apsciencebydan

[apsciencebydan]

Young barking tree froggle! 🥹 He'll grow into those large feets and become one of our largest native tree frogs, but for now he's fairly small. I've only seen a handful in as many years of looking for them, so this perky lump made me very happy. Also they sound hilarious (look them up on iNaturalist, filter for "has sounds", and enjoy) . The moniker is accurate.

[apsciencebydan]

Encyrtid nugget wasp on a pine needle, if you needed to know how small this lass is 🧡

[apsciencebydan]

Some salticids just look more worried than others

[apsciencebydan]

Came across 3 silly Mourning Scorpionflies (Panorpa lugubris) this evening, which made me very happy.

The annual appearance of these Snootflies in the fall is a state holiday, I'm pretty sure

Fun fact: scorpionflies are likely more closely related to fleas than flies

(those pinchy tails are used for love, not war. Only males have them)

[apsciencebydan]

Eumaeus atala, a S. Florida/Caribbean endemic butterfly. Little stunner. 🩵

[apsciencebydan]

Jumping spiders usually molt in the safety and privacy of a silk hammock, so this sight is kinda rare! Little jello monster is growing up 💚

(Lyssomanes viridis)

[apsciencebydan]

A relative of Attidops cinctipes (the Brown Creeper), Mr Admestina tibialis. Long Lump. I love him. 🥹

[apsciencebydan]

Mula resonans, made for the spotlight 🖤

Love these planthoppers. Fennec Fulgoroidea (not the official name, it just makes me happy)

[apsciencebydan]

MILPH

(Moms I Love to PHotograph)

[apsciencebydan]

A silhouette which needs no introduction 🖤

[apsciencebydan]

Only had time for a relatively short wander with @thespongelady99 today, and wanted to introduce her to Snootfly. We found Snootfly (my first sighting of the year). 🖤

Panorpa lugubris, the mourning scorpionfly. Late fall/winter friends here in Florida. I missed them.

[apsciencebydan]

Ya girl has been published 👀👀

My gynandromorph amazon ant find and photoshoot is featured in the fall edition of the American Entomologist journal! Just a perfect bizarre creature ❤️🖤

(Polyergus longicornis, male alate/female worker split)

When I found this creature in 2022, I would have been far more comfortable starting this post with "ya boy"

Another reason this creature is and probably always will remain my favorite find.

Oh yeah, and Happy Intersex Awareness Day. ♥️

[apsciencebydan]

Look at him 🥹

Mr Eris (not sure which species), with a regrown leg and palp, being a bright-eyed sweet lump

[apsciencebydan]

Ms Kapala floridana. Gargoyle. Technically a Wasp. 100% weird lump. 🖤

[apsciencebydan]

Mr Latrodectus mactans (yep, black widow...er) understands presentation 🖤

[apsciencebydan]

The age-old Prey Problem: there's snacks, but they're guarded

[apsciencebydan]

I hadn't seen my original Shy-Hulud in awhile, and it seems they were busy. There were 10 or so baby leatherleaf slugs schlorping about. 🥹 I had to split them up between enclosures, and I'll release most back to the yard after they grow a bit.

This child was being a silly orb 🤍