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Post by tod2 on Nov 6, 2010 10:23:01 GMT
Bixa, I couldn't I know some people take a delight in eating Mopani Worms - thanks, but NO thanks! Now I have to know if you go for the flying ant guacumole/salsa
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2010 11:43:18 GMT
I grew up in a land of insects, and you know what? As much as I enjoy looking at all of these great photos, I don't miss them one bit.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 18, 2010 16:17:37 GMT
These worms have appeared in the last 3 days and seem to be spinning some kind of web on the top of the cycad seed pod.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2010 20:25:44 GMT
A very well taken photos, tod. Funny how those worms looks so pretty and yet so gross at the same time.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2010 22:36:34 GMT
I am always so curious as to into what a caterpillar will transform itself.
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Post by myrt on Nov 19, 2010 16:59:58 GMT
Oo...that's a cracking picture! Are you able to watch it and see what happens? Be interesting....
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Post by tod2 on Nov 20, 2010 6:45:09 GMT
This morning I dashed outside before it gets too hot - 37C today!I detected a faint 'fruit' smell around the cycad and saw one lonely bee buzzing around the cone-shaped fruit/seed. About what kind of worm, I think it must be of the Tentworm species because there are regular outbreaks of worms when a cluster of new leaves appears and they devour everything We've tried spraying with chemicals and even dishwasher liquid but they seem to survive. I thought only butterflies and moths laid eggs but these photos show eggs/worm poo? in clusters on the seeds. I could see the worms are feeding off the very furry edge of the seed. The worms seem a yellow colour and then turn orange and grow hair it seems. Here's what they do to my cycads! Taken this morning but the damage is months old.
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Post by myrt on Nov 20, 2010 8:54:26 GMT
OMG! What superb pictures........but Oh no! The horrid little things are destroying your beautiful tree....what a dilemma! If you remove the seeds with the crawlies in won't they just die? Or be grub for something else to eat? Surely some creature or other will devour them....
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Post by tod2 on Nov 21, 2010 7:48:01 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 22, 2010 6:24:48 GMT
I presume that you do not want a chemical solution.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 23, 2010 16:55:03 GMT
No I don't mind really - I read in one of those links that I should use Chlorpiriflos which I;m sure I have used on other garden pests. It stinks so if I do, will wear a doctors mask. The cone has grown even taller but is very eaten at the top. The 'fruit' smell is very strong now.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 24, 2010 3:42:27 GMT
Hanging on my hung-out laundry this morning ~~
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Post by tod2 on Nov 24, 2010 4:24:23 GMT
How perfectly beautiful Bixa! Looks like a brooch made of gold and silver. It is a dragonfly of course and by nature quite a vicious little creature! That was good of you to spot him before it took off Great great photo!
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Post by myrt on Nov 24, 2010 8:13:19 GMT
That is beautiful! What a perfect creature - a mini dragon. You've captured the gossamer wings in the first image really perfectly, Bixa - fantastic pictures!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2010 21:51:58 GMT
Outstanding Bixa!!! I want to wear it as a brooch yes!!! Your new camera is liking you!! Fantastic!!!!!!!
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 25, 2010 6:34:51 GMT
You all are too kind ~~ thanks!
I'm still not in control of the camera, so took a bunch of pics in order to get some acceptable ones. Tod, it was no trick to catch a photo before it took off -- it stayed there a long time, maybe waiting for the morning to warm up.
Digital cameras are such miracles in the way they capture things that we can't always see with the naked eye.
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 2, 2010 8:00:02 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Dec 20, 2010 13:21:40 GMT
He OR she is beautiful Bixa! Could almost be a flying zebra?
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Post by tod2 on Dec 20, 2010 13:28:12 GMT
Here are those dratted worms that eat my cycad plants. The big yellow worms were only after the fruit part of the cycad, these tinier worms are far more destructive!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2010 17:38:11 GMT
But of course you left them there so that they could grow up to be the most beautiful butterflies ever, I suppose.
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Post by tod2 on Dec 21, 2010 4:38:44 GMT
Funnily I have! But tomorrow their numbers up - I will have to cut the whole leaf away and destroy the eggs otherwise I will have miserable looking cycads.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2010 19:23:48 GMT
He's very cute, Kimby. I'd like to hold him.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 22, 2010 19:35:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2010 19:39:07 GMT
No kidding? One foot across? Yes, kids are not so cute once they become 6' 2" (Like my son)
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Post by tod2 on Jan 24, 2011 10:25:58 GMT
This beauty (his mother thinks so...) is a Monitor Lizard or in South Africa they are referred to as "leguaan", from the Dutch for Water Monitor (Varanus mertensi). They hang around rivers and are brilliant swimmers. I have no idea exactly which Monitor this is as there are dozens of species. He was lying on a rock in the river trying to catch some rays as we crossed over the bridge and happen to spot him and get this shot.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 24, 2011 18:25:53 GMT
Super photo, Tod.
How big is that beautiful beast? I love reptiles!
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 30, 2011 3:52:33 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Jan 30, 2011 15:49:42 GMT
Beautiful Bixa - such clear detail too!
The Monitor Lizard was approx. 1metre long - head to tail
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2011 21:44:37 GMT
Monarch butterfly caterpillar on milkweed plant. ( all he needs is a hookah pipe!!! )
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Post by bixaorellana on May 18, 2011 6:24:29 GMT
Oh -- love that caterpillar pic! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, hello there! What's this? Oooooo Goodbye now. (the yellow flower is only an inch wide)
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