Alex Wild

The retractable antennae of Mycetophylax fungus-farming ants leave such a distinct scrobe on the head. Photo from a few years ago from Mindo, Ecuador.

This is possibly an undescribed species. Too many ants, not enough taxonomists. #Ants #Insects #Formicidae #Mycetophylax

An incipient paper wasp nest built under the shelter of a large, partly curled leaf. Guanica dry forest reserve, Puerto Rico.

The different eye colors of the two insects are age-related; the individual with black eyes has only recently emerged.

#Wasps #Mischocyttarus #Insects #Photography

A Calligrapha beetle- named of course for the beautiful inscriptions on its elytra- sits on its dogwood host plant. Texas.

#Insects #Beetles #Calligrapha #Chrysomelidae

A small Lasioglossum in the spiderwort, which is blooming now around central Texas. #insects #bees #Bloomscrolling

The emergence of spring bees here in Austin also means the emergence of somewhat rarer bee parasites. I caught this Sapyga nevadica wasp yesterday; it lays eggs in solitary bee nests.
#Sapygidae #wasps #Sapyga #Insects #Parasites

Sorry, it was Willow the cat’s fault. We tried to stop her. #Caturday #Olympics

Australian Camponotus sugar ants are a lot more variable than our North American species. Here's Camponotus suffusus, from Victoria. #Ants #Insects #Photography #Camponotus

Brown recluse spiders exonerated! In Florida, recluses are rare, much less likely to bite than other spiders, even when provoked, and the one verified bite did not produce necrosis.

#Spiders #BrownRecluse #science

https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag004

Life continues for the majority of the planet that did not invest in Bitcoin, including these Tetramorium lucayanum ants.

#Ants #Insects #Tetramorium

A gallery of ant plants, and plant ants.

#Ants #plants #Photography #Ecology

https://www.alexanderwild.com/Ants/Natural-History/Ants-and-Plants

One of our local Chagas disease vectors, Triatoma indictiva. Texas.

Cool looking bug, not much risk in casual encounters like this, but you won't want to live in rustic or outdoor housing for longer periods of time where these are common

#Hemiptera #Insects #Triatoma #Bugs

A gallery of Pogonomyrmex harvester ants from North and South America.

https://www.alexanderwild.com/Ants/Taxonomic-List-of-Ant-Genera/Pogonomyrmex

#Ants #Photography #Insects #Pogonomyrmex

Anochetus rugosus, a tough little trap-jaw ant from Borneo. The color makes it look cherry-flavored, but I'd be surprised if this ant even lets you think about it.

#Anochetus #Insects #Ants #TrapJawAnt

@Hicsumus@techhub.social @c_reider@sonomu.club Avoid things that are brightly marked or have spines. Otherwise, you just sort of try them.