Insects

Some pictures of the fun, interesting, and HUGE bugs around us.

Processionary caterpillars:

 This is only about a quarter of the line of the caterpillars.  More about them here.

Stick Insect on our kitchen window

Leaf Insect on our garage wall

Crazy looking grasshopper

Huge grasshopper  (almost as big as Jamie's hand)

I think this is a June Bug over an inch long and it HISSED at me!

Butterfly that wouldn't open his wings  :(



Australian Plague Locust (Jamie's Water Table)



2/11/11 Todd Mall (Water Scorpion)



Found this one today out shopping this morning, its called a Water Scorpion.  They are harmless and have a retractable snorkel.  They fly from pond to pond looking for insects that fall in the water.  This guy was a ways away from a pond, so we put him up in a tree to find his way.  He was about 3 inches long.










I found this one at work last week - it is called a Crested Katydid.  Here is a link to a short radio broadcast talking about the Crested Katydid.  About the Crested Katydid


2/10/11 Desert Knowledge Precinct (Crested Katydid)



2/10/11 Desert Knowledge Precinct (Crested Katydid)



Stick Insect

 There wasn't any good way to show size or perspective in the picture, because it was up on the ceiling of a friend's porch.  However, it was about 6 inches long.  When they are in trees or branches they are impossible to see, so I was pretty psyched to find one in "the wild" so I could get a good picture of it.

10/8/10 Our House (Emporer Moth)

11/20/11 Telegraph Station (Orange Drummer Cicada)

11/20/11 Telegraph Station (Orange Drummer Cicada Nymph)

02/09/11 Desert Knowledge Precinct (Praying Mantis)