Tuesday, November 30, 2010

(Day 334) Beauty and the beast

We've certainly discovered a lot of beauty here in the sub-tropics - plants, flowers, trees, animals. And we've only been here a short while and have lots to discover yet. Today, however, as my wife turned over a rock that she wanted me to move out of sight somewhere into the backyard, she discovered 'the beast'. I have no idea what this ferocious looking underground dweller is called but back home where we have some similar creatures I make short work of them. However, (and this is where 333 days of project 365 is starting to pay off) my wife told me to get the camera instead !

This one was 5 cm/2 in long. I'm glad these creatures of the underworld don't grow on a human-size scale.

(both photos made with a 60mm macro lens, at f5.6, shutter speed of 1/200 and 1/100 sec)



19 comments:

Unknown said...

How cool! And really gross at the same time. I love his little spiky feets! :o)

marty said...

si tu en trouves plusieurs, tu les fais griller au barbecue ! avec une petite salade verte c'est délicieux ! bon appétit Rick !!
je pars, j'ai peur qu'il traverse l'écran de mon computer !
bisous

Alexander DeLarge said...

Gross! Sorry but that fat thing is awful... I'm too sensitive about bugs n' stuff. I hate them. Cool picture the one down this one though ;)

Alex.

becky said...

He reminds me of what I'd call a "potato bug." probably not the official name, haha! Hope you're enjoying some beautiful Florida weather, Rick. I am now in sunny southern cal, spending an early holiday w/ family... so not much time for blogging, but I thought I'd come over & see what you're up to. Day 333- wow!

Michelle said...

Is this a grub? I agree that it is both gross and intriguing at the same time!

Rick said...

Krista - yeah, I agree - kinda gross, but fascinating. I would never have known they had those spiky little 'feets' till I saw the macro. Thanks for stopping by !

Marty - LOL :-0 I'll see if I can send some over to you -we'll look under the rock in the morning ;-) Bisous crawling over to you !

Thanks Alex - they are a tad gross, aren't they !

Hi Becky - glad to read you've made it to S. Cal ! Hope you're having a great time there ! Thanks for stopping by.

Thank you Soraia !

Farmchick - I think so - I think they're the type that attack your lawn (I had to dispatch him to grub heaven after the photo shoot !).

Dawn said...

ewwww.
Bravo for your wife telling you to get the camera. I would have bolted and yelped....or screamed. (and not in that specific order.)

You take great pictures with good detail.
So good in fact I am checking my sweater for crawly things;)

Scott Law said...

Great detail on this little beastie. Love those antennae and the little hairs. I think the warmth and weather of Florida encourages some weird wildlife. Some of it beautiful.

darlin said...

Rick, I have to agree with others here EWWWWW, now I'm going to be feeling creepy crawling things on me and won't be able to sleep tonight but I guess that I should thank you... I have more writing to do! lol

Awesome closeup, too much detail for me though! As I shudder! lol And your wife told you to get the camera... wow, I'd be with Dawn and heading for the hills!

Carolyn Ford said...

I sense a nightmare will visit me tonight...

Hope said...

Ewwww.. and what is worse is that my husband while walking by the computer as I sat looking at your second photo said.. "oh that looks good.. is it a doughnut?.. my mouth dropped.. and I just stared at him.. with a horrified look . and said NO..told him to go and put on his glasses.. which he did.. looked at it again.. and said ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..
great capture of that little beast..
a doughnut.. can you believe that?
"shuddering".. think my hubby needs help..
"smile"

Karin / Southern Meadows said...

As a gardener I hate grubs. They turn into those pesky Japanese beetles that feast on my plants. That being said, from a photographers standpoint they are great! Somehow looking at them so close up reminds me of Jabba the Hut from Star Wars!

Julia said...

¡¡Muy buen macro!!

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

Yuck! Looks like you are having fun down there!

Rick said...

Dawn - ha ha ! I hope you didn't find anything on your sweater ! Hope I made up for this one with today's post ;-)

I'll have to get a macro of the roaches down here Scott - I may have to pin one - they move pretty fast ! Thank you for your comment.

Isn't that great Darlene that my wife thought of the camera BEFORE escape ! The weeks of training are paying off ;-)

I hope you survived the night Carolyn ! ;-)

Somewhere on earth there's likely someone who might relish that little thing on a barbecue ! I mean, there are people who eat snails, right ? Good thing your husband got his glasses ;-) A doughnut ?? That's too funny, Hope !

Hi Karin ! Thanks for dropping by and commenting. I agree about grubs - only good as food for birds ! LOL - Jabba the Hut - I do see the resemblance !

Gracias Julia !

"Digging around in a piece of ground ... " Yep - sometimes the yuck can take on some beauty. Thanks for stopping by Kyria !

Katherine said...

In Australia this grub is known as a witchetty grub and the native aboriginals eat them...cooked or straight from mother earth.. If I had to eat these, I know for a fact I wouldn't be fighting to keep some sort of a waist line.

Rick said...

Eeeew Katherine - doubtful we're going to see that on the menu at McDonalds !

Katherine said...

Yeh imagine that Witchetty Wraps or maybe Witchetty Fries ... Eeeww

Rick said...

"Would you like me to SuperSize that ?"

;-)