvae of Aurelia have nematocysts to capture prey and also to protect themselves from predators. The food is tied with mucus, and then it is passed down by ciliated action down into the gastrovascular cavity where digestive enzymes from serous cell break down the food. There is little known about the requirements for particular vitamins and minerals, but due to the presence of some digestive enzymes, we can deduce in general that A. aurita can process carbohydrates, proteins and lipids.

Aurelia does not have respiratory parts such as gills, lungs or trachea. Since it is a small organism, it respires by diffusing oxygen from water through the thin membrane covering its body. Within the gastrovascular cavity, low oxygenated water can be expelled and high oxygenated water can come in by ciliated action, thus increasing the diffusion of oxygen through cell. The large surface area membrane to volume ratio helps Aurelia to diffuse more oxygen and nutrients into the cells.

 Body system



The basic body plan of Aurelia consists of several parts. The animal lacks respiratory, excretory, and circulatory systems. The adult medusa of Aurelia, with a transparent look, has an umbrella margin membrane and tentacles that are attached to the bottom. It has four bright circular gonads that are under the stomach. Food travels through the muscular manubrium while the radial canals help disperse the food. There is a middle layer of mesoglea, gastrodervascular cavity with gastrodermis, and epidermis. There is a nerve net that is responsible for contractions in swimming muscles and feeding responses. Adult medusa can have a diameter up to 40 cm. The medusae are either male or female. The young larval stage, a planula, has small ciliated cells and after swimming freely in the plankton for a day or more, settles on an appropriate substrate, where it changes into a special type of polyp called a "scyphistoma", which divides by strobilation into small ephyrae that swim off to grow up as medusae. There is an increasing size from starting stage planula to ephyra, from less than 1 mm in the planula stage, up to about 1 cm in ephyra stage, and then to several cm in diameter in the medusa stage.

Information supplied by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurelia_aurita  

Trichacantha atranupta

Trichacantha atranupta family Athericidae

Quoted from: Field guide to South African Insects

"Members of this small, rather primitive, family resembles small horseflies with large, often smoky wings. Adults are found on rocks or vegetation alongside fast-flowing streams, where the aquatic larvae are predators. The region has the richest athericid fauna in the world, with at least 16 species in 3 genera.”

 

The hind legs are greatly enlarged and elongated.

Males (shown here) have a black patch on each wing while the females are small and a darkish brown.

Snuff-box or Fried Egg Tree (Oncoba spinosa)

Family Flacourtiaceae.

These are fairly small trees about 4m (12’) in height and get their name from the flowers.

Snuff boxes are made from their hard-shelled fruit which, when the seeds are dried, make good rattles for children and anklets and armlets to add rhythm to dancers.

The seeds contain a drying oil which makes a suitable varnish but is too difficult to extract commercially.

The root provides a remedy in traditional medicine for treating dysentery and bladder complaints.

The wood is light brown and takes a good polish but the pieces are seldom large enough to be used.

Flower Chafer Beetle (Dicronorrhina derbyana oberthueri)

This is Dicronorrhina and it is a fine male specimen. They belong to the sub-family Cetoniini which in turn belongs to the family Scarabaeidae (the same family as the dung beetles). They are not uncommon in the Pretoria area but are not as full up as, for example, the black and yellow fruit chafers which one finds in almost any garden.
The Dicronorrhina feed on plant sap and are also strongly attracted to overripe or fermenting fruit. The males defend their territory from other males, as well as other fruit chafers, by using their well developed horns. They have a life span of roughly 5 months (as beetles) usually starting in November. The larval and pupal stages together take about 9 months so they breed at the rate of approximately one generation per year. Factors such as temperature and humidity also have a great influence on the life cycles of insects. Female lays up to 200 eggs.

It is about 2 inches in body length. This one obligingly fell over allowing me a picture of its belly.

Common Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia)

Common Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) - flat lizards family Gekkonidae

They average about 12cm in length and vary in colour from light pink-grey to grey-brown and may have irregular darker crossbands on the body and tail.

 Quoted from: A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa by Johan Marais



“Calcium-storing neck glands are obvious in some gecko species. These are called endolymphatic sacs and are situated on the sides of the neck just behind the jaw, extending backwards from the skull. They are linked to the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. Geckos are unusual among lizards in laying hard-shelled eggs, calcareous eggs. The stores of calcium are used by the female to produce the eggshell”

Females lay 2 eggs per clutch.

They are very common on the walls of houses and are mainly active at night.

Yellow Bauhinia Tree (Bauhinia tomentosa)

Yellow Bauhinia Tree (Bauhinia tomentosa) family Fabaceae

This medium to large shrub with its attractive light green two-lobed leaves produces beautiful bright yellow flowers with black to maroon coloured centres from December to March.


Description
Medium to large shrub to a small tree, up to 4m in height. Leaves are divided into two lobes, light green in colour, with a leathery texture, carried on branches that are often drooping. It produces large bell-shaped, bright yellow flowers with a black to deep maroon coloured centre from December to March. The fruit are pea like, slender and velvety. They are light green, turning a pale brown with age and are produced from January to June or even later. Bark is grey or brown.

Distribution

These plants can be found along the coastal strip from southern Kwazulu-Natal to Maputoland, Mpumalanga as well as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, tropical Africa and as far as India and Sri Lanka . It is found in woodland, riverine bush and coastal dune bush.


Derivation of name and historical aspects
The genus name " Bauhinia " honours herbalist brothers from the 16 th century, Johann and Caspar Bauhin. They were identical twin brothers, making it a very apt name as the two lobes of the leaves, when folded together, are identical.


Previously a large genus, it has now been divided into a number of genera according to the flower shapes. Several South African bauhinias are in cultivation including the well-know Pride of De Kaap - Bauhinia galpinii and Bauhinia bowkeri.


The specie name "tomentosa" means hairy and it refers to the velvety/ hairy pods.

 Ecology

The flowers from this tree, rich in pollen and nectar, attract various insects such as butterflies and bees. In turn these insects will attract insect eating birds. Certain birds and the larvae of certain moth species feed on the flowers. This is also a host plant for many butterfly species, with the larvae feeding on the leaves.

 Uses and cultural aspects

Not much is known about the specific medicinal or cultural uses of this specie of Bauhinia, although it is said to be used widely medicinally.


Three other species of Bauhinia are also used medicinally for everything from coughs, convulsions and constipation to pneumonia and venereal diseases. ( Bauhinia galpinii, Bauhinia thonningii, Bauhinia petersiana)

 Growing Bauhinia tomentosa

Bauhinia tomentosa is deciduous, but can be evergreen in a mild climate. The adult plants can tolerate a moderate amount of frost, but the seedlings and younger plants should be shielded from frost. It prefers full sun and needs a moderate amount of water.

It can be propagated from seed and grows relatively fast. Plant it singly or in groups. It is suitable for rockeries, shrub borders, and large containers, on patios or next to swimming pools.

The soil needs to be well drained with compost added to enrich it. A covering of mulch over the soil is a good idea, replenishing the layer as regularly as possible.

Information supplied by:

http://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm

Treehopper

There are certain insects which I am always on the lookout for as they are such interesting ones and can never seem to find. I saw a picture of this Treehopper in my book and was so pleased to eventually find it.

No wonder I have not been able to find it as they are very small, maybe 4mm in length and at first I thought it was a baby grasshopper.


All Treehoppers are recognised by their horn-like structures extending back over their abdomen.
They are classified as bugs (Hemiptera) and belong to the Membracidae family.

After the rain.....

everything looks and even smells different.