They're here for the lulz

This one is really driving me nuts, guys. Long story short, I got a box of beetles (yes, they're dead and pinned; no, I did not kill them, in fact most of them have been dead for 50+ years) without any ID information at all. I've been trying to put names to all of them, and I've managed to get at least a family for everyone.... except for this guy.

( the beast under the cut )

I suppose I may as well throw this guy in too... it's obviously a tiger beetle, Cicindela sp., but I haven't been able to figure out which, uh, specific species it is, so if anyone knows tiger beetles....?

( rainbow roar )

i_hope_that
For many of us, the holidays can be kind of rough. If you're searching for a network of understanding friends, this ultra-nurturing community encourages you to express your heartfelt wishes and offer other members encouragement and acceptance. Not for the terminally snarky or emotionally-challenged, this is a good-spirited place to lend comfort and support.

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A fun and friendly community dedicated to those who love to cook, whether you're a meat-and-potatoes type, an aspiring gourmand, and/or a vegan. In search of a brilliant dish to use up those weekly leftovers? Post your ingredients and you'll be whipping up a feast by dinner. You can also share favorite recipes. For Type A chefs, you can spice up your culinary repertoire with exciting cooking challenges.

We have several of these spiders around our office building, and my friend about a mile away has one in his palm tree. They are brown with white stripes, with legs about the size of a silver dollar, and their bodies in this position look like the head of an alien.



Thanks!

I guess no one told this little guy it was winter. I saw him on my back patio and put him out in the sun to warm up and toodle off. I've seen them in my yard before but am not sure what kind they are:

Here he is from above
Here he is with rosemary as a size guide

And some bonus stuff that I actually do know what it is:
American Snout, also not very weather wise

I bought tropical milkweed at a plant sale in early November and it turned out to have monarch caterpillars on it. I've been babying them along, to the point of having a heater and popup tent over the plant, and if you want to look in on their progress you can do that here. Three of the original five are left and they are fatter every day...I hope they hurry up and get changed!

Last night an amazing moth flew into my room! =D
( Pics, and a short video. )

stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.

These guys were thick in Montana - relatively high elevation. They'd fly right into your face if you weren't lookin. Those antennae make me guess longhorn beetle, but I don't even know if that's accurate?

( Yee-Haw! )

From Bug Hunting

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I'm 17 and diagnosed with PDD-NOS. The past few days I've not been able to talk, I don't know why. It happens sometimes. It's frustrating, and usually I have increased issues understanding spoken language as well. The world's pretty confusing as it is, and it just gets worse during these times. Thankfully I can still communicate with writing, but that usually requires a computer around, my handwriting is horrible and most people can't read it.

I don't even know why I'm posting this here, I guess I just need to vent, some, and maybe get some support. Do any of you have this problem, or do your kids?

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