Africa Wild

Hey Nan! I hear there's a new Spider Book out! Something to put on your Valentine's wish list!

You could help me to ID this cute little Crab Spider.


I found a garden bed with several Golden Orb Web Spiders.



I thought this was a Mayfly until I looked closely at the pictures - it's an empty husk!


I've seen Potter's Wasps in my garden but have never managed to get close enough to get a picture. This one was using a hole in our unit's braai area.



In a nearby garden bed was a Grasshopper.


Near one of the ponds I found a blue Dragonfly, one of the Skimmers I think.

You are getting an expert in creepy crawlies

I thought this was a Mayfly until I looked closely at the pictures - it's an empty husk!

How did it get out of there There must be a back door

Lisbeth wrote:You are getting an expert in creepy crawlies

I thought this was a Mayfly until I looked closely at the pictures - it's an empty husk!

How did it get out of there There must be a back door

Expert(1) : An "Ex" is a has-been and a "Spurt" is a drip under pressure!

Expert(2) : A person who knows more and more about less and less until he/she knows everything about nothing!

There is a back door. I'll try to organise a close-up this evening.

I thought you were going to "Bonamanzi"!

How about less grotesque invertebrates? The dragonfly is the least repulsive!

And pics of the other "tunas"?

Bonamanzi? No comment! (this is a family forum).

Insects, grotesque? Not even slightly.... this is grotesque :-


I've got three more Tunas

Lisbeth, as promised, here's a close-up of the Mayfly husk.

Thank you! It is actually empty

Surprisingly, the birding wasn't that good. I expected to see much more than we did but the lack of variety was countered by the sighting of a rare one for us.

A female Thickbilled Weaver.


Woodland Kingfishers were everywhere. It was so nice to hear their calls as it reminded me of the Kruger.


Not quite a lifer! This was only or second ever sighting of this bird; the first time was in the Drakensberg about 25 years ago.

Half-collared Kingfisher!



And another beautiful Dragonfly. This could be an Epaulet Skimmer.

Beautiful half-collared kingfisher

The birding might not have been that great but at least with a rarity!

Come and get it -