Mating pair of Pacific Ambush Bugs
Even armored predators need love!
Here are a mating pair of tiny Pacific Ambush Bugs (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae) on a leaf of native California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica aka Rhamnus californica) in the Rhamnaceae plant family. This particular shrub still has a few flowers, and lots of these predators - I have another photo of one from the same shrub. They remind me of shogun-era samurai warriors. The color is interesting. I've always assumed they are color-shifters that change to match their flowers, but I saw three different mating pairs recently, and they all had a yellow male riding a white female. Is there something else going on? It's not quite Wednesday by local time, but it is by Flickr/GMT/UTC time, so Happy Hump Day! (San Marcos Pass, 29 July 2018)
Mating pair of Pacific Ambush Bugs
Even armored predators need love!
Here are a mating pair of tiny Pacific Ambush Bugs (Phymata pacifica, Phymatidae) on a leaf of native California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica aka Rhamnus californica) in the Rhamnaceae plant family. This particular shrub still has a few flowers, and lots of these predators - I have another photo of one from the same shrub. They remind me of shogun-era samurai warriors. The color is interesting. I've always assumed they are color-shifters that change to match their flowers, but I saw three different mating pairs recently, and they all had a yellow male riding a white female. Is there something else going on? It's not quite Wednesday by local time, but it is by Flickr/GMT/UTC time, so Happy Hump Day! (San Marcos Pass, 29 July 2018)