2020 October 8 morning

 

   Rosemary Jorna writes from Kemp Lake:  Those  Scaphinotus angusticollis (Snail-eating Ground Beetles) are abundant this year. I was removing some invasive plants from our property and uncovered 4 of them, only 2 hung round for a photoshoot.  They may have had something to do with the empty snail shell I found about 20 cm from them.

 

Scaphinotus angusticollis (Col.: Carabidae)  Rosemary Jorna

   Jeremy Tatum writes:  There were lots of Banded Woolly Bears (caterpillars of the Isabella Moth) at Panama Flats yesterday.  October is the month to find these caterpillars, and they are usually common at Panama Flats.  In case anyone is tempted to rear one to adult moth, please be advised that these are among the most difficult of caterpillars to rear successfully, and they are not recommended for a first attempt to rear caterpillars.

 

Three legs is all that Robb Bennett needed to identify the spider below, photographed by Ian Cooper along the Galloping Goose Trail.  Dr Bennett writes:  Nice photo! Yes, assuming it’s a local inhabitant, it’s Antrodiaetus pacificus.  Waiting to kill something.

 

 

Trapdoor Spider Antrodiaetus pacificus (Ara. – Myg.: Antrodiaetidae)  Ian Cooper