Na Chris Grinter, on July 25th, 2011 This Monday I am departing from the usual Arctiinae for something completely different – a microlep! This is a Nepticulidae, Stigmella diffasciae, and it measures in at a whopping 6 mm. I can’t take credit for spreading this moth – all of the nepticulids I have photographed are from the California Academy of Sciences and spread by Dave Wagner while he was here for a postdoctorate position.
The caterpillars mine the upper-side of the leaves of Ceanothus and are known only from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California. If you’re so inclined the revision of the North American species of the genus is freely available here (.pdf).
 Stigmella diffasciae (Nepticulidae)
Na Chris Grinter, juu ya Julai 22, 2011 Imekuwa muda kidogo tangu changamoto ya mwisho ya GOP, lakini hii ni softball. Natumai walikuwa wavivu sana kupata picha inayofaa zaidi…
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 19 Julai, 2011 Yesu angefanya nini ikiwa angekuwa na wakati wa kupumzika – labda kutibu ugonjwa, kumaliza vita, au kuwalisha wenye njaa – lakini nah, kila mtu anaona hiyo inakuja. Kwa nini usiwashtue hadi msingi – choma uso wako kwenye risiti ya Walmart! Angalau, that’s what a couple in South Carolina believe to have found, a Walmart receipt with Jesus’s face on it. This isn’t exactly new or exciting, humans have a wonderful ability to recognize a face in just about anything. Jesus and other characters “appear” on random things all the time, and even in 2005 a shrine was built to the Virgin Mary around a water stain in a Chicago underpass.
Pareidolia anyone? Kweli, that face looks pretty convincing, I’m not too sure this wasn’t just faked or “enhanced”. The closeups even look like there are fingerprints all over it. Since I don’t have a walmart anywhere near me or a walmart receipt on hand I can’t determine how sensitive the paper is and how easy it would have been to do – but how long do you think before it shows up on ebay? Katika tukio lolote, it looks much more like James Randi to me than Jesus (at least we actually know what Randi looks like!).
 from CNN
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 18 Julai, 2011 Zaidi ya juu Arthropoda, blogger mwenzetu SFS Michael Bok pamoja mfano wa shamba lake buddy, Plugg mti ya kijani frog. Wazo langu la kwanza lilikuwa la chura wa mti kama huyo haunted alinikaribisha kila mahali nilipoenda katika Hifadhi ya Kitaifa ya Santa Rosa, Kosta Rika. Bila kusema, Kosta Rika inasisitiza tabia ya ghafla ya kuangalia mara mbili kila kitu ambacho unakaribia kufanya. Aina hii inajulikana kama chura wa maziwa (Phrynohyas venulosa) kwa kiasi kikubwa cha majimaji yenye sumu nyeupe ya milky. Moja ya hadithi za kwanza alizoniambia Dan Janzen nilipokuwa naye huko Santa Rosa ilikuwa kuhusu aina hii – na kulisugua jicho lake kwa bahati mbaya baada ya kulishika. Shukrani kwa upofu na kuungua ilikuwa ya muda tu.
 Chura wa Maziwa: Phrynohyas venulosa
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 18 Julai, 2011 I’ll keep the ball rolling with Arctiinae and post a photo today of Ctenucha brunnea. Nondo hii inaweza kuwa ya kawaida katika nyasi ndefu kando ya fuo kutoka San Francisco hadi LA – ingawa katika miongo ya hivi karibuni idadi ya nondo hii imekuwa ikipungua kutokana na uharibifu wa makazi na uvamizi wa nyasi za pwani. (Ammophila arenaria). But anywhere there are stands of giant ryegrass (Leymus condensatus) you should find dozens of these moths flying in the heat of the day or nectaring on toyon.
 Ctenucha brunnea (Erebidae: Artiinae)
Na Chris Grinter, on July 12th, 2011 Well as you may have guessed the subject isn’t as shocking as my title suggests, but I couldn’t help but to spin from the Guardian article. I really find it hilarious when I come across anything that says scientists are “astounded”, “baffled”, “shocked”, “puzzled”, – I guess that’s a topic for another time… Nevertheless a kweli cool butterfly has emerged at the “Sensational Butterflies” exhibit at the British Museum in London – a bilateral gynandromorph! The Guardian reports today that this specimen of Papilio memnon just emerged and is beginning to draw small crowds of visitors. I know I’d love to see one of these alive again – although the zoo situation would take away quite a bit of the excitement. I think the only thing more exciting than seeing one of these live in the field would be to net one myself!
One little thing tripped my skeptical sensors and that is the quote at the end of the article taken from the curator of butterflies, Blanca Huertas. “The gynandromorph butterfly is a fascinating scientific phenomenon, and is the product of complex evolutionary processes. It is fantastic to have discovered one hatching on museum grounds, particularly as they are so rare.”
Vizuri, I don’t specifically see how these are a “product of … evolutionary processes” inasmuch as zote life in zote forms is a product of evolution. These are sterile “glitches” that are cool, but not anything that has been specifically evolved for or against. Perhaps it would be more adept to call this a fascinating process of genetics (which the article actually describes with accuracy). Pia – butterflies emerge as adults and hatch as caterpillars – but that’s just me being picky.
Na Chris Grinter, juu ya Julai 11, 2011 Leo nondo ni nzuri na adimu kutoka SE Arizona na Mexico: Lerina ilivyo (Erebidae: Artiinae). Kama wengine wengi aina siku kuruka ni brilliantly rangi na uwezekano kabisa aposematic. Baada ya yote, kupanda jeshi ni milkweed na caterpillar ni tu kama stunning (chini).
 Lerina ilivyo (Erebidae: Artiinae)
Hii picha ya zamani, kuenea specimen vigumu gani haki za wanyama, lakini moja bahati mpiga picha kupatikana ovipositing kike saa sana juu ya kilima nje ya Tucson, Arizona. Wakati uko katika hilo kwenda kuangalia nje baadhi ya Philip ya nyingine picha kubwa juu ya SmugMug.
 Lerina ilivyo - Philip Kline, BugGuide Kama nilivyoeleza hapo juu nondo hii pia ina caterpillar sawa kuvutia kwamba feeds juu ya Ascleapias linaria (pineneedle milkweed).
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 5 Julai, 2011 
Inaonekana kuna hadithi nyingi za mijini ambazo zinahusisha wadudu kutambaa kwenye nyuso zetu wakati tunalala.. Hadithi maarufu zaidi ni kitu kando ya mistari ya “unakula 8 buibui mwaka wakati wa kulala“. Kwa kweli unapo google nambari hiyo inaanzia 4 kwa 8… hadi pound? Haishangazi mambo yanatiwa chumvi sana mtandaoni, hasa inapohusu arachnophobia maarufu sana. Nina shaka kwamba Wamarekani wa kawaida hula zaidi ya buibui wachache katika maisha yao yote; nyumba yako haipaswi kutambaa na buibui wengi hivi kwamba wanaishia kinywani mwako kila usiku! Hadithi kama hiyo bado ni hadithi lakini yenye chembe ya ukweli – kwamba masikio huchimba kwenye ubongo wako usiku ili kutaga mayai. Si kweli kwamba viwavi ni vimelea vya binadamu (kwa shukrani), lakini wana mwelekeo wa kutambaa kwa nguvu, maeneo yenye unyevunyevu. Inawezekana kwamba hili lilikuwa tukio la kutosha la mara kwa mara Wewe Olde England kwamba sikio lilipata jina hili mbaya. Mende pia wameorodheshwa kama wavutaji sikio – lakini mdudu yeyote anayetambaa ambaye anaweza kuwa anatembea juu yetu usiku anaweza kuishia kwenye moja ya mashimo yetu..
Hata hivyo sijawahi kusikia nondo ikiingia kwenye sikio hadi nilipokutana nayo hadithi hii leo! Nadhani Noctuid aliyechanganyikiwa kwa namna fulani aliishia kwenye sikio la mvulana huyu, ingawa siwezi kujizuia kujiuliza ikiwa aliiweka hapo mwenyewe… Kwa kawaida nondo hazitui kwa watu wakiwa wamelala wala si wale ambao huwa na unyevunyevu, maeneo ya tight. Lakini basi tena chochote kinawezekana, some noctuids do crawl under bark or leaves in the daytime for safe hiding. I even came across another story of an ear-moth form the UK (not that the Daily Mail is a reputable source).
Kwa kawaida, some lazy news sources are using file photos of “nondo” instead of copying the photo from the original story. It’s extra hilarious because one of the pictures used is of a new species of moth described last year by Bruce Walsh in Arizona. Lithophane leeae has been featured on my blog twice before, but never like this!
On a closing note here is a poem by Robert Cording (also where the above image was found).
Consider this: a moth flies into a man’s ear
One ordinary evening of unnoticed pleasures.
When the moth beats its wings, all the winds
Of earth gather in his ear, roar like nothing
He has ever heard. He shakes and shakes
His head, mkewe amechimba sana sikio lake
Kwa kidokezo cha Q, lakini kishindo hakitakoma.
Inaonekana kama milango na madirisha yote
Nyumba yake ilianguka mara moja -
Mchezo wa ajabu wa mazingira ambayo juu yake
Hakuwa na udhibiti kamwe, lakini ambayo angeweza kupuuza
Mpaka jioni alitoweka kana kwamba alikuwa
Sijawahi kuishi. Mwili wake haupo tena
Inaonekana yake mwenyewe; anapiga kelele za maumivu ya kuzama
Upepo ndani ya sikio lake, na kumlaani Mungu,
WHO, masaa yaliyopita, ulikuwa ujanibishaji mzuri
Katika ulimwengu unaoendelea vizuri vya kutosha.
Njiani kuelekea hospitali, mkewe anaacha
Gari, anamwambia mumewe atoke nje,
Ili kukaa kwenye nyasi. Hakuna taa za gari,
Hakuna taa za barabarani, hakuna mwezi. Yeye huchukua
Tochi kutoka kwa chumba cha glavu
Na anaishikilia kando ya sikio lake na, isiyoaminika,
Nondo huruka kuelekea kwenye mwanga. Macho yake
Je, mvua. Anahisi kana kwamba yeye ni msafiri ghafla
Kwenye mwambao wa ulimwengu usiotarajiwa.
Wakati amelala nyuma kwenye nyasi, yeye ni mvulana
Tena. Mkewe anamulika tochi
Angani na kuna ukimya tu
Hajawahi kusikia, na barabara ndogo
Ya mwanga kwenda mahali ambapo hajawahi kufika.
- Robert Cording, Maisha ya Kawaida: Mashairi (Fort Lee: CavanKerry Press, 2006), 29-30.
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 30 Juni, 2011 
 Micronecta Scholtz milima ya nchi za Ulaya ni hai katika chorus ya amorous, mayowe, majini mende kiume. mdudu kidogo juu, Micronecta Scholtz (Corixidae), hatua katika saa whopping 2.3mm na bado inazalisha kubonyeza / buzzing sauti kwa urahisi audible kwa binadamu sikio juu ya uso wa maji. Kuweka kwamba katika mtazamo: kujaribu kusikia mtu majadiliano chini ya maji wakati amesimama poolside ni karibu haiwezekani, bado hii wadudu dakika inazalisha click kubwa ya kutosha kuwa na makosa kwa arthropod duniani. Wakati kwamba haina sauti pia kuvutia wakati sisi ni kuzungukwa na wadudu wengine kwa sauti kubwa kama cicada, M. scholtzi zinageuka kuwa mnyama stunningly kubwa wakati wewe kuchukua maanani ukubwa wa mwili na wa kati sauti kueneza njia ya kufikia masikio yetu. Kuweka katika namba ukubwa wa Clicks chini ya maji inaweza kufikia hadi 100 dB (Sound Shinikizo Level, SPL). Shrink sisi ulimwenguni wadudu na uzalishaji sauti hii ni sawa na jackhammer katika umbali huo! Hivyo kile duniani ina kuruhusiwa hii mdudu kidogo kufanya kelele hii na kupata mbali na hayo katika ulimwengu kamili ya mahasimu?
waandishi asili kumweka nje jinsi ya kushangaza matokeo haya ni. Jambo la kwanza kwamba inakuwa dhahiri ni kwamba boatmen maji lazima hawana predators auditory kwani wao ni kimsingi kuogelea kuzunguka kufanya kelele zaidi kimwili inawezekana kwa mnyama yoyote ndogo popote. Kweli hii si ajabu sana tangu mahasimu wengi chini ya maji ni wawindaji madhubuti Visual (kerengende, maji mende na mende nk…). Ni uwezekano mkubwa sana kwamba uteuzi wa kijinsia kuongozwa maendeleo ya simu hizi stridulatory katika ngazi kama astounding. pili kushangaza kitu ni wazi mara moja graph tu jinsi kubwa wadudu hawa ni jamaa na ukubwa wa mwili wao. Saa ya juu ya graph ni bottlenose dolphin (T. truncated) na sona yake maarufu. Lakini outlier kubwa ni kweli wadudu yetu kidogo katika chini kushoto kwa uwiano juu sana kati ya sauti na ukubwa wa mwili (31.5 na maana ya 6.9). Hakuna mwingine inajulikana mnyama anakuja karibu. Inawezekana ingawa uchunguzi kwamba zaidi ya wadudu wengine majini ili mavuno sawa kama matokeo si ajabu zaidi!
Kuwa sahihi zaidi kuhusu “mayowe”, mende (mende katika mfano huu ni sahihi; Corixidae ni kwa utaratibu Hemiptera – mende kweli) ni uwezekano wa kuwa stridulating – rubbing pamoja sehemu mbili kuzalisha sauti badala ya exhaling hewa, drumming, nk… Katika makala waandishi kubashiri kwamba “sauti ni zinazozalishwa na rubbing stridens pars ya paramere haki (genitalia kitambi) dhidi ya ridge juu ya tundu ya kushoto ya nane tumbo sehemu [15]”. Bila kuunganisha hadi citation yao, inaonekana kwamba stridulation na wanaume katika jenasi ni vizuri kumbukumbu kwa mate kivutio. Na kama ungependa kutarajia, habari maduka na waandishi wa habari sayansi kusoma “genitalia kitambi” na kutafsiri kwamba kwa uume: na kuishia na hadithi kama hii. kazi ya parameres linaweza kutafsriwa kwa sawa na mandibles katika kwamba wao ni kupinga miundo (kawaida silaha na nywele) kwa kushika. The matumizi halisi ya kwao yanatofautiana na aina au hata amri, lakini wao ni aina tofauti sana uume (Aedeagus,) tangu wao tu kusaidia kuwezesha kupandisha na wala kutoa mbegu yoyote. Hivyo katika hali halisi una uzazi “claspers” kwa “pars ya vita”. Na mfano bora wa pars stridens ni zaidi ya juu ya umri wa blog archetype. Muundo huu ni yalionyesha chini katika njano (na kinachotokea kuwepo kwenye tumbo la ant). Lakini katika muda – ni mara kwa mara grooved uso sawa na washboard. Katika mwisho hukumu alinukuliwa hapo juu lazima kutafsiriwa kwa “miundo mbili katika ncha ya tumbo kwamba yanapakana kama vidole viwili snapping”.
 Undani wa pars stridens (katika njano) juu ya tergite nje ya tumbo katika Pachycondyla villosa mfanyakazi (Skanning Electron Mikrografu, Roberto Keller / AMNH) Continue reading The incredibly loud world of bug sex
Na Chris Grinter, tarehe 20 Juni, 2011 Nitaweka mpira ukiendelea na mfululizo huu na kujaribu kuufanya kuwa wa kawaida zaidi. Pia nitazingatia kuangazia spishi mpya kila wiki kutoka kwa mkusanyiko mkubwa hapa katika Chuo cha Sayansi cha California. Hii inapaswa kunipa nyenzo za kutosha… angalau miaka mia chache.
 Grammia edwardii (Erebidae: Artiinae) Mfano wa wiki hii ni nondo ya tiger Grammia edwardii. Hadi miaka michache iliyopita familia hii ya nondo ilichukuliwa kuwa tofauti na Noctuidae – lakini uchanganuzi wa hivi majuzi wa molekuli na kimofolojia unaonyesha kwamba kwa kweli ni Noctuid. Familia ya Erebidae ilitolewa kutoka ndani ya Noctuidae na Arctiidae waliwekwa humo., kuwageuza kuwa familia ndogo ya Arctiinae. Sawa, takolojia ya kuchosha iko njiani – yote kwa yote, ni nondo mzuri na karibu hakuna kinachojulikana kuihusu. Sampuli hii ilikusanywa huko San Francisco 1904 – kwa kweli karibu vielelezo vyote vinavyojulikana vya aina hii vilikusanywa katika jiji karibu na mwanzo wa karne. Wakati nondo hii inaonekana sawa na tele na iliyoenea Grammy ya mapambo, uchambuzi wa karibu wa macho, umbo la mrengo na antena hudumisha kwamba hii ni spishi tofauti. Ninaamini sampuli ya mwisho ilikusanywa karibu miaka ya 1920 na haijaonekana tangu wakati huo.. Kuna uwezekano na bahati mbaya kwamba nondo hii inaweza kuwa imetoweka katika kipindi cha mwisho 100 miaka ya maendeleo ya mkoa wa SF Bay. Grammia, na Arctiinae kwa ujumla, hazijulikani kwa viwango vya juu vya umaalum wa mwenyeji; wanaelekea kuwa kama ng'ombe wadogo na hula karibu kila kitu katika njia yao. Kwa hivyo inabakia kutatanisha kwa nini nondo huyu hangekuwa na makazi leo, hata katika mji ambao unasumbua sana. Pengine nondo huyu alibobea katika maeneo yenye maji chumvi yanayozunguka ghuba hiyo – ambayo yote tangu wakati huo yamefutwa kwa sababu ya utupaji taka wa mali isiyohamishika (1/3 ya ghuba nzima ilipotea kujaa). Au pengine nondo huyu anabaki nasi hata leo lakini hakusanywi kamwe kwa sababu ni spishi za kuruka zinazokwepa siku. Mimi huweka macho yangu kwenye bustani wakati wa masika kwa ajili ya ukungu mdogo wa chungwa…
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