Robber Fly (Family Asilidae)

Silhouette of Robber Fly

A few days ago I found this bearded fellow sitting on a skirting board in our dining room.  Its head was covered with stiff , white bristles. At first I did not know what type of insect it was, until Grantthegeek and I came across Thomas Shahan's website. Mystery solved: It was a Robber Fly (Also known as an Assassin Fly)!

Sitting on a perch waiting for its next victim

Like the praying mantis, robber flies also have 3 simple eyes (ocelli) located in the depression between the two compound eyes. Another interesting fact :  A male should be vigilant when courting a female or she will fly out, stab him with her proboscis and eat him!!!

 

These flies are famous for catching its prey in mid-air.  The mouthparts consist of a triangular proboscis which is stabbed into the prey.  Enzymes are injected into the insect to liquefy the insides, so that it can be sucked up by the robber fly.  Yummy!!!!

I just love the colour of the compound eyes and the white 'beard' on this insect!  I'm really so glad I took an interest in photography as I'm learning more each day about mother earth and its inhabitants....

Finally, I just have to mention that my brother gave me gift vouchers from Exclusive Books for Christmas.  Can't wait to visit the shop to purchase a book on South African insect and spiders.  Tx, my Ironman!   :D

Praying Mantis

Found this beauty enjoying the sun following two days of heavy rains. Its common knowledge that these insects can turn their heads 180 degrees.  What I did not know was that situated between its two large compound eyes are three tiny simple eyes.  The latter are used for light detection only.

Also spent some time photographing flowers in my parents' garden.  Unfortunately I had to use a high ISO setting as it was quite late in the afternoon.

Kissing Pollen Stems

 

It was the perfect end to a good day....  d:-D

My Intro To Underwater Photography - Phillip's Reef

Silvertip nudibranch (Janolus capensis)

Diving with Ocean Divers International has opened up a whole new world for me.  On my first dive with them the DM (dive master ) took us to a sand patch and indicated that we should sit  down for a moment.  I couldn't understand the reason for the 'request', but being the new kid on the block I did as I was told.  I still remember listening to the sound generated by my breathing aparatus and the bubbles flowing from it  - then all of a sudden I became aware of a whole range of other sounds created by the fish and the inhabitants of the reef.  I was in awe... how come I've never heard it before?  Maybe its because I got use to swimming from point A to point B and then returning to the back to the boat again...

A few months later I joined Juan Snyman on another dive at Phillip's Reef.   Not only  is he a qualified DM, but he's also a very keen underwater photographer.  Halfway through the dive he handed me his camera, and I immediately started to panic.  How does a person swim against the strong currents and still manage to take photos?  Well, I gave it a shot and I here some of my attempts:

Heart urchin (Spatagobrissus mirabilis)

Just for info - Phillip's Reef is situated in Algoa Bay and was named after Philip Coeztee, a marine biologist who did extensive research on this reef.  The maximum depth here is approximately 18 metres.

Choirboys (Podoclavella sp)

Frilled nudibranch (Leminda millecra)

What I enjoy most of underwater photography is returning home and sharing my diving experience throught my photographs with my husband and friends.

The Haerlem Wreck

Cryptic Sponge Crab (Crytodromiosis spongiosa)

Last Sunday I joined several divers from Ocean Divers International on a wreck dive.  Since I started diving in 2002, The Haerlem, an SA Navy frigate scuttled in late November 1987, has been one of my favourite dive sites in Algoa Bay.  I can't really say why - maybe it has something to do with the eary feeling I get when I look into the portholes. On the top of the deck the average depth is approximately 18 metres and 21 metres at the stern.

Square-mouthed Striped Anemone (Anthothoe sp)

The wreck is home to a large number of leopard and pajama catsharks, soft corals and a variety of other fish, e.g. batfish.

A Leopard Catshark playing hide and seek....

The viz was particularly bad on the day of the dive - one metre at the most.  I buddied with Juan Snyman, who is one of the best divemasters in Port Elizabeth.  What I love most about diving with him is that he takes time in showing fellow divers all the little interesting sea creatures. 

Basket Star (Astrocladus euryale)

My two favourite sea creatures, with the exception of dolphines and whales, are basket stars and nudibranchs.  The basket star is a type of brittle star and often attaches itself to sea fans (see pic above).

Crowned Nudibranch (Polycera capensis)

Most nudibranchs or sea slugs have flamboyant colour patterns - a warning to potential preditors that they are distasteful or even poisonous.

Variable dorid (Aphelodoris brunnea -1)

Staghorn False Coral (Gigantopora polymorpha)

Nippled Sea Fan (Eunicella papillosa)

Black Nudibranch (Tambja Capensis)

Scollaped Lacy False Coral (Reteporella lata)

Cobbled Starfish (Calliaster baccatus)

3,2,1....BUNGEE!!!!!

Jumping Spider (Portia sp.)

Upon returning from work on Thursday, I found this little spider on my dining room table 'waiting for supper to be served'.  It was less than 2cm in size and very fast on its feet. This little fellow belongs go the Saliticidae (jumping spiders) family,  which is the largest spider family in the world. Its favourite food source - primarily other spiders!  YUCK!!!!! 

After releasing it back into 'the wild', I grabbed my camera to take a few photos.  It kept running up and down the stem of one of our succulent plants.  Eventually it found solice under a dried leave.  Still trying to 'capture' the perfect photo, I turned the leave around - AND GUESS WHAT I SAW.....

David and Goliath

Don't be too brave little spider! Sometimes its best just to turn around and 'walk' away.... 

I've battled for days to identify the spider in the pictures above.  Finally I decided to contact Mr Lambert Smith to ask him for help.  Here is what he had to say:

"From what I can see this appears to be a Baboon Spider from the family Theraphosidae. It is able to deliver a painful bite but is not known to be toxic to humans."

For more info on insects and spiders found in South Africa, visit www.insecta.co.za

"If you wish to live and thrive, let the spider run alive" Proverb

Green Mottled Planthopper

 

Classification
Class: Insecta
Order: Hemiptera
Family: Flatidae
Genus: Siphanta
Species: Hebes


Found this beautiful planthopper in our garden.  Planthoppers are sapsuckers that feed on leaves, branches and trunks of the host tree.

They are also called torpedo bugs, which refer to the great leaping ability of mature nymphs.

The Weevil

Weevils are a familiar sight in our garden, especially amongst some of the succulent plants, which they love to feast on.  For years the only weevil known to me was the wheat or granary weevil - so, imagine my surprise when I discovered that there are more than 40 000 species of weevils. 

I spotted the weevil walking along the paving in our backyard.  It must have felt threatened at some stage as it feigned death for a few minutes before taking off  again.

Biennial Indian-Brazil-South African Maritime Exercise

The South African coast was abuzz with activity as warships from the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa joined forces to participate in the biennial Indian-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) exercise.

The aim of the two-week nautical exercise, which took place from 10 to 26 September 2010, was to increase interoperability and enhance military and diplomatic understanding amongst the navies of the participating countries.

Due to our geographical location it was decided that South Africa will be the host country for these exercises.  India was the leady navy for this edition the IBSAMAR.

These pictures were taken from the Humerail Shopping Centre during their visit to  the Port Elizabeth Harbour.  This is my first attempt at the tilt-shift effect - although I still need lots of practice to master the technique, I'm very happy with the results.

Beached Humpback Whale (Maitland, Port Elizabeth)

On 15 September 2010 the carcass of a Humpback Whale approximately 12m in length washed up on the beach at Maitland in Port Elizabeth.  I took a drive down to the site on Saturday to snap some photos.  Needless to say, the carcass was in the first few stages of decompotion and that smell in the air was quite bad at times - so bad in fact, that upon arriving back at home, I immediately stripped off my clothes and took a second bath for the morning. 

As can be seen from the photo above, the tail of the whale was damaged - this could have been an injury caused by a large propeller. Also of interest are the throat or ventral grooves which run from the chin to the navel.Humpback Whales feed by taking in big amounts of water, all thanks to the troat grooves that expand, and filter krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans, and  small fish.  

Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) belong to the baleen whale suborder.  The whales are well-know for breaching and the males sing the most beautiful and melodious 'song'.

The Humpback Whale can easily be identified by its stocky body, large pectoral fins with knobs on the front edge and humped dorsal fin. Another characteristic of the species is the small knobs (tubercles), which are actually hair follicles, decorating the edges of the upper jaw. 

The grown size of these whales are commonly 15–16 metres in males, 16–17 metres in females. The life expectancy of an individual is 45 - 50 years. The estimate age of the whale in these picture is 10 years.

Close-up Of  Barnacles On Pectoral Fin

Marking On Pectoral Fin

As I left, a local contractor arrived to bury the carcass and for a moment I was overcome by sadness as humans were once again responsible for the death of yet another majestic creature. However, nothing compares to the anger I feel for those countries who still see it fit to hunt them even though they are endangered!!!!

For more information on this beautiful mammal, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_whale

Oudtshoorn, The Ostrich Capital of the World

A few weeks ago I accompanied my hubby and three of his colleagues on a trip to Oudtshoorn, one of the largest towns in the Klein Karoo region of the Western Cape.  The town was named after Baron Pieter van Rheede van Oudtshoorn, who was appointed Governor of the Cape Colony in 1772.  Sadly, he died at sea on 23 January 1773 on route to Cape Town from Amsterdam, where he served as a member of the 'Verenigde Oos-Indiese Kompanjie'.

Travelling via the scenic route of the R62, I was stunned by the beauty of the clouds hanging low over the surrounding mountain range.  It took us approximately 3 hours to travel from Port Elizabeth, where we live, to Oudtshoorn.

Upon our arrival I immediately took to the streets camera in hand.  Although moderate in size, Oudtshoorn is a very 'church rich' town.  My first stop was the Dutch Reformed Church.  During 1857 the farm Hartebeesrivier was donated to the parish to build a new church.  Due to a lack of funds, construction was abandoned in 1863.  However, 13 years later construction resumed - all thanks to a boom in the ostrich industry.  The church, built from sandstone which was quarried locally, was finally completed in 1879.

The beautiful Presbyterian Church situated a few blocks from the Dutch Reformed Church was built in 1923.

Most people hate to pay a visit to a cemetery irrespective if its in broad daylight or at night.  I, on the other hand, love to visit the final resting place of many a soul.  It's the one place where I can sit for hours and just be at peace. Of course I would love to bump into a spirit or two, but for some reason they prefer to hide from me :(

 

The first two photos was taken at the main cemetery situated on a hill in Condor Street. There are a number of gates leading into the cemetery - each one indicates the name of a church denomination.  The last photograph was taken at an old cemetery located in the midst of town.

On our second day we woke up to find the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains covered in snow!  What a beautiful sight it was!!!!!

Oudthoorn is home to the world's largest ostrich population with some of the best feathers, ostrich meat and leather products being produced in this region.  A visit to one of the ostrich breeding farms is a must.  There tourists get the opportunity to stand on ostrich eggs and even a chance to ride the largest bird in the world.

My visit to Safari Show Farm coincided with mating session - so  I was lucky enough to witness the mating dance first hand.

There is also an opportunity to visit the Ostrich Palace "Welgeluk" (Afrikaans for 'Good Fortune', which was built at the height of the feather boom in 1920.   The homestead is now a National Monument and the private residence of the Lipschitz family.

The tour ended with an "Ostrich Derby" with two jockeys displaying their riding skills. 

I can't wait for my next visit to this wonderful town - a visit to the Cango Caves will be my number one priority when I return.

Flora of the Klein-Karoo: