Southern rock agama chilling on a rock along a hiking trail. Baviaanskloopf, Eastern Cape, South Africa (2020). Called the ' dark agama' in French. Short, plump body, with a thin dorsal crest, a thin tail and a triangular head.During the breeding season, the heads of males become bright blue. Males take to sitting on top… Continue reading Southern rock agama (Agama atra)
Tag: Insects
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Painted Lady feeding on a nodding thistle on the farm. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa (2024). Formerly known as Acraea acara subsp. acara but revised by Williams & Henning (2023). Male and female. Upperside. Ground-colour reddish-ochreous, basal areas olivescent-ochreous-brown. Cilia black, alternated with white. Forewing with an outwardly-oblique black irregular-shaped broken… Continue reading Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Purple predatory chafer (Campsiura cognata)
Purple predatory chafer on a small tree in front of the farm house. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). A member of the predatory chafers, in the tribe Cremastocheilini. General body obovate, slightly convex, darkly blood-red or chestnut, shiny. Antennae cadaneous.Head black with yellow triangular pattern on the clypeus and frons. Pro-thorax sub-smooth,… Continue reading Purple predatory chafer (Campsiura cognata)
Warrior Acraea (Tildia acara)
Male Warrior Acraea emerging from its chrysalis, on a potted plant in the front garden. Grahamstown, Eastern Cape (2018). Formerly known as Acraea acara subsp. acara but revised by Williams & Henning (2023). Upperside rufous, the base of both wings dark brown. Anterior wing with a spot in the cell, a transverse band of three… Continue reading Warrior Acraea (Tildia acara)
Spotted sand lizard (Pedioplanis lineoocellata ssp. pulchella)
Spotted sand lizard in situ. Bavianskloof, Eastern Cape (2020). Orange to grey lizard, with white-blue and dark bordered ocelli (eye-like markings) on flanks and numerous paler spots on the back, which may fuse into a dorsolateral lines.Sexes distinguished in adults by the presence of a hemi-penal bulge (a bulge on the base of the tail… Continue reading Spotted sand lizard (Pedioplanis lineoocellata ssp. pulchella)
Micragrotis interstriata
Shiny specimen of Micragrotis interstriata. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2025). Thorax blackish-brown. Abdomen brownish-ochreous. Forewing blackish-brown in the coastal-marginal area and in the cell, bluish-grey below it, browner in the marginal area, where there are black streaks at the veins and brown ones between them. Interior line fin, double, very strongly dentated inwards. Ring-macula and… Continue reading Micragrotis interstriata
Lycus poultoni
Two specimens of Lycus poultoni on top of each other. You can see two pairs of antennae. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). A member of the net-winged beetles in the tribe Lycini, family Lycidae. An ochraceous bug with species-specific black markings. Head very deeply depressed, eyes forming two deep pits, and long… Continue reading Lycus poultoni
Recurved swallowtail (Urapteroides recurvata)
Close-up of a specimen of recurved swallowtail. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Forewing 21 - 26 mm. Front margin of forewings slightly convex and bearing tiny brown spots. Wings white, bordered by a thin brown line, variably spotted, with fine black spots in some individuals, and neatly divided by 3 fine transverse… Continue reading Recurved swallowtail (Urapteroides recurvata)
White-edge slug (Latoia intermissa)
Male white-edge slug holding on a security gate. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Previously called Latoia albicosta, also referred to as the white-edge Latoia. Forewing 14 - 21 mm. Thorax setose, reddish-brown. Abdomen light orange. Forewings divided by an oblique line, basal section dark brown, distal section lighter, with the leading edge… Continue reading White-edge slug (Latoia intermissa)
Common ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa)
Male leaf mantid attempting to remain motionless to blend with its surroundings. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Large mantid that mimics dead leaves. Head has a long, erected, wavy dorsal projection. Legs are ornamented with prominent leaf-like lobes.Males are slender and mottled brown with dark shoulders and a darker cross on their… Continue reading Common ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa)
F*CK FISH 