Today is a holiday - Labor Day - so off I went to labor with my favorite insects. Before I had hardly started, there were some nice butterflies at the Queenstown MRT
From the top - a view of the dorsal side
When I arrived at my insect observatory - I first encountered this insect - sort of sitting upside down
It must have been the day - which started with rain about 5am this morning. This little guy was sitting sideways
then he decided to take a walk - and disappeared. So off I went in search of the little orange spiders: Argyrodes flavenscens
I found a small web and though that many do not realize the size scale. So here is my camera on the tripod - and about 30 mc from the end of the lens is one very small (3mm) orange spider
Here I focused on the spider and it is easier to see
Here she is
I think eating - you can see that she has one of her legs in her mouth.
Then she started climbing vertically - and connected herself. Here you can clearly see her spinneret.
Here the two front palps - sensory organs for the female and for the male, the palps are modified to place sperm into the epigyne of the female.
After observing the kleptoparasites - with no klepto action today, I started my way back to the food court - and suddenly an Assassin bug hopped onto a leaf in front of me. So after setting up the tripod - she / he was still there - I suspect waiting to walk down the runway. And what a show she / he put on. Here is the face
Here you can get an idea of the size proportion
Then from the side
And from behind
Then she / he climbed onto another leaf
and played peek-a-boo with me
Then started down the stem
and then started walking upside down while an ant entered the game (but slightly unfocused)
After her / his show - a little red dragonfly landed beside me
And moved so that I could get a side view
Now, time for lunch - sweet and sour pork, fried rice and lime juice. This guy (tee shirt) lives close to me and this is one of my favorite places. Seems that others have this at the top of their list
And here comes my lunch
C. Frank Starmer