Earwig (Echinosoma wahlbergi)

Family Pygidicranidae

For some reason, people are terrified that earwigs actually go into their ears which is not true as they are harmless to humans and are usually found on or under tree bark.

These are just over 1cm in length and have pale yellow wings.

Info: Field Guide to South African Insects

Treehopper (Anchon nodicornis) family Membracidae

They are very small, about 1cm.

Crested Barbet – The will to survival at all costs

At Berg en Dal Camp in KNP, this Barbet often came to eat around the car when I was working and I was amazed at its will to survive.

Somewhere along the line the bottom beak got separated from the other portion or it was born with two lower beaks. I cannot make out which it is.

 Anyway, with this deformity, it was now fully grown so had somehow found a way to feed itself in spite of it. How strong is the instinct to survive?

 The bottom portion was just dangling there and did not seem to hinder him at all.

Dice Moth Larvae (Rhanidophora ridens)

Family Noctuidae

A very interesting larvae with those wing-like protrusions of about 5cm in length. I have not been able to find the moth of it yet but it is yellow with three white spots on each wing.

Brown Pansy (Junonia natalica)

Family Nymphalidae Nymphalinae

 They have a very restricted area in which they are found along the eastern coast just below and above Swaziland.

 A biggish butterfly 45-50mm.

 They are found along forest edges as well as gardens and parks.

Info: Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa (Steve Woodhall)

Tiger Beetle (Habrodera nitidula)

Family Carabidae Cincindelinae

 I have to wonder that something so small and insignificant looking at first can be so spectacular when viewed close-up?

 This beetle of less than 1cm in body length has the most amazing colours and patterns.

 This is one of the winged species and to try to photograph them is almost impossible without catching them first and putting them in my fishtank so they don’t fly off.

Grass Jewel Blue (Chilades trochylus)

Family Lycaenidae Lycaeninae

Just one shot of this one before it took off and I had to adjust it a lot before I could see the butterfly. :)

A tiny butterfly and fairly common in SA except for the arid regions.

Metallic Tree Darkling (Strongylium purpuripenne)

Family Tenebrionidae

Large beetles of up to 26mm. They are often found climbing trees.

Frog in car

This Painted Reed Frog baby seems determined to live with me. LOL!!

It has now been about three weeks that he has traveled around in my car and I wonder what he finds to eat.

First I found him in the doorjam and I was scared to close it incase I hurt him but he would just move to the inner part of the door. Then he appeared on the windscreen wipers but luckily it has not rained. :)

Nile Crocodile

One of their purposes in nature is to control the amount of catfish in the rivers and streams.

Without this control, rivers would soon be stripped of all vegetation without which, smaller fish, turtles etc. would not be able to survive.

A distance of up to twenty kilometres will be walked by them at night in search of another water hole or stream if their current one dries up.

Their favourite food is medium sized antelope which they kill by holding it underwater until it drowns and then they will break off large portions by shaking it about and swallow it hooves and all. One impala, for example, take approximately twenty eight days to digest and so they will not feed again will during that time.