Fred's Carnivorous Plants and other oddities

[fermi de Sousa]

For all we know, it's going to take some time from this moment on (as) we've only just begun.

cheers
fermi
PS thank goodness we didn't decide they were Bee Gees!

[fredg]

This is the one that got away. It's a male Araneus shortly after mating ( repeatedly). The female was very compliant and actually met him half way on the web several times. Unfortunately the light wasn't good enough to capture the sequence on camera.

[fredg]

This morning, I managed to get the camera on the impregnated female from last night.

[fredg]

This plant arrived in a job lot I purchased a couple of years ago. Today it presented me with this.



I have it labelled as Frithia pulchra v. minima as it's somewhat smaller than the species.
The whole plant is about 1" square so in reality it looks more like this.

[Maggi Young]

This plant arrived in a job lot I purchased a couple of years ago. Today it presented me with this.
I have it labelled as Frithia pulchra v. minima as it's somewhat smaller than the species.
The whole plant is about 1" square so in reality it looks more like this

Cute little critter!  Love the  deep pink outers. 

[fredg]

A cute little Hoverfly on a Delosperma flower. Length 8 - 10 m.



Sphaerophoria sp.?

[fredg]

A larger image of the Frithia for Maggi.

[Maggi Young]

A larger image of the Frithia for Maggi.

Thanks Fred, it's  lovely!Fascinating surface  on the leaves, too.  Like a cat's tongue.

[fredg]

I found this on a sunflower leaf. Anyone care to ID?

[Maggi Young]

I found this on a sunflower leaf. Anyone care to ID?

Don't know- but  you'd think the  answer would  be  transparent, wouldn't  you?!!   

[fredg]

Oh my, I don't know whether to larva cry. 🥳

Edit; I do know the answer now but have a go anyway 😀👍

[Maggi Young]

My knowledge of such things is woefully small - guess is an aphid-eating predator  of  some  sort?

[fredg]

Good guess Maggi 👍

[fredg]

OK time up, Maggi wins. It's a Hoverfly larva 👍

[Maggi Young]

OK time up, Maggi wins. It's a Hoverfly larva 👍

Whoohoo! I won -  Pity I was the only entrant!!  I decided it didn't look like it ate  plants, so that left bug-eating, and seems that's right. A triumph for elimination of possibilities - thanks for the  brain teaser, Fred!