Sunday, December 2, 2012

They lurk among us

We're approaching a cumulative couple of years of living in the sub-tropics. During that time we've become acquainted with some of its wildlife, and I've been fortunate to be able to capture some of it. As a northerner I find the variety of living things here fascinating and I try not to miss an opportunity to capture and find out more about them.

Another such opportunity presented itself this week as I was preparing to do battle against a relatively new strain (to Florida) of whitefly that fancies ficus plants (I'll let you know the outcome in a few weeks). I spotted this beastie on the driveway as it looked primed to invade our home. After deciding it might wait a few more moments, I ran and grabbed the camera, got prone on the driveway, faced the alien and made a few photos of it. Turns out that this nasty and destructive bug is a mole cricket. It's normally nocturnal, and those 'paddles' you can clearly see are for digging (hence 'mole'). Sometimes it's better not to know what's crawling around out there in the dark !

Since my bug philosophy is to dispatch first and get information later, he was quickly consigned to bug purgatory. Somehow the song 'All things bright and beautiful' didn't come to mind as I later saw the photos on the screen. Judge for yourself.



22 comments:

Stephanie said...

Impressive macro of the critter, certainly not an attractive looking bug. Great shots though.

ju-north said...

I didn't linger ....

Lúcia said...

Looks are not the most important thing...
Have a good week Rick! ;-)

Katherine said...

Oooo...nup not something I would want crawling around. It is however a fascinating specimen. Great shots Rick. Hope life's been treating you well.

biebkriebels said...

It is interesting to watch the bug so close. But I wouldn't have it close to my place.

Unknown said...

I find the shield on it's head pretty impressive!

Greetz,


Joseph

Dagmar said...

Uhhh uuhhuu yep, sure, right....sigh sorry to say Rick but this one give me the shivers.
I know I know all creations are heavenly and you sure did a heck of a job taking this shot..but still....uhhhh no thanks. Brrrrr.
Hugs Dagmar

Bitch said...

Nice pet, Rick!
But it is very small really???

imac said...

He's a beauty Rick, real sharp photography too.

Anonymous said...

Rick, imagine that bugs like these would enlarge into a size of a dog or cat, even a mouse, that would be really creepy. I don't like how this one looks but it isn't interested in my opinion and its look may suit it very well...

The "paddles" resemble mole's forepaws, don't they?

Pamela Gordon said...

Oh that's just gross. I can see where movie people come up with ideas for strange creatures from outer space that come in hordes to destroy the earth. :) Creepy indeed.

Lisa Gordon said...

Rick, these are amazing macros!
Beautifully done.

darlin said...

Rick these critters are nasty looking... ewwww. I must say they're fantastic close ups, too close up for my personal liking though! lol

I love your header, I wanna be on that beach instead of shovelling snow... and the song "You can't always get what you want" just popped into my head!

Have a wonderful week, my request for your next post... something pretty please! lol

Amelia said...

Hi Rick, this bug may not be friendly and I don't like him either... but your closed up shot is fantastic. Big and clear, very well taken. 2 thumbs up for you.

Have a nice week ahead,regards.

papillon said...

Hi,
we are visting your blog for the first time, it is really full of detailed and beautiful images of animals. Your increased insects are very interesting. In this size they look pretty scary.
Greetings J&C

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Great macro shot but not the most endearing creature judging by sight. So are they a real pest or are they harmless?

Marty said...

bonjour Rick ! avec la photo macro, on découvre les petites bêtes comme on ne les regarde jamais !
images extraordinaires ! incroyables espèces dans le petit monde des insectes ! passionnant !
liebe grüsse et big bisous Rick

Linda said...

Ah, but beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Great closeups, Rick!

Karin / Southern Meadows said...

Fascinating! That is a great macro and I love to see all the details of insects that elude us most of the time. This may be a "pest" but they all serve a purpose in the garden...I am sure someone will find him a tasty meal :)

Lea said...

I love the details. That cricket is also a proof of how wonderful God's creations are. Nice shots, Rick!

Here I Am Carrie said...

Holy Moly rick that is one ugly bug. but one awesome photo of a very scary looking creature.

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

Yay! I know my southern bugs and knew it was a mole cricket, but have never seen one so beautifully photographed. I see a lot of these in our area, especially in moist front yards.