Saturday, July 25, 2009

Friends enjoying our yard

I have no idea exactly who this is, but at about 3/8th of an inch long I can't believe the amount of amazing detail, color, and engineering in one of God's tiniest creatures!

Definitely click on these pictures for a closer view!

Yes, I know that there are probably lots of tiny creatures living on this guy, and maybe even some smaller folks living on them, but my camera does not go to that scale. I remember learning (many years ago in an Entomology class at Cornell University) about an insect that had other insects living on/in it. This particular insect had others living in the ears - small holes - on either side of it's body. Amazing fact all by itself, but even more amazing --- the tiny insects living in the ear on the left side of the body were an entirely different species from the ones living in the right ear! Before you go "eeewww!" too loudly, take note that if you removed these tiny ear bugs, the host insect could not fly!

Different view of the same visitor below.

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