Colin Purrington

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62 Following
19 Posts
I found this strange #insect on the side of a tree this morning. I puzzled over what it was for a long time, and fortunately was rescued by the #iNaturalist algorithm to tell me that this is probably a Alsophila #moth, a genus in which females are flightless. #InvertFest #InverteFest
A good find from back in September this year, the Ivy Waspgrabber (Leopoldius signatus). A fly in the family Conopidae, members of which parasitise bees and wasps, ambushing them and laying their eggs inside them. The larvae then feed on the insides of the host, often changing its behaviour. This species is thought to use the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) as the host. In #Bath #Somerset #UK #Insects #Entomology #Nature #Wildlife #BritishWildlife
A cheery bow-legged #bug from summer, seen in City Park, New Orleans between downpours. The juveniles mimic ants.

I am a macro wildlife photographer, jciv on Flickr & iNaturalist. Spiders are my favorite subject, but I also like flies, moths, & butterflies. I am not an expert, but I like sharing what I know.

I am a founder of #Arachtober, a celebration of spiders during October, starting in 2007 on Flickr. It spread. I really loved the interaction with entomologists and arachnologists on Twitter. Read about Arachtober at LiveScience: http://www.livescience.com/52555-arachtober-social-media-spiders-photos.html

#selfie #introduction #spider #macrophotography

Happy #Arachtober! Spiders Take Over the Web for Halloween

Professional photographers, arachnid researchers and creepy-crawly lovers are sharing photos of their favorite spiders during the month of October on Flickr and Twitter. Here's what the #Arachtober trend is all about.

Live Science
Little slime moulds (Metatrichia floriformis, I think) ready to release their spores. The 1mm black balls are fruiting bodies and split open, like flowers, releasing spores. Floriformis means 'flower-shaped'. #FungiFriday
Cynipid wasp on snow. Given the highly reduced wings I'm assuming this is a female of the agamic generation. Not sure what species (Acraspis?). #wasps #Hymenoptera #insect #entomology #snow #asexual #supranivean #GallWasps #galls
This yellow springtail is Protaphorura aurantiaca. Spotted loads of these today. #collembola

I am tired of being told to put all of my insect content behind warnings. I am an entomologist. This is my life, and I am not going to hide it.

If you make a CW suggestion, I will just do us both a favor and block you.

Christmas lichen (Cryptothecia rubrocincta) from Myakka River State Park, Florida. Apparently they don't produce apothecia (fruiting bodies with spores) like most lichens. Reproduction is instead via isidia, surface outgrowths that contain the partnering fungal hyphae and algae. #lichen #lichens #fungus #fungi #nature #biology #Christmas