#wildlife photography
Pleasing Fungus Beetle - Erotylidae
Pleasing fungus beetles of the family Erotylidae (Coleoptera) are easily recognized by their usually red, orange, yellow or purple bright color combined with black, forming patterns of stripes, spots or rings.
Their common name is because these beetles are mycophagous, which means that they eat fungus, and the fruiting bodies of mushrooms provide the only food for both larvae and adults. In fact, Erotylidae is a very important part of the mycophagous fauna in the tropics, and are largely responsible for recycling the nutrients, which are absorbed by fungi during decomposition of organic matter, and dispersing them through out the food chain.
The beetles copulate on or near the host-fungus. Fertilized female lay eggs into the hymenophore or directly on the fructification, and larvae feed on or inside the fungus, devouring all its available parts.
This one purple Pleasing Fungus Beetle in the photos could be ErotylusorGibbifer.
Photo credits: ©Shirley Sekarajasingham | Locality: Vaupes River, Mitu area, Amazon Basin, eastern Colombia (2011) | [Top] - [Bottom]
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For #macromonday here are some shots of a bicolored striped sweat bee enjoying sunflowers. Taken 9/14/21.
For waterfowlwednesday here are a couple shots of my local group of wood ducks. Taken 9/12/21.
While myself and many other bird watchers from around New York State have been enjoying the visiting Swallow tailed kite. Not everyone has been enthused by its appearance, this harassing accipter (either coopers or sharp shinned hawk but I’m leaning towards coopers) is attempting to let the kite know it isn’t welcome in its territory. Taken 9/6/21.
Sometimes you just have to adjust your grip. A green heron repositioning a fish it caught. Taken yesterday morning.
Got to see my first ever swallow tailed kite a couple days ago! The best part? It was only an hour drive away here in upstate New York! I’m hoping to visit it again today, if it is still in the area this would be the 20th day sighted. Taken 8/31/21.
For throw back Thursday here is an image of a mute swan pair I photographed back in early March of this year. I’m a bit of a file hoarder when it comes to my images. I will usually save things that are sharp and have room for me to play with their composition thinking to myself “I will find a use for this at some point”. On days where I don’t get out and shoot or have more recent images to process I will often go back and think “How did I miss this during processing?!” Taken 3/9/21. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/mute-swan-couple-henry-wagner.html
Some images of a red eft (larval stage of Eastern red spotted newt) from 8/8/21.
A long tailed duck drake giving me a curious glance. From all the way back in March, somehow it didn’t manage to make its way on to here so now it is. Taken 3/9/21.
A mother and calf one-horned rhinoceros at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary on the outskirts of Gauhati, India. The sanctuary is known for its Indian one-horned rhino population - Photograph: Anupam Nath/AP
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A greylag and its young gosling waddling around in the rain at Slimbridge wetlands, in Gloucestershire, UK - Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA
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Little Brown-belted Bumblebee a few summers back
