Creatures and a Flower

[fujita yuji]

Hi, it's been a while since I've written.
I post about some interesting creatures I've come across in these several weeks.

These are Antlion's lavae funnels. I've found them just beside the wall of
my house.

A blade (90mm long) is placed for size comprehension.

The lava of antlion hides at the centre of this funnel, waiting for an ant
mistakenly comes into. The funnel is formed to just the limit steepness
where the slope holds it's shape. The antlion lava also throws sand from the
hiding place to ensure that the ant cannot escape. The lava has a pair
of strong scissors like jaws and eats the ant's blood and muscles.
After eating the edible parts, the antlion throws the ant's body away
just like it throws sand to construct these traps.

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit) found in the backyard mountain.

Thanks for looking

 

[kgd]

Nice Fujita, we have ant lions and Jack in the Pulpits here as well, but our Jack in the Pulpits don't look like quite as exquisite as yours. Great picture of the flower.

 

[dipbait]

Interesting.

 

[fujita yuji]

Thanks, guys.
Nice to hear you too have these funny creatures and plants, Ken.

Although never came to an idea to eat Jack in the Pulpits, I've read some articles
saying this plant is poisonous as it looks .

 

[DH1]

Antlion larvae...sounds like the Sarlacc from Return of the Jedi!

 

[Rockywolf]

Always my pleasure to view your threads. Great pics! And of course the knife I like so much too...

 

[fujita yuji]

Yes, DH1. The creature in the film you mentioned is quite an accurate description of antlions.

When I was a kid, I tried to keep and raise this insect larva (sorry for my funny spelling,
lava is what causing serious airline problem in Europe) in a bottle. I captured many ants and
put them in their funnel.
I didn't know antlion larva eats very little amount of food. It ate too much and died

 

[Shotgun]

I always like your posts. Makes me want to visit Japan. Your knife looks like it's seen some use with that patina you have going.

 

[absolutindian]

Antlions are cool... I used to catch them and watch them crawl around my hand. Not very agile little things, but they dig well! Funny-lookin', too!

 

[fujita yuji]

Also thanks for several comments on my blade
As the steel is M2, it is less prone to corrosion compared to 10xx but still wears some patina.
I polished the blade to mirror and put patina with lemon juice some months ago.

 

[Mistwalker]

Hmmm, not sure how I missed this one. Really cool pictures, the flower is beautiful, I wonder if they would grow here? The more I see that blade the more I like it...and I reeally liked it to start with.

 

[fujita yuji]

Thanks, Brian.

The season has changed after I submitted this thread...
We have centipedes in house these days.
I got bite three times last year! How many times for this year ?
I must see the shoes before I put them on carefully!