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Red Base-winged Vegetable Grasshopper


Red Base-winged Vegetable Grasshopper (Atractomorpha crenulata) is a species of grasshopper in the family Pyrgomorphidae. The Red base-winged vegetable grasshopper is green with purple tinge on antennae and pink abdomen. It's not strong jumper or flier. It's a slow moving grasshopper and depend on camouflage for protection. It's a pest of many agricultural crops, however the damage is not of economic consideration.

Red Base-winged Vegetable Grasshopper (Atractomorpha crenulata)

Flying Ants

The flying ants or  winged ants are not a specific species of ants, but are sexually mature male (drones) and female (queens) that are capable of reproducing. The offsprings of ants can be categorized in two groups, one that's capable of reproducing, is consistes of winged male and female, generally known as "flyng ants". The other that's incapable of reproducing, consistes of wingless sterile females, known as "workers". When the mature males and female (Flying ants) leave the colony, they swarm together and mate. The males die shortly thereafter, but the fertilized queens, that survive start new colonies.

Flying Ants

Six-spotted Zigzag Ladybird

The Six-spotted Zigzag Ladybird (Menochilus sexmaculatus) is the 2nd most common species in our area. Below is the most common colors variants. Before observing them in mating position, I considered different colors variants to be different species. Like seven-spotted ladybird species, this species is also a human friendly species, which work as biological control agent. The generic placement of this species has not been conclusively resolved. The scientific name Menochilus sexmaculatus is used by Slipinski in 2007. Other scientific names of the species includes: Cheilomenes sexmaculata, Chilomenes sexmaculata and Menochilus quadriplagiatus.

Six-spotted Zigzag Ladybird (Menochilus sexmaculatus)

Toy Dinosaur

While testing the focusing quality and how to get best focus using my old and new cameras, I selected this toy dinosaur as an object and took some shots. Though cannot reached any conclusion, however it lead me to create a post on my blog. This plastic toy dinosaur is my son favorite toy and always love to play with it. He cannot pronounce the word "dinosaur" correctly, so he pronounces it like dandosa (dan-do-sa) and now everyone in our home called it dandosa.

Toy Dinosaur

Ambrosia Leaf Beetle-Zygogramma tortuosa

The Ambrosia Leaf Beetle (Zygogramma tortuosa) is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles), subfamily Chrysomelinae, tribe Chrysomelini, subtribe Doryphorina. Ambrosia Leaf Beetle is an effective biological control agent of Parthenium hysterophorus (Whitetop Weed), an unwanted plant in the Asteraceae family, that affects crop production, livestock and human health. Both the adults and larvae of Ambrosia Leaf Beetle feed on the Parthenium hysterophorus leaves and defoliate the plants to a considerable degree.


Ambrosia Leaf Beetle (Zygogramma tortuosa)

Ambrosia Leaf Beetle Mating Pair
Female Ambrosia  Leaf Beetle with  Eggs

Giant Slant-faced Grasshopper

The Giant Slant-faced Grasshopper (Acrida conica), also known as Longheaded Grasshopper, is a species of grasshoper in order Orthoptera, family Acrididae, subfamily Acridinae. The adult grasshopper is about 70 mm long with green or brown color body, having brown/dark brown strips on its head. It's cone shaped head, with short and flat antennae. Its pair of hind legs are long and spindly. It's a slow mover and could not jump well, however is a good flyer.

Giant Slant-faced Grasshopper - Acrida conica (Green Form)
Giant Slant-faced Grasshopper Nymph
Giant Slant-faced Grasshopper (Brown Form)

Frog Shaped Waste Container

This little open mouthed guy was standing at the side of a pavement at the Sozo Water Park Lahore and was calling the visitors to use me. However nobody gave him any attention and were throwing wrappers of chips, biscuits and other eatables here, there and almost everywhere. Personally I liked his pose and used him just for taking a picture.


Frog Shaped Waste Container
Outdoor Waste Container

Huntsman Spiders

Huntsman Spider
Huntsman Spider

The Huntsman Spiders also known as Giant Crab Spiders, are spiders in the family Sparassidae. They are known as rain spiders in southern Africa. The species in the picture has a leg span of about 50mm. Most huntsman spiders are brown or gray. Their legs are covered with spines. They have two claws at the tip of each tarsus. Huntsman spiders do not build webs for catching prey, but rather hunt and forage for their food. They basically feed on insects and other invertebrate.

Huntsman Spiders
Huntsman Spider
Huntsman Spider
Huntsman Spider