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Guatemala
Agonoscelis rutila
Family: Pentatomidae (stink bugs)
Order: Hemiptera
Although an Australian native insect, this bug usually feeds on the sap of introduced Horehound plants, or others in the mint family (Lamiaceae) sometimes causing wilting. Although they prefer Lamiaceae, they are known to aggregate on a variety of other plants. In this case I think it is a different plant family; Billy Goat Weed, Ageratum sp. in the family Asteraceae. They also feed on various seeds including the Horehound.
The species is quite communal and aggregates with others of the species on the target plants. It has the capability to control the spread of the Horehound plant, which is considered to be a weed. However the Bug is the target of parasitoid wasps including the introduced egg parasitoid, Trissolcus basalis. Ironically this wasp was introduced to Australia to control another bug, the Green Vegetable Bug but has turned to preying on the native Horehound bug (and 25 other native bugs as well). So it seems that an introduced wasp is preventing a native bug from controlling an introduced weed!
This was a focus stacked image from 46 individual handheld shots using a 90mm Sony lens and a Sony A7R with flash. The stacking was done using Boltnev and Kacher's "Focus Stacker" app.
References:
Loch AD & Walter GH (1999) Multiple host use by the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) in a soybean agricultural system: biological control and environmental implications. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 1: 271-280.
Woodlands Historical Park
whp.altervista.org/weeds/marrubium-vulgare.php
DSC03631_DSC03687-2
Agonoscelis rutila
Family: Pentatomidae (stink bugs)
Order: Hemiptera
Although an Australian native insect, this bug usually feeds on the sap of introduced Horehound plants, or others in the mint family (Lamiaceae) sometimes causing wilting. Although they prefer Lamiaceae, they are known to aggregate on a variety of other plants. In this case I think it is a different plant family; Billy Goat Weed, Ageratum sp. in the family Asteraceae. They also feed on various seeds including the Horehound.
The species is quite communal and aggregates with others of the species on the target plants. It has the capability to control the spread of the Horehound plant, which is considered to be a weed. However the Bug is the target of parasitoid wasps including the introduced egg parasitoid, Trissolcus basalis. Ironically this wasp was introduced to Australia to control another bug, the Green Vegetable Bug but has turned to preying on the native Horehound bug (and 25 other native bugs as well). So it seems that an introduced wasp is preventing a native bug from controlling an introduced weed!
This was a focus stacked image from 46 individual handheld shots using a 90mm Sony lens and a Sony A7R with flash. The stacking was done using Boltnev and Kacher's "Focus Stacker" app.
The family name “Pentatomidae” is from the Greek word pente meaning “five” and tomos meaning “section” - referring to the five segmented antennae in this family.
The Pentatomidae family are commonly called “shield bugs” in English, or “stink bugs” in American English.
See also iNaturalist:
inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/208082463
References:
Loch AD & Walter GH (1999) Multiple host use by the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) in a soybean agricultural system: biological control and environmental implications. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 1: 271-280.
Woodlands Historical Park
whp.altervista.org/weeds/marrubium-vulgare.php
DSC03556_DSC03627-2
Agonoscelis rutila
Family: Pentatomidae (stink bugs)
Order: Hemiptera
As the common name implies, this bug usually feeds on Horehound plants, in the mint family (Lamiaceae).
This is a focus stack of three shots taken with a 100-400mm lens and a flash fitted with a CJ Diffuser. (Usually it isn't possible to use a flash with a long lens for close up work without harsh flash reflections. I was quite pleased with the diffuser's impact in this regard.)
DSC06457_DSC06487_DSC06493-2_DSC06493
Moths of Borneo: Gunung Trusmadi
The Borneo Jungle Girl Camp or Trus Madi Entomology Camp sits deep in the lush forests of Gunung Trusmadi, Sabah — the northern-most state of Malaysian Borneo. It is a Class 1 Fully Protected Forestry Reserve on Mount Trusmadi, the second highest mountain in Malaysia, standing at 2642 meters (8668 feet) tall.
At Borneo Jungle Girl Camp, I stayed for 4 nights with a group of friends and returned with almost 7000 photos, recording almost 600 species of moths and lots of other insects and arachnids. Photos from other taxonomic groups will be uploaded to my Flickr collections and split into taxonomic groups.
View the checklist at https://www.nickybay.com/moths-of-borneo-gunung-trusmadi/
Old illustration of Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). By John Gould, publ. In London, 1862 – 1873
This photo was taken on the occasion of the "Rom 39 v. Chr." role-playing game on November 26th 2022 (German spoken roleplay).
Visit this location at Rom 39 v. Chr. (A) in Second Life
La Garita, Alajuela, Costa Rica, América Central
Parque Estadual do Espinilho - Barra do Quaraí, RS, Brazil.
Known locally as "corta-ramos".
Plantcutters are "cotingas" (family Cotingidae) but they resemble finches, and are among the few primarily folivorous birds, though they also take some fruits, berries and flowers.
This species is found widely in woodland and scrub of south-eastern and south-central South America.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Tyranni
Family: Cotingidae
Subfamily: Phytotominae
Genus: Phytotoma Molina, 1782
Species: P. rutila Vieillot, 1818
Binomial name: Phytotoma rutila
Chestnut Bunting (鏽鵐) Emberiza rutila on Dongyin Island, Lienchiang County, Taiwan during spring migration along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Chestnut Bunting (鏽鵐) Emberiza rutila on Dongyin Island, Lienchiang County, Taiwan during spring migration along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Turkestan Red Pika
(Ochotona rutila)
Ile-Alatau National Park,
Tien Shan mountains,
Kazakhstan
El macho del cortarramas es de un bonito color rufo en su frente, pecho y ventral, dorso gris con filetes blancos. Se posa en sitios visibles donde emite un quejido como un balido.
El macho del cortarramas es de un bonito color rufo en su frente, pecho y ventral, dorso gris con filetes blancos. Se posa en sitios visibles donde emite un quejido como un balido.
El macho del cortarramas es de un bonito color rufo en su frente, pecho y ventral, dorso gris con filetes blancos. Se posa en sitios visibles donde emite un quejido como un balido.
El macho del cortarramas es de un bonito color rufo en su frente, pecho y ventral, dorso gris con filetes blancos. Se posa en sitios visibles donde emite un quejido como un balido.
