Insect Photo: Akahoshikamemushi in Japanese

Here's a Bright Red Bug

 

 

The day this thing crossed my path, I was using a 50-500mm lens.

There were no birds flying nearby at the time so, I crawled around and shot this.

Red Cotton Bug (Dysdercus cingulatus) is what it is called in English and Latin.

Encyclopedia of Life is one reference, I used.

iNaturalistOrg gives plenty more information and images of these bugs.

For the Japanese audience, try アカホシカメムシ and, learn more.

ISBN4-900668-35-4 (Japanese) was used in making an identification.

A Stick Bug Still Shot and a GIF

Also Known As Walking Sticks

 

 

They probably have a Latin name for these bugs, too.

After I discovered there are hundreds of different insects like this, I'll settle for stick bug.

Here is what the rascal looked like on the walkway at Kin Dam.

When it first landed, it was in some tall grass.

Maybe, I spooked it when I lowered my tripod to get closer.

It took another short flight and landed in the grass again.

So, I lowered the tripod legs all the way down and, sat on the ground.

 There are some interesting things about these critters, you may want to know.

No 1.  They won't bite you.

No 2.  Females, don't need males, to help them make babies. 

No 3.  Stick bugs have the world record for being the longest bugs on earth.

For more information about these bugs, you should go see Debbie the Insect Expert.

She wrote, 10 Fascinating Facts About Stick Insects 

Don't Let the Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda venatoria) Scare You

Harmless to Humans

 

 

It's one of the few spiders found in Okinawa that doesn't spin webs.

If you spot one around your house, consider yourself lucky.

They eat cockroaches.

This rascal was spotted out by the back door to my office, today.

Hopefully, it's guarding the place so, no bugs can get in.

Luckily, I had time to grab a camera and flash to capture it for you.

If my wife or, the gals next door see this spider, it's a goner.

They squish or, spray the poor things like they are some sort of natural enemy.

This one is probably only half grown.

There's one of my flip-flops, to give a sense of scale.

When they grow up, they can be as large as a human's hand.

What would you rather have, one of these or, 100 cockroaches in your house?

Links:

A Story About a Giant Japanese Spider

10 Horrifying Insects That Will Make You Reconsider Ever Visiting Japan

A GIF From the Neighboor's Garden I Was Snooping Around In

They Are Getting Used to Me

 

 

The landlord and the next door neighbors, is what I'm talking about.

Maybe, the bugs and other critters, too.

It was one of those days when nobody goes out with cameras; cloudy and windy.

So, I stayed around here and did office stuff, Groan.

That put me in a not so good writing mood. It makes my brain hurt.

For awhile, I was wondering, what the heck is there to write about today.

 Bugs came along and fixed everything for me.

The Garden Isn't Very Big

An 8x12 carpet could cover the whole thing.

The landlord came by to get in his car and a had  puzzled look on his face.

He saw me with a tripod and 50-500mm lens stretched out, sitting on the ground.

He sort of shook his head and, drove away.

Maybe, I'll catch him tomorrow and show him some of the 150 shots, I took.

Big Bertha (Sigma 50-500) was put away when I shot this Leaf Hopper.

For the GIF Motion photo, I was using a 50mm prime lens.

There was another, much larger, one of these insects, I was shooting, too.

When I went in to change lenses, it vanished.

Those photos are waiting processing.

If I have a nice sharp one, I'll print it for the lady next door.

For such a small garden, she sure has lots of stuff, growing in there.

About a dozen different types of vegetables and herbs, I'd say.

The Leaf Hoppers, didn't seem to be eating her Shiso plants.

Maybe, they eat some sort of parasites and help the Shiso along. Who knows ?

The gal was telling me one day, about the Green and Red Shiso plants she has.

I told her, "I know all about them."  Your plants are on my blog !

So, it might be nice, if I gave her a photo of some sort.

Tomorrow may turn out to be a nice sunny day and, we may hop over to another island.

It all depends on whether, I can get one of my infidel friends, to do the driving.

Er, else, I'll be stuck poking around in the garden, again.

A Plains Cupid Butterfly Photo (GIF)

This ragged winged character isn't really as large at it appears in the image.

The butterfly is just a tad bigger than a thumbnail. 

The insect was staying fairly still. But, the wind was raising a ruckus with it.

So, I spot-focused to try and catch the colors and action.

Using the Sigma 50-500 lens at 420mm and Pentax K3, I took a series of shots.

Then, uploaded them into that Auto Awesomenator thing.

There aren't any butterflies like this in my Yanbaru Field Guide so, I searched online.

Plains Cupid, Cycad Blue and, Chilades pandava are the names I came up with.

Butterflies of India lists them as Oriental Plains Cupid.

Learn About Butterflies says they may be found in Thailand, Malaysia and Borneo.

Butterflies of Sri Lanka has a few photos of them, too. 

Over on Flickr there's an awesome macro shot taken in Kuala Lumpur.

The good old boys at Wiki, confirmed these critters are in India and Singapore. 

Do you suppose, we should tell them Okinawa, Japan, has them, too ?

Help Wanted: Is This Bug A Fly or a Bee ? (Images)

Sometimes It's OK to Ask for Help

 

 

Over in Okinawa, Japan we're having Obon this week.

It's a real busy time of year, with events going-on day and night so, I'll be out and about a lot.

This series of photos was taken two months ago in the Higashi area of Okinawa.

There haven't been enough spare hours in the day for me to identify the critter.

When I first spotted it, I was thinking, it's an odd-colored fly.

Chasing it around, to get photos from as many angles as possible, I noticed something.

Besides, not wanting to stay in one place too long, it liked flowers.

It really would be nice if someone could come up with a scientific name for this bug.

Right now, I'm not sure if it's a fly or, a bee !



Free To A Good Home: A Glabripennis Thingy (Photo Essay)

Asian Longhorn Beetle Needs a Place to Stay

 

It started last night when I found this creature about to enter the highway.

Coming back from the coffee machine, I spotted the bug on the sidewalk curb.

So, I picked it up and brought it to my office.

 The highway is no place for one of these little critters to be walking.

 This morning I let it out of the cage for some photography.

The Longhorn Beetle is an Anoplophra glabripennis to those who speak Latin.

An old blue envelope and strobe flash were used to take a few photos.

The insect acted a bit upset with me.

Normally, I don't like using flash but, I had no idea how fast this thing might move.

It wasn't going to hang around on that envelope for very long.

Once the rascal jumped down on the floor I had to move real fast, to take photos.

Then, I grabbed the envelope, again, to escort the critter out the door.

 The bug acted like it was all riled-up about something.

 All used-up and being tossed out like an old shoe, it may have been thinking.

 I shook it off at the bottom of the stairs and went back in the office.

A minute later, I looked over at the door and saw the critter trying to come back in.

There isn't enough time in the day nor, days in the week, for me to take care of this thing.

 Ever so gently, I kept pushing the creature back out the door.

There's no telling what you're supposed to feed them and, I'm too busy to find out.

 The little bug kept coming back.

And, insisting it be allowed in the office.

An incredibly stubborn insect, it wouldn't quit trying to come back inside.

So, I made a deal.  You stay in my office, in the cage, until I find you a good home.

If anybody is looking for one of these glabripennis thingies, come and get it.

You can have it free, cage included !

If you want to know more about the Longhorn Beetle

Unidentified Flower but Know the Butterfly Name

This flower photo was taken in northern Okinawa, Japan.

Talking to a woman in the village office, I got the name Tokuri.

So, I figured, that would narrow my search for a scientific name down.

It didn't.

Groan.

This butterfly came onto the scene and I know what his name is.

He's an Orange-tip.

If somebody comes along and correctly ID's that flower, I'll give them a printable photo file.

They can have one with, or without the insect.

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