Macro photography in my yard

[urbpan]

Some of these are pictures I took for aesthetic reasons, and some are creatures I'm not confident enough of to use in my project. If anyone knows more specifically what these things are, let me know and it'll count as one of the hundred. Otherwise, just sit back and enjoy.



This is a wireworm, the larva of a click beetle. They live in the soil feeding on detritus or plant roots. I found a bunch when I was pulling up the knotweed. I hope they eat the knotweed roots.


This is a nymph of an assassin bug, a predator that pierces it's prey with a beaklike proboscis, sucking out the goo inside.


A jumping spider crouches camouflaged in the duff.


The big tree in my front yard has these flowers. I'm starting to get the sad sinking feeling that it's Norway maple.


Dandelion, super close up.


Tulip, which will have its own entry soon. I just liked catching it immediately before blooming.


Some miniscule silk spinner tangled its gossamer between the petal tips!


This small attractive ornamental grass sedge is festooned with yellow pollen.

Comments

[badnoodles.livejournal.com]

It's a ultimate or penultimate nymphal rough stink bug, probably Brochymena. The spines on the prothorax and the protuberances on the connexivium give it away.

I also suspect that's a nymphal damsel bug, Nabidae, rather than Reduviidae. Assassin nymphs tend to be broader and more brightly colored. But there are some narrower-bodied assassins like Stenopodines, so I could very well be wrong.

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

Dang- badnoodles beat me to the Reduviid that doesn't look like one. Usually much bolder and/or warningly coloured. Unless it's a Thread-Legged? Haven't seen their nymphs.

A friend of mine in Washington is currently being inundated with Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs. I've suggested Assassins to help cull them, but he insists on trying out every chemical on the periodic table :)

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

You're so awesome.
The stink bug flew to land on me, by the way. Ultimate then?

[badnoodles.livejournal.com]

If it flew, it's an adult. The angled ridge in the clavus made me think it had wing pads, not complete wings. Silly camouflage, messin' with my ID.