invertebrate enjoyer @zoelikesbugs - Tumblr Blog

The one thing I love about summer: BEETLES EVERYWHERE!! I had to be kinda quick with taking these pictures because it's breeding season for these guys, and they are not picky with where they choose to mate. Ask me how I know. :(

#i had to include the second pic cos you can see one starting to fly away #beetles #green june beetle #cotinis nitida #scarabaeidae #coleoptera #cotinis #bugs #insects #arthropods #bugblr

Been quite busy with work and other obligations, but finally found some time to go out and sit early enough in the day to see some active critters. Here's an adorable little ribbon jumping spider! It was extremely curious about me and was happy to climb onto my hand to investigate.

#i was so delighted to see this lil dude #metacyrba taeniola #ribbon jumping spider #i believe a male based on the palps but not 100% sure #spider #arachnid #araneae #salticidae #jumping spider

segamascott

"i love it when you call me big pupa"

- the notorious B.U.G.

A pharaoh cicada, mid molt! Molting actually happens way faster with these guys than I thought. I watched the newly emerged nymph climb up to here, then about 30 minutes later it was already to this stage. Another 30 minutes passed and it was already crawling around, with wings almost fully inflated! I expected it to take around 3 hours just for it to get past the "still in the old exoskeleton" stage, which shows me I still have a lot to learn about the molting process of insects. It will most likely take a few more hours for its new exoskeleton to fully harden, though. They are so fascinating 🥹

#pharaoh cicada #cicada #cicada nymph #cicada molt #cicada molting #magicicada #magicicada septendecim #17 year cicada #periodical cicada #exuvia #insect #arthropod #entomology #bugblr #insect appreciation #cicadidae

I went out to my yard yesterday evening and was pleasantly surprised by all the cicada nymphs emerging to molt! There were sooo many. I had to be very careful with where I stepped while I observed them. The first image shows one of the many emergence holes they create when they are ready to molt.

These are Pharaoh cicadas, a 17-year periodical species within the genus Magicicada (such a whimsical name). Their scientific name even reflects their 17-year burrowing cycle - Magicicada septendecim. Their common name, Pharaoh cicada, comes from the male's call - to some, it sounds like someone shouting "Phaaaaar-aoh".

#sometimes we really do be naming things like pokemon #cicada #pharaoh cicada #periodical cicada #magicicada #magicicada septendecim #cicadidae #insects #bugblr #entomology #cicada nymph

And so it begins...

#yaaaay cicada season!!#i cant wait to see them out and about #i was holding a q tip to give water to lil critters so thats why theres a q tip #cicadas #cicadidae #cicada molt #exuvia #bugblr #bugs #insects #hemiptera

I got to see one of my favorite native beetles today, the horned passalus beetle (aka bess beetle)! I'm always so happy to come across these dudes. In the third image, you can see some phoretic mites which these beetles often have hitching a ride on them, but are harmless. Horned passalus beetles also have a neat defense mechanism where they will rub their wings under their elytra to make a soft hissing/squeaking noise, and even have other distinct noises they make to communicate with each other! They are such cool beetles.

#i put it back under the piece of wood where i found it :)#horned passalus beetle #bess beetle #Odontotaenius disjunctus #passalidae #coleoptera #insects #entomology #bugs #bugblr #naturalist #nature #mites #phoretic mites #decomposer

:O What do we have here?

It's a greater bee fly (Bombylius major)!! I was so excited to finally spot one of these. I wish I could have taken a closer photo, but lil dude skedaddled the second I moved after taking this one.

#bugblr #bugs #insects #entomology #greater bee fly #bombylius major #diptera #bombyliidae #flies

I bought some gardening gloves yesterday specifically for digging for bugs. Here are yesterday's dirt friends! (And don't worry, they were put back exactly where they were found afterwards)

This arm was made specifically to hold several cicadas at once

#cicadas #cicada #cicadidae #oh boy here i go trying my best to id them correctly #megatibicen grossus #neotibicen #im just... gonna leave those there because i am terrible at IDing cicadas #but i know the northern dusk singing cicada for sure #northern dusk singing cicada #bugs #bugblr #entomology #insects

I'm so excited it's finally warming up enough for the buggos to emerge again! Here are some friends I found the other day :)

#bugblr #bugs #insects #crustacean #entomology #woodlouse #jumping spider #crab spider #syrphid fly #isopod #habronattus coecatus #lyssomanes viridis #porcellio scaber #xysticus ferox #syrphus torvus #not 100% sure on that syrphid fly ID but maybe someone else knows

vayporizerz

my contribution to bugblr: a violet carpenter bee! it was very polite :]

#omg so cute!! so fuzzy!! so round!!#bees #carpenter bee #hymenoptera

darklight-owl

People who like mantises but aren't that into entomology are always "orchid mantises" this and "orchid mantises" that. Overrated. Can we talk about Toxodera integrifolia for a minute:

(Image links because as much as it pains me I've never seen one of these beauties irl: 1 2 3)

Like how are these things real. Girl what is that thorax shape. Why are you wearing eyeliner. And the colors? Absolutely fire. This is a 10/10 insect if you ask me.