Pacific Ambush Bug (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae) on Smooth Baccharis
Be careful little bees - some of those flowers have claws!
This is a small Pacific Ambush Bug (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae, Heteroptera, Hemiptera) sitting on a staminate flower of Ms. Plummer's Baccharis aka Smooth Baccharis (Baccharis plummerae) in the Asteraceae plant family. They are predators that can bring down prey much larger than they are, see this photo. Yep, they have crab claws! (East Camino Cielo, Santa Ynez Mountains, 31 July 2016)
It was hazy and cooler today - and quite breezy. I went into the higher mountains to see what I could find.
Pacific Ambush Bug (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae) on Smooth Baccharis
Be careful little bees - some of those flowers have claws!
This is a small Pacific Ambush Bug (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae, Heteroptera, Hemiptera) sitting on a staminate flower of Ms. Plummer's Baccharis aka Smooth Baccharis (Baccharis plummerae) in the Asteraceae plant family. They are predators that can bring down prey much larger than they are, see this photo. Yep, they have crab claws! (East Camino Cielo, Santa Ynez Mountains, 31 July 2016)
It was hazy and cooler today - and quite breezy. I went into the higher mountains to see what I could find.