Insect of the Day: Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus)
I saw an Eastern tiger swallowtail today, and somehow I ended up staying past my bedtime brushing up on genetics. How did that happen? Read more …
arthropod
Insect of the Day: Battle-Scarred Butterfly
On our walk today, I spotted this male Eastern black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes asterius) flitting about among the swamp milkweed and chased it down for a closer look. And it was flying quite well, despite an injured wing. Read more …
Invertebrate of the Day: Madagascar hairy land crab
What is this? A monster of the deep? A prop from a 1950s scifi movie? Dinner?
Madagascar Invertebrate of the Day: Purple Dragonfly
Confession: I don’t know the name of this dragonfly. But it was too pretty not to share. Read more …
Invertebrates of the Day: Butterflies
It’s not the best season for butterflies in Madagascar, but you wouldn’t know it from a visit to Zombitse National Park, where every break in the forest canopy meant a patch of sun filled with butterflies. I don’t have an insect book for Madagascar, so here are some pictures with no identification. I’ll have to research when I get home.
Invertebrate of the Day: Drop-Wing Dragonfly
Today was our first day hiking through one of Madagascar’s deciduous forests: Isalo National Park, a beautiful hilly area in the eastern part of the island. The deciduous forests differ from the rainforests in that they see little rain outside the spring cyclone season. It’s winter now in Madagascar, and many deciduous trees and bushes have already lost their leaves. … Read more
Invertebrate of the Day: Grasshopper
I don’t know what kind of grasshopper is, but it sure is pretty. We saw it tonight on an evening walk outside of Andasibe National Park in Madagascar. Read more …