Bugs and Spiders and Snails, oh my!

Discussion in 'General Chatter' started by artistformerlyknownasdave, Aug 21, 2017.

  1. hyrax

    hyrax we'll ride 'till the planets collide

    aww that's great! i have to keep an eye out for them now, i want to befriend a bold jumpy buddy. :D

    i just. looking at those pics and imagining being the size of an ant, and facing down this predator, and how intimidating they must be. big and robust. sharp vision. fast enough to catch a grasshopper. strong enough to hold onto it. a matte black color that absorbs all light-- except on its huge, glittering fangs, shining out of the darkness as it comes for you. this powerful, terrifying creature... with a smiley face on its butt.
     
    • Agree x 2
  2. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

  3. Deresto

    Deresto Foolish Mortal



    This is adorable
     
    • Agree x 2
    • Winner x 1
  4. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

  5. Misty Pond

    Misty Pond Well-Known Member

    • Winner x 2
  6. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

    i... was not expecting that. :D
     
    • Like x 1
  7. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

    barb and i found a whole lot of these when i was getting used to my wheelchair in the park

    beetle.jpeg

    and she told me they eat grapevines and i was like OH NO because they're so pretty but i don't want my grapevines ate! but i just looked them up and actually they eat milkweed and dogsbane, so i can love them unreservedly.

    i don't know from beetles, there's just so many. :P
     
    • Agree x 1
    • Winner x 1
  8. Exohedron

    Exohedron Doesn't like words

    This guy was hanging out at the bottom of my door all day. For scale, that's about a foot of wingspan.
    20190730_183240.jpg
    20190730_183240.jpg
     
    • Winner x 8
  9. Deresto

    Deresto Foolish Mortal

    Gorgeous
     
    • Agree x 5
  10. Saro

    Saro Where is wizard hut

    BIG
     
    • Agree x 6
  11. Loq

    Loq rotating like a rotisserie chicknen

    look at this delightful snap a friend sent me
    Screenshot_20190709-075656.png
     
    • Winner x 8
  12. Deresto

    Deresto Foolish Mortal

    Snail family, or snamily
     
    • Agree x 7
    • Like x 1
  13. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

    imperial moth!! wow, what a find! apparently in some lights those brown markings look tyrian purple.
     
    • Informative x 3
  14. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

    i was WRONGO. my memory was incorrect! those wee guys are quite common hereabouts, but the ones that are so plentiful at the park right now are these invasive jerkbutts:

    [​IMG]

    japanese beetles. invasive, eat the living hell out of grapevines, fruit trees, and basically everything else you don't want eaten. we went back to look and found many. i was wrong and @rorleuaisen was right, here is a trophy. :D

    it's too bad they're such lousy guests, because they're awful cute.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2019
    • Agree x 1
    • Witnessed x 1
  15. Exohedron

    Exohedron Doesn't like words

    Can insects get dizzy if they land on a ceiling fan blade and some asshole turns the fan on? Asking for a friend.
     
    • Like x 1
    • Agree x 1
  16. Saro

    Saro Where is wizard hut

    I don't know if anyone can really answer that. Dizziness in humans is caused by the movement of fluid in the ear. I don't believe any insects have the same kind of structures (obviously no bones, and nothing nearly as complicated as a mammalian ear). It's difficult to know if an insect might experience something akin to dizziness because they don't have homologous* structures that we can point to and say "This probably functions like ours because it's similar".

    * I'm using homologous slightly incorrectly here but it gets the point across.

    ETA and also, of course, the fact that they can't communicate how they feel with us. We might be able to see some behavioral changes after being spun (I don't know if this is the case, I haven't gone searching the lit for that kind of study), but are these due to "dizziness", something similar but different, or something else altogether that just happens to manifest in a way that seems like dizziness to a human observer?

    Most likely buggy will get off the fan, either by its own efforts or because it's flung off.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2019
    • Informative x 3
  17. Exohedron

    Exohedron Doesn't like words

    Well now it's stuck in the little bowl holding the lights attached to the fan.
     
    • Witnessed x 2
  18. jacktrash

    jacktrash spherical sockbox

    i've never seen a bug fly funny after riding a ceiling fan, and we've got fans in every major room in this house, so i've seen a lot of bugs land on them and then fly away. they seem to follow their usual flight patterns afterwards. so no, i don't think they get dizzy.

    someone should totally do the science though.
     
    • Agree x 1
    • Informative x 1
  19. Yesterday we had a moth in the break room at work, like I’m sorry sir but this area is for employees only
     
    • Like x 5
    • Witnessed x 1
  20. hyrax

    hyrax we'll ride 'till the planets collide

    [​IMG]
    (x)

    xkcd calling out everyone in this thread
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
    • Agree x 4
    • Like x 1
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice