Nature close up, What did you see out there? Options

[Denise]

Fantastic pictures golden journey! That one shot looks really cool from under the flower, good job.

Here is one of a wildflower leaf that's the size of my pinky nail. I didnt use a tripod, but I probably should have so the picture would have turned out better. I'll have to try this one again so I can get a shot that you can see the reflection in the dew drips, and better detail of the furry leaf.

[Coalbunny]

I'm with Timmy.

I want to find out what's at the bottom of something like that. Here is a pic of a nasty little critter. This one was only about 4 inches in size, "Barely Legal"

Solifugae. Appears to be specifically a female Eremobates sp. (palpisetulosus group).

[Woody]

Thanks for the info Coalbunny,

I certainly never knew of their scientific name but am well acquainted with them as Camel Spiders or Wind Scorpions. We even have a similar species here in Colorado just referred to as Wind Scorpion. There is much, "untruths", surrounding these critters but I can personally account for their voracious apatite. In Iraq G.I.s would put them in jars and feed them everything they could find. It is amazing how much they can eat. But I do believe they will kill themselves if over feed. By over feeding them I mean, someone would through a Scorpion in the jar and it would eat it, no sooner then it finished that someone would through in another full sized Camel Spider and the looser of that fight would get eaten, on and on until it dies and then they get another.

The one in the 1st pic was last year in Southern Iraq. This new pic is a few years ago in Northern Iraq. Down South there is only the one type, up North there seems to be a variety. Have a good one, Woody.

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[Denise]

Gads Woody! The spider pictures make my skin crawl!!
Since you posted that pic and mentioned Colorado has some (wind scorpions), I have been seeing them all over the place. One even came after me while I was working in the garden. Why so agressive, what did I ever do?

I also had this big feller smack me right in the forehead, but I can't seem to be able to identify what it is.
It looks like some kind of Cicada, but Im not sure.

Any ideas from any of you bug fans? Its a little larger than a quarter.

Close up picture of its face....Almost looks like an evil old lady with glasses.



Side view.

[Woody]

This looks like the result of a bad joke;

A Shis-tzu, a Hores fly, and a Locus walk into a bar............
Clams on a half-wing......
This is your brain on drugs, any questions??


Looking at that first pic again I think it has finally happened, "when Pigs Fly".


Seriously, I think someone took this sucker apart and lost a few pieces when they put him back together again. Not a clue.



About them Wind Scorpions, We found one last week. We were sitting out front and one just crawled up the wall right by my Stepson's face.
Have a good one, woody.

[Denise]

Too funny Woody, but you do make a good point.

Strange watching it "clean its face" ! Amazing how big its head was, and how far it could twist it around while cleaning.

It was fascinating, I would really love to know what it was.

[swizz]

I stumbled upon this while on a fishing adventure in Southern Colorado.

This is only a portion of the complete jawbone (showing 1/2 of the lower still attached to 1/4 of the upper jaw) and is roughly 9" long.
The longer teeth shown are 1/2" in length and about 1/8" diameter.

If living... my hand and wrist could probably fit in it's mouth and difficult to remove (ouch if that ever happened ).

Any guesses?

Hint: I did not post this on the Fossil forum. It's an existing toothy predator.

[Denise]

Cool find Chris, but scary! More reasons Carl doesn't dredge.
My guess would be a big tiger muskie. That or a pike, but Im more thinking muskie.

[swizz]

That or a pike

BING!
Pike it is... from the shores of Spinney. And I'm thinking it was a large one.

[Denise]

Very cool, and thanks for the heads up! I will make sure I don't dip my toes too long in the shores of Spinney next time i'm there.

I haven't been able to get out as much this year yet, but I sure have been seeing some strange things around our place.
Here is a cool little lizard that surprised me in the garden....Or was it me that surprised it? It looked like a snake, but moved like lightning and had legs. This was the best picture I could get of it hiding. I didn't want to harass it, so I took the picture and left it alone. Poor things was breathing like it had ran a marathon from my scare. I just wish I had gotten a better look at it to see what kind it was.

[SandAway]

I have tons of photos I could share, but since flowers seems to be a good theme:

[Denise]

Beautiful Columbine pictures SandAway! Not alot of wildflowers where I am now, so Im always happy to see them in the forum, thanks. Bugs I do get to see, and alot of them!



Ahhh, love is in the air.......... Robber fly style. Beats seeing them eating other bugs right?

[Denise]

CP has been so busy lately that he hasn't had alot of time to post in the forums, but he's still enjoying seeing the little things nature has to offer when he's out working. Cool shot Dan, very pretty moth!!

[swizz]

wow! Both excellent and interesting macro pics.
The Robber Fly pic should be named Creepshow Erotica!
Seriously though, both pics are nearly textbook quality, nice work!

[Coalbunny]

I have tons of photos I could share, but since flowers seems to be a good theme:

I try to do similar shots, but my camera, a Nikon CoolPix L19, either doesn't have that capability or I havn't figured it out yet.
Besides, I end up using a tripod if I want good pics, I usually shake too much as it is.