Ye...owww! Sump'ns Crawling On Me!

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:56 pm

...and there was.

Here in the mountains when something goes to squirmming and biting around on you, you had better take a look...like right that instant, unless its your girlfriend of course

.

I had just came back into the plant after my luchtime walk through the field and forest, just out back. Nothing unusual happening but then I felt it!

Something on my neck? Could it be one of those "Brain Eaters" from that old sixties sci-fi horror movie having been resurrected and having caught me unawares? I was waiting for those sharp teeth to penetrate the back of my skull, feeling my brain being plucked out...like someone "pitting and olive!"

(about the size of it too

)

However t'was only a small inch worm, begging to be taken home to be photographed using the Meiji and now having tamed and domesticated the savage beast, its time for Jeprody! I'll take "Silly and Stupid" for $400 Alex.

I've really got to quit eating those shredded beef tacos with the sour cream and onion along with the hot green chiles.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 11:58 pm

Nice work, Ken! I can see the sharp little hooks on those tiny prolegs.

Whatever did it do with the balled up bunch of silk?

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:12 am

Rik asked:

Whatever did it do with the balled up bunch of silk?

Not much of anything Rik. It still has it balled up on and around the spinners, several strands are scattered here and there but that is about it.

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:18 am

Interesting photos Ken.

I am pretty sure that inchworms are indigenous to N. America - anyway I've certainly never come across one in the UK. I was trying to make out detail of the head - are those shiny black dots eyes/light receptors or just markings?

When I was a teenager I built a 42" wingspan, balsawood glider from a kit called "Inchworm" and until seeing your pics had no idea where the word came from. I was inquisitive about "other things" at that age and was quite happy to accept inchworm as a made-up word.

Bruce

ps - watched Labyrinth last night - I enjoyed it but was shocked at just how "80's" it was.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 4:20 am

I believe thos are just light receptors Bruce, something like ocelli probably. Yeah Labyrnith, is 80's but still good!

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:53 am

Great job Ken!

It looks very bloodthirsty that close.

Kite · Post by **Kite** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:40 pm

AHHHHHH!

very nice photos... but still AHHHH

are you able to aproximate on the width of the silk strands? im interested

next time I get bitten im gonna shove the girlfriend under the microscope

MacroLuv · Post by **MacroLuv** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:59 pm

Kite wrote:AHHHHHH!

...
next time I get bitten im gonna shove the girlfriend under the microscope

I just hope your girlfriend looks more favourably.

Kite · Post by **Kite** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 1:08 pm

.....

lets just say that the inchworm isnt in the same leauge and leave it at that

she would kill me for typing that

nah, she is pretty good looking, and likes to hear it too

tried to get her to understand how brilliant tardigrades were by showing her one, and she pulled a face resembling that of the water piglet currently under the microscope

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:44 pm

Yeah girls are like that, it's hard to find something to impress them with.

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:59 pm

Great creature Ken...looks very preditory to me. looks like one of those inchworms I saw on TV from Hawaii that look like a twig and than swing around a capture their pray

(more gross than a spider I think)

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:45 pm

Thanks for the comments guys

, as for the size of those strands of silk I wouldn't have a clue

Most of the inch worms I find around here do standout like a twig, though I have never seen one capture anything and they are pretty small, about 15 mm, maybe 20 mm at the most.