vynbos's Favourites
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Observer
botswanabugsDescription
attracted to light. About 6cm long Pink patch under front legs.I kept it in a container for two days and it produced this egg case.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/36328157. I assume the mantis is a female ! There was no male present in those two days.
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Meloe cafferObserver
lizegreeniezaDescription
Oil beetle
Topographic position: midslope, burned < 12 months prior to this observation, near thicket surrounding a stream.
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Thyene ogdeniObserver
cecilerouxDescription
Found many of these nests in the grasses in the veld outside Upington, and opened one to find this spider inside.
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Genus CapherisObserver
wynand_uysDescription
Body length 14.5mm
Found on barren soil.
Looked much like a toktokkie in size, shape and gait. Hard to imagine from these photographs but when it walks, it raises it body and really does resemble a toktokkie.
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Rainbow Shield Bug (Calidea dregii)Observer
oswaldkurtenDescription
Beautiful, but considered a pest in a few African countries (https://cdn.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2010-01_Alert_Rainbow_Shield_Bug.pdf)
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Metallic Assassin Bugs (Genus Glymmatophora)Observer
wolfachimDescription
Photo and ID by Hanna Roland; ?? larva of:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/10447704
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Waterfall Fountainbush (Psoralea cataracta)Observer
mr_fabDescription
Listed as EXTINCT, last seen 1804
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Thick-headed Flies (Family Conopidae)Observer
lizd08Description
Wasp family? Length less than 1cm. Some red markings.
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Stately Spiderhead (Serruria altiscapa)Observer
botaneekDescription
local endemic; locally quite common at 840 - 1000m on well drained rocky slopes; infl to 1.7m; reseeder
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Hairytube Heath (Erica brachialis)Observer
jennyparsons_201pringleDescription
Orange-breasted Sunbird pollination?
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Carpenter Robberflies (Genus Hyperechia)Observer
bushboyDescription
The Gate to Hell
Monstrous 50mm bee dismembering a paper wasp of some kind. Perhaps caught nest robbing? Parasitic egg laying?
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Emerald Moths and Allies (Family Geometridae)Observer
karenpagel67Description
Geometer caterpillar - moss-camouflaged - ID pse.
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Mediterranean Conehead Mantis (Empusa pennata)Observer
imalipusramDescription
Juvéniles
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Burrowing Ground Beetle (Passalidius fortipes)Observer
erikvdlDescription
Feeding on Hodotermes mossambicus
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Genus AfreumenesObserver
bushboyDescription
Finally! Got the enterprising artiste
Nest construction in dark passage leading to my study on plaque on cloakroom door. Interrupted her carrying mud ball at 12:19. Happily she came back to smooth the hastily-placed ball after I'd turned on the passage light to get better shots.
By 15:59 she'd completed the nest, leaving the top unsealed to insert her caterpillar host.
Last pic shows an old nest (summer 2018) with sealed top on a wall-hanging on the opposite side of the same passage. The hatched wasp has obviously chewed its way out the side.
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Tribe OtiteselliniObserver
ricky_taylorDescription
A gathering of fig wasps on a Ficus tremula leaf. See obs of the tree: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/34453684
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Large Cycad Stem Borer (Phacecorynes sommeri)Observer
david_taylorDescription
Found in the stem of a Cycad
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Sawedge Sugarbush (Protea holosericea)Observer
muisvoelDescription
We've never had to work this hard for a Protea! Brutal ascent to Rabiesberg, only one plant and no flowers in their prime! Next time it will have to be Saw-Edge, @wernert95 and @muonmo :)
We would have explored and looked for more, but time and water was limited. A handful of dead plants in the general vicinity of this one, which I'll post as a separate obs .A couple of flowerheads and seeds strewn around (guessing baboons).
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Ixia helmeiObserver
botaneekDescription
first ever photos of this very local endemic, previously only known from Oct 2000 Type collection nearby.
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Stink Uintjie (Moraea lurida)Observer
jeffreymichaelgDescription
One of multiple individuals of this species (I'm fairly confident of my ID) flowering in the area burnt in Jan 2019, but displaying an unusual number of petals. A bit of a genetic anomaly I suppose?
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Trilobite Cockroaches (Genus Hyposphaeria)Observer
vynbosDescription
found under a rock
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Donkeyface Weevils (Genus Bronchus)Observer
vynbosDescription
found under a rock
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Observer
vynbosDescription
only noticed it because it twitched. Pic 4 shows how good its camo is.
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Sheilanthera pubensObserver
vynbosDescription
Young veld (1st season). Fire survivor growing on sandstone on a high altitude ridge in the Koue Bokkeveld
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Ceres Kalkoentjie (Gladiolus ceresianus)Observer
vynbosDescription
winking Glad.
approx 12cm high.
growing in clay on steep rocky Southern slope.
No other plants found in the area.
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Slender Ant-mimicking Jumping Spider (Myrmarachne ichneumon)Observer
flippie1971Description
This Myrmarachne jumping spider does an excellent ant impression of Tetraponera natalensis and T emeryi, I suppose. Put a big smile on my face!
@peterslingsby FYI
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Observer
vynbosDescription
Redlist Rare: saw 10plants in the riverbed. Area unfortunately has severe Hakea invasion.
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Smooth Rugged Ringbum Ant (Bothroponera crassa)Observer
flippie1971Description
This small slender, ringbum ant was found crawling through the leaf litter. I have edited my original size estimation which was too low. After relocating and re-measuring the ant it measures 7mm or just over. I got a few shots off before it disappeared. Will have another look for it tomorrow morning. Interesting one - cannot find it in the book.
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Woolly Sugarfountain (Seetzenia lanata)Observer
botaneekDescription
recently burnt clay gravels, common; nectar drops visited by ants
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Deception Peak Mountain Toadlet (Capensibufo deceptus)Observer
vynbosDescription
~2cm
found on the ground near a seep.
Southern Haweqwa
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Alpine Tittman (Audouinia laevis)Observer
botaneekDescription
prev Tittmannia; prob A laxa, but all 4 spp occur here and need to check material in herb; occ in fire refuges amongst rocks
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Ant-mimicking Bushcrickets (Genus Eurycorypha)Observer
flippie1971Description
@peterslingsby
Ant mimic Katydid
Caught out the iNat AI also - thought it was a spiny sugar ant :-)
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Arid Kappie (Disperis purpurata ssp. purpurata)Observer
ish_crewDescription
About 12 plants in rocky ridge
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Potter and Mason Wasps (Subfamily Eumeninae)Observer
dewald2Description
Makgadikgadi Saline Grassland (Hyphaene petersiana bush clumps)
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Hedgehog Candelabra (Brunsvigia radula)Observer
botaneekDescription
funky Knersvlakte limestone endemic
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Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)Observer
tjeerddwDescription
little egret/egretta garzetta
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Granular Capeslug (Oopelta granulosa)Observer
muisvoelDescription
Nom nom nom. Seen by @wernert95 :)
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African Mask Spider (Synema imitatrix)Observer
flippie1971Description
~5mm Crab spider. Male. Garden.
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Plum Cup-an-Saucer Heath (Erica glauca var. glauca)Observer
vynbosDescription
Lifer
Been looking for this for ages. seen lots of var elegans but never this one. Lots of plants in flower on and around Bertsberg.
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Namaqua Plumefoot Mite (Eatoniana namaquensis)Observer
wilderness_botswanaDescription
In sand was disturbed by digging.
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Zodariid Spiders (Family Zodariidae)Observer
linkieDescription
found under a rock if I remember correctly.
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Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephantulus myurus)Observer
jouberthDescription
Not 100% sure on species ID.
