Here are 4. Different from before

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

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MarkSturtevant
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Location: Michigan, U.S.A.
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Here are 4. Different from before

Post by MarkSturtevant »

Four species, that is. This belongs here because most pictures were staged on the dining room table.
First up is this strange predatory Hemipteran which I’ve shown before. Known as the masked hunter (Reduvius personatus), a nymph like this will decorate itself with dirt or sand for concealment. I wonder how they do that. Most members of the Reduviid (assassin bug) family are known to be slow and plodding, but masked hunters are rather quick and darty. Adults are shiny black and unremarkable other than also being quick in their ways. They fly to my porch light at night, and this nymph apparently did a similar thing by crawling to the light. The nymphs normally belong on the ground where they are super hard to find.
ImageMasked hunter nymph by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr
ImageMasked hunter nymph by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Next up is a parson spider (Herpyllus ecclesiasticus), which is a running spider that commonly turns up in houses. That is where I found this one. They are named after their white markings which are similar to the olde style clergyman cravat.
ImageParson spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Another interesting spider was found in the bushes in my yard at night while I was out looking for tree crickets. I could not identify it other than it likely being one of the cobweb spiders (Theridiidae). That family includes both boring species (common house spiders), various colorful species like this one, and rather exciting species (widows). But try as I might I could not ID this one, so off it went to BugGuide. A team of scientists over there must have sprung into action to help, because they soon returned with the message that my spider belongs to the genus Theridion. The spider victim may be a cellar spider.
ImageCobweb spider by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

And lastly, a moth that I’ve shown before. This is a Virgina creeper sphinx moth, Darapsa myron, which turned up in the yard. It was not a flier, so it had probably recently eclosed.
ImageVirgina creeper sphinx by Mark Sturtevant, on Flickr

Cheers! 🍺
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters

Marcepstein
Posts: 293
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2022 8:39 pm
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Re: Here are 4. Different from before

Post by Marcepstein »

Nice images and narrative, very interesting :!:

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