Show your Bugs and Critters

[Mad Mac]

Giant Crane Fly

This from Google Generative AI:

Crane flies, also known as mosquito hawks, are larger than mosquitoes and have longer legs. They have bodies about 3/4 inch long and legs about 4 inches long. They can gather in large numbers, and their larvae are about 1 inch long.

Crane flies are harmless to humans. They don't bite, sting, or transmit diseases. However, they can be a nuisance because they are attracted to lights and can get stuck in screens.
They can also cause panic attacks because of their size.

Crane flies are beneficial to the ecosystem because their larvae help with decomposition. The larvae live in moist soil and feed on decaying organic matter.
Crane flies are weak fliers and only drink water, so they don't live very long.

[troutinCO]

More 34million year old bugs I found in my fossil hunting trip at Florissant, CO:
Robber Fly. This guy is about 3/4 inch long. Reverse side of this has a leaf (no ID yet) and an acorn with its scaly cap still attached.

A beetle, no id. I found this one just walking around the dig site looking for more shale to split. It is the bottom side of a beetle as you can make out the legs folded under it. Its wings or top plates were out when it died. This one is about 1/4" long.

And my favorite find insect-wise. A super well defined Weevil. A very lucky first split find for the day.

10x Loupe shots with phone:

[Manixguy@1994]

More 34million year old bugs I found in my fossil hunting trip at Florissant, CO:
Robber Fly. This guy is about 3/4 inch long. Reverse side of this has a leaf (no ID yet) and an acorn with its scaly cap still attached.
Robber Fly-Leaf - Florissant, CO_(#0010F)rs).jpg

A beetle, no id. I found this one just walking around the dig site looking for more shale to split. It is the bottom side of a beetle as you can make out the legs folded under it. Its wings or top plates were out when it died. This one is about 1/4" long.
Beetle(Unknown)_Florissant, CO_(#0009F) (6).JPG

And my favorite find insect-wise. A super well defined Weevil. A very lucky first split find for the day.
Weevil - Florissant, CO_(#0008F)rs).jpg
10x Loupe shots with phone:
Weevil - Florissant, CO_(#0008F) (1).jpg
Weevil - Florissant, CO_(#0008F) (2).jpg

Nothing like an old bug to make my day ! These fossils are really cool ! Dan

[Mad Mac]

That last one came up 7 of 7 on Seek
as a Walnut Orb Weaver.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Saw this little snapper crossing a busy running/biking trail so I put him in a creek nearby loaded with minnows

[SG89]

I’ve never seen a snapper that small. Awesome

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

I’ve never seen a snapper that small. Awesome

I’d never seen one that small before either but once when I was like five/six years old our cousins from Dallas were visiting for the summer and we were making mud pies…well Chris (he was two years older) told me to get some mud out of another puddle that he had seen a little bit bigger snapper than the one above stick its head out of the water so I reached in and BAM!!! The little bast… got me on my right ring finger and would not let go…my mom poured some rubbing alcohol on its head and it finally released its grip…needless to say Chris got grounded for a few days cause he couldn’t stop laughing and she got him to confess

[Manixguy@1994]

I’ve never seen a snapper that small. Awesome

I was told a long time ago Snappers are aged by weight . Approximately a pound per year . When I was a kid staying with grandparents they had a circulat picket fence in yard and guys fishing at night would drop off Snappers for grandparents. Grandpa had a blacksmith make a rod with a lip and another with a fork . It made dispatching them quick and easy and then to bench and saw open and butcher the meat . Love fried turtle , some bars around here still occasionally have a turtle feed special . Dan

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Killer camo pattern!!!

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

The Joro Spiders have decreased in population since exploding in Georgia. But you can still find them everywhere. They are quite large. Females being the large ones and males being small in comparison. When you find a web you will see the large female in the middle. Look close and you will see several small males in the same web system. A few years ago they didn't exist in Georgia. They were imported from Asia. The first year they exploded, they covered every bush and tree. It was insane and made all the local news. Now they are still everywhere, but no where near dramatic. They come out in August and die off as it gets cold.

Nothing like running into a Joro web in the dark on your way to a deer stand

[Mad Mac]

Pickerel Frog

[Manixguy@1994]

Wife and I were walking up driveway and noticed this battle in progress . I have never seen something like this . Dan

[Mad Mac]

Bumble bees and I think they are mating:

"Bumble bees have a different wintering strategy than honey bees. Virgin bumble bees leave their nests in late summer and early autumn to mate. After they have mated, they crawl underground and enter diapause. They spend the entire winter in this quiet state. Once spring comes, the first bumble bees that are seen flying around are these large queens looking for new nest sites!"
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=342129296348675

[Manixguy@1994]

Bumble bees and I think they are mating:

"Bumble bees have a different wintering strategy than honey bees. Virgin bumble bees leave their nests in late summer and early autumn to mate. After they have mated, they crawl underground and enter diapause. They spend the entire winter in this quiet state. Once spring comes, the first bumble bees that are seen flying around are these large queens looking for new nest sites!"
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=342129296348675

Mac , that is very possible because they were kind of stuck together . Thanks for your help ! Dan

[Manixguy@1994]

on a long journey.

[SG89]

Cool

[advan]

A few Phiddipus audax from around the yard this last week.

6mm Juvenile


10mm Sub-adult

[Mad Mac]

Fantastic!
Sure am glad they are small.

[JSumm]

Incredible!

[DSH007]

Wow! I'm glad they're a lot smaller than I am irl haha.. Great pics, Advan!