The butterfly and the mantis

Once again it was a case of not knowing what I had until I saw it on the computer. I was concentrating so hard on getting the shot of this butterfly, that I did not notice the mantis until later. :) I could not see his open wings but I think it is the White-barred Acraea

Lions - Part 2

I have given a lot of interesting facts about lions before so I am not going to include them here. If you are interested and missed it you can go to this blog:

http://saphotographs.blogspot.com/2010/01/lions.html

There are more if you do a search on "lions".

Water Dikkop

Only found along the eastern shores and extreme north-eastern regions.

Mainly solitary but seen as pairs when breeding in the summer season.

Active at night but groups can be seen standing on the edges of water during the day.

Average 2 eggs per clutch which incubated in about 24 days.

Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa

Would you look at these legs!!! (Anoplocnemis curvipes)

My goodness!! If I had legs like this I could kick-start a battle-ship!! LOL!!

These are Twig Wilters (Anoplocnemis curvipes) family Coreidae.
A large bug 24mm (about 1 inch) in length.

They inject a saliva with digestive enzymes into young plants which cause them to shrivel beyond the puncture and this is what they feed on.

They have stink glands between the middle and hind legs.

I wonder why they have such small heads?

Cicadellidae sp - Leafhopper

I found this crawling on the floor in my kitchen one night. It is the nymph of the Cicadellidae family (leafhoppers) and is less than half an inch in length.
It is not known what they feed on, but thought to be herbs and/or grasses.

When I first saw it, I thought it saw some kind of jello. LOL!!

Millipede (Doratogonus flavifilis)

Family Spirostrepidae

Until recently I had never seen this millipede in Kruger National Park.

A person can get hypnotised looking at these stripes. J I wonder if that is the intention and if it does the same thing to bird which want to eat it? Or is it like zebra stripes which help to disguise it?

 With the kind help of Rene de Klerk, I finally have it identified. Thanks Rene!!

Black-shouldered Kite

Merry Christmas everyone!! Have a wonderful day!!

 

Found throughout SA and often seen perching on telephone lines.

Are great hoverers and will then swoop down to catch prey.

Eat mostly rodents but also small birds and reptiles.

Mainly solitary but sometimes seen as a pair.

Nestling cared for only by female for up to 3 months.

Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa

Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio nireus lyaeus)

Family Papilionidae Papilioninae

An extremely difficult butterfly to catch as it prefers higher areas of the trees as well as not landing anywhere so I was lucky to be able to sweep this one out of the air as it flew by after trying for two weeks to catch it!! LOL!!

 A very large butterfly with a wingspan of 7.5 – 9cm.

 It’s colours make it unmistakable to identify.
Found in most of the northern regions as well as a broad strip along the eastern coast as far south as Mossel Bay.

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

A close-up of a grasshopper

Family Acrididae (Acanthacris ruficornis) Garden Locust
I recently found this grasshopper which had just dies and it was a great opportunity to take some close-up photographs of it which one would normally not be able to get.

Two-spotted Ground Beetle

(Thermophilum homoplatum) This is a large beetle, about 2.5 inches in length.
If you disturb it, it is quite prone to playing dead and hoping that you will go away. "You ain't kidding me mate, not until I have my pictures." (I wonder if he understood me? LOL!!)

It preys on other ground dwelling insects.

For more extremely interesting information on this and other beetles, please visit Beetles in the Bush by Ted MacRae, a site well worth the visit.