COASTAL CREATURES ... Part Two

in Fascinating Insects3 years ago (edited)

This interesting caterpillar ...

(Enlargeable)

... looks like some small twig fallen from a neighboring tree ...

IMG_9741 malo.jpg

... that somehow ended up attached ...

IMG_9758 malo.jpg

... on this self seeding common fig (Ficus carica).

IMG_9752 malo.jpg

But there are no other trees around, only grass and some herbaceous plants. This fig is growing along the small unpaved road between the large coastal meadows and the sea.

IMG_9742 malo.jpg

This is the Ascotis selenaria caterpillar ...

IMG_9748 malo.jpg

... I mean, I'm pretty sure that it is ... but I could be wrong ... although, if I missed the exact species, I was definitely very close to the truth ... but ...

IMG_9791 malo.jpg

... if I'm right, this will become a Giant looper moth (Ascotis selenaria)

IMG_9796 malo.jpg

This, much smaller caterpillar ...

IMG_9800 malo.jpg

... has built a silky tent on the fig leaf ...

IMG_9795 malo.jpg

... to protect her while she's feeding.

IMG_9715 malo.jpg

In this case adult insects are also present around the foliage.

IMG_9714 malo.jpg

This is the Choreutis nemorana ... small moth often seen around many flowers on meadows along the coastline ... and on fig trees when it comes the time for reproduction ...

(Enlargeable)

... their larvae are specialized in eating the leaf tissue of the common fig.

(Enlargeable)

The adult female assumes this pose when releasing the pheromones.

IMG_9720 malo.jpg

It looks a bit like some strange, alien creature when seen from behind.

IMG_9732 malo.jpg

This tree doesn't produce juicy, edible fruits like some others of the same kind scattered throughout this Mediterranean landscape, or the figs in my garden ... but it sure always has some interesting creatures to offer.
I don't know what species of leafhopper this is, but I can't tell you that is pretty common here.

(Enlargeable)

Here, walking on the lower surface of the leaf, is some minuscule weevil ... that I also couldn't identify.

IMG_3954 malo.jpg

Under this fauna, on the herbaceous vegetation that grows in the shade of the tree, there is also always something interesting to see.

IMG_3957  malo.jpg

Like the small detail on this plant ...

IMG_3944 malo.jpg

... or this Hairy Scale-cricket ...

(Enlargeable)

... the Arachnocephalus vestitus.

IMG_3933 malo.jpg

This green little thing ...

(Enlargeable)

... is another leafhopper ... the Empoasca decipiens.

IMG_3951 MINI KROP.jpg

Here you can see some minuscule fly with colorful head and eyes.

IMG_3965 malo.jpg

This is the Acleris variegana moth. A very small species, that looks like some dry, fallen fragment of something, a seed or petal ... something pretty uninteresting anyway ... which is, actually, pretty interesting :)

IMG_3960 malo.jpg

This is the nymph of the Conocephalus fuscus cricket.

IMG_3971 malo.jpg

The strange insect on this, and the next two photographs ...

IMG_3969 malo.jpg

... is the Asiraca clavicornis ...

IMG_3973 malo.jpg

... an interesting planthopper species. And with this ...

IMG_9755 malo.jpg

... is time to leave the fig tree ...

P2000524 malo.jpg

... and move on ...

P2000510 malo.jpg

... along the stretch of road that passes through the reeds.

P2000526 malo.jpg

It's a pretty different ...

P2000527 malo.jpg

... and cool looking habitat ...

P2000533 malo.jpg

... spiders are hanging high on the tops of these plants ...

P2000536 malo.jpg

... this one has caught something.

P2000529 malo.jpg

Neoscona adianta is the name of this very common spider species.

IMG_9376 malo.jpg

This jewel beetle ...

IMG_9382 malo.jpg

... the Agrilus cuprescens, is resting on the long leaf of reed.

IMG_9387 malo.jpg

I found this pretty peculiar small fly ...

P2000525 malo.jpg

... also here on the reeds.

IMG_9391 malo.jpg

This is the Pachygaster atra ...

(Enlargeable)

... a soldier fly species.

IMG_9576 malo.jpg

Some of these resilient long leaves were covered with aphids ...

IMG_9578 malo.jpg

... the Hyalopterus pruni aphids ...

IMG_9580 malo.jpg

... a very common species on reeds ... and some cultivated plants ... plum ... peach ... almond.

IMG_9571 malo.jpg

It looks that this winged one, considerably larger than others ...

IMG_9573 malo.jpg

... is somehow attached to the leaf. It's the first time I noticed this detail ... and I don't know what it means.

As always in these posts on HIVE, the photographs are my work.

Sort:  

@tipu curate :)

Hi borjan,

This post has been upvoted by the Curie community curation project and associated vote trail as exceptional content (human curated and reviewed). Have a great day :)

Visit curiehive.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.

Amazing looking insects i love that first one it's well camouflaged and your photos are so clear and crisp 😊

wow .... amazing, the caterpillars and animal insects look so beautiful.

How many insects did you find in that fig tree! wow

Excelente @borjan!!!! Hermosos insectos.

Gracias :)

Really interesting caterpillar. I guess I've looked at it many times. Looks like a branch.

Amazing brown caterpillar which looks like a twig! Very good at pretending to be something else!

Your camera makes me think twice when I eat raw salad!! I wonder if there were tiny insects there which I could not see with my eyes!!