#Texas ironclad beetle

[zestyatbest]

I’d like you all to meet my little buddy, Zephyr!

They’re a Texas Ironclad Beetle! Aren’t they the cutest?? I actually just recently found them and I set up a vivarium for them, and I’d like to expand it soon and maybe someday find a friend or two for them.

I love them So much. I would have a nice little tea party with them if that were practical but it’s not so I did this for them instead!

I don’t even know what to say, they’re just. So lovely <3 I adore them

#Zephyr <3 #zestydraws #zestytalks #bugblr #bug #beetle #bugs #bug cw #cw bugs #Texas ironclad beetle #Texas ironclad #art #Digital Art #nametag #vivarium

[galacticnova3]

@onenicebugperday Bit of an unfortunate update, but not without hope.

A week ago as of posting this, Green Bean Casserole had a pretty severe mismolt. I think they fell and got stuck behind their favorite stick in an awkward position after leaving the exuviae. I only found and assisted them the next morning, but by then their exoskeleton had already hardened up. Thankfully all of their limbs are intact and functional, but, well... The situation is far from ideal, as you’ll see.

At first I was pretty worried they wouldn’t make it; they seemed to be struggling to move around due to the deformity, falling when climbing and generally looking wobbly. I moved them to a different terrarium set up for my flat headed snake Absinthe, both because of the softer substrate and the lack of skinks that might be bold and attempt to take advantage of a weakened mantis. I wasn’t even sure if food would be able to pass through their system, and they had no interest in prey at all, which wasn’t a good sign. However, with some adjustments to the layout of the temporary terrarium I moved them to, they did climb and manage to hang from the lid with some effort. GBC seemed like they were a fighter, and the day after the bad molt they accepted and ate a grasshopper, so I decided to see if I could get them to their next molt and hopefully allow them to recover.

They’ve since adapted to their new shape, and I’ve moved them back to their usual terrarium for easier monitoring and better sun access. They’re climbing and hanging without falling, eating well, and drinking water droplets from the screen lid when I water the terrarium. I’d say they’re about as close to thriving as they could be in this situation! Here’s how they’re looking today. Ignore the escapee grasshopper in the background, its jailbreak was short lived…

I do feel a bit mean for making this comparison, but…

There’s a bit of a resemblance, isn’t there?

#rambling #insects #bugs #praying mantis #mantis #carolina mantis #they’re doing much better than they were #I’m confident they’ll make it to the next molt #really my only worry is whether they’ll be able to successfully complete it with the unusual shape they have #just have to wait and see when the time comes #overall I’d say it’s kinda just business as usual for them: eating bugs and hanging out watching the world below #and getting watered by accident sometimes #the worst that’s happened since the mismolt was being aggressively accosted by a Texas ironclad beetle #which is to say it had climbed onto the lid and slowly meandered up to them #and they responded by trying to smack it away only to end up falling themselves #the beetle was of course unfazed and continued on its way before climbing back down on the other side #life for the cow bugs is slow and simple…

[onenicebugperday]

I can't edit the text because it's a poll (lol love that you just left it) so this was submitted by @whitewalker47ag

It's an ironclad beetle, Zopherus nodulosus! Extremely cute and fashionable little friend

#animals #insects #bugs #submission #beetle #ironclad beetle #Zopherus nodulosus

[spiderton]

if all the patapon characters were bugs which bugs would they be. youve probably already done this but

oh my god i suddenly lost most of my progress on this ask so im mildly irritated (not at u though) but il go over the zigotons first. spiderton is a golden orb weaver, beetleton is a stag beetle, makoton is a bark scorpion, and kharma a death head moth. saw gong being thrown around as like, also a death head moth, but hawkmoths exist so it fits him

for the patapons most of them are ants. fah hatapon kon and tsukapons are harvester ants, as hero ton and rah are trapjaws. i think shuraba would be a lacewing though but meden is probably a phasmid (maybe giant prickly stick insect, but tbh giant malaysian leaf insect works better). patapon princess is a pond skater (jesus bug is another common name), but thats abut it for the patapons

for the karmens itd be.. a bit harder but i can make things up. nomen is a texas ironclad beetle which are infamous for having incredibly tough shells to break.. kimen might also be a phasmid, just a common walking stick. for hukmen he might be an assassin bug (not any of the wheel ones, not sure abut the species but assassin bugs most remind me of him) EDIT: i forgot ormen karmen SORRY. hes a longhorn beetle

buzzcrave is either a botfly, mantis, or centipede. whatever you like more. slogturtle is a diving beetle, sonarchy is a bat fly, and covet hiss is a centipede herself. i did it wooo yayy

[lycomorpha]

Ironclad Beetle (Zopherus nodulosus haldemani) by Jeff Gruber Via Flickr: Zopherus nodulosus haldemani Horn, 1870. Found at Bastrop State Park in central Texas, ESE of Austin. Bastrop County, Texas, USA. This individual was found at base of large living pine (loblolly?) tree next to one of the paths in the park. Single exposure, uncropped, handheld, in situ. Canon MT-24EX flash unit, Ian McConnachie and plastic cup diffuser.

#Zopherus nodulosus haldemani #Zopherus nodulosus #Zopherus #Zopherini #Zopherinae #Zopheridae #Coleoptera #Ironclad Beetle #insect #macro #Entomology

[mentally-illenial]

Our youngest went on a long evening walk with me and the pups. We saw some rabbits, a tiny baby armadillo, and these cool little guys up top: a Texas ironclad beetle, and a tiny baby brown skink! 🤎

#evil stepmother's health kick summer camp #personal fitblr #fitblr #health & fitness #healthblr #fitspo #texas #beetles #skinks

[fur-feathers-fins]

Texas ironclads are my favorite beetle☺

#texas ironclad beetle #ironclad #beetle #insect #mine

[bugkeeping]

Texas Ironclad Beetle   Zopherus nodulosus

#Texas Ironclad Beetle #Zopherus nodulosus #beetle #Coleoptera

[attic-moth]

“Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?” -Mary Oliver

#bugs #barton creek #my photography #35mm #texas ironclad beetle #context the beetle was dying when i took the picture #because it had a leg missing

[orowyrm]

OH, i almost forgot to post them, but my trio of blue death feigning beetles arrived today!!! the seller actually sent one extra, which was super sweet. they’re settling in super well!! took em a couple hours to get their blue back after shipping, but man oh man are they good looking regardless... what can i say, i love beetles lol

#insects #beetles #bugblr #blue death feigning beetle #asbolus verrucosus #i LOVE THEMMM #next on my list is texas ironclads and pie dish beetles #once i have those i can finally die happy.

[natureatlogans]

Day 31: Favorite Bug

Wow I made it!!!! For the final day of Inktober I picked the Ironclad Beetle! Idk what about these guys that makes me love them so much. Maybe it’s cuz they look like an Oreo or maybe it’s because it can be run over by a car and be totally fine! The world may never know!

I want to say thank you to @six-legs-and-more for posting the prompt set I’ve been using for this Inktober. And thanks to all of those who have liked, reblogged, and left comments on my art! It made me feel wonderful to see people excited about my art!

I had a blast with this and learned a lot about drawing and bugs as well! I’d say I’ve even improved my art from this!

With the final day complete, Thanks to everyone, Happy Halloween!!!! Until next Inktober! :)

#this was soooo much fun! #YAAAYYY #IM FINISHED #nature #texas nature #wildlife #bugs #ento #entomology #ironclad #ironclad beetle #beetle #beetles #traditional art #my art #art #inktober 2018 #ink #inktober

[zestyatbest]

I’ve been wanting to make a Hollow Knight character based on my Texas Ironclad Beetle, Zephyr, and I finally got around to drawing them 👍

They/them (but they’re fine with ze/he/she pronouns too)

Zephyr is a solitary farmer who tends to crops of lichens and fungi in a secluded pocket of the Fungal Wastes. Their scythe is more of a tool than a weapon but it can be used for self defense. They aren’t picked on often though, partly because they avoid people and partly because they’re large enough to tower over most bugs.

Don’t let their size fool you; they’re not a fighter. When they feel threatened they keel over and play dead until danger passes. Their shell is tough enough to take almost any hit so this is actually an effective strategy, even if their opponent knows they’re alive.

They’re not the type to pick a fight in the first place. They’re actually very well-mannered and polite, and they’re willing to share small portions of their crops with hungry travelers. Still, they don’t consider many people their friend, and they’re content with living alone, holding their secrets close to their chest.

Their golden embellishments are actually a reference to something pretty tragic with Texas Ironclads; they’re sometimes worn as living jewelry. Gems and gold chains are glued to their shells and they’re worn on people’s shirts, chained by a pin and left to crawl with these permanent weights on their backs. This metaphor runs deeper than just their looks, but you’ll be hard pressed to convince Zephyr to talk about their past.

They’ve considered leaving Hallownest to find a better life but they’re never had the bravery to go any farther than Dirtmouth.

#zestydraws #art #oc #digital art #Hollow Knight #Hollow Knight OC #Original Character #Texas Ironclad Beetle #Zephyr #HK OC #Bug #Bug CW

[galacticnova3]

you got beetles?

Ye! Specifically

-A gang of whirligig beetles I removed from our pool, which I affectionately named The Penis Musicians after discovering they are very noisy and trying to research why/how that is only to be slapped with the funniest article name ever. To be honest I’m pretty sure the “tiny aquatic beetle with ‘singing penis’” that set a noise record is a different species entirely, but there’s nothing else online that says anything about whirligig beetles making noise, so the nickname stuck. I also tentatively have a giant water scavenger beetle but I am likely going to release it soon since I’m not sure if I’m ready to maintain a suitably sized aquatic setup. It��s been doing well in the temporary one I made— I can tell it’s eating because for whatever reason it only poops in one specific spot away from where it usually hides— but I imagine it would be more comfortable with more space. Plus I haven’t found them in my area before(they are native here fyi) so I feel like I shouldn’t limit breeding possibilities just so I can look at funny big bug do a swim.

-Four Texas ironclad beetles, one of which I found in my backyard strolling around on the porch and three that I may or may not have kidnapped from a renaissance faire. It wasn’t like anyone was gonna stop me, and they were in an area with a lot of foot traffic and all, and one was already missing a leg, and they were right there… No it wasn’t responsible but also I figured the one I had could use some company(haven’t had success finding another on our property and I imagine it has to do with unnecessary pesticide use…) and the ones I took wouldn’t mind a less chaotic living situation. The short quarantine period didn’t seem to bother them and they’ve been doing great! And also doing each other. Two hooked up during transport and then as of yesterday I discovered two of them engaging in Homosexual Activities(either multiple times or for 7 hour straight/7 hours gay), which occurred again today. Since they all look very similar barring one that’s a little smaller I can’t tell if it’s two that were from the faire or one from there and the one from the yard. Either way I for one support these funky gay beetles. Will not deny that I was surprised to check on them only to see two dudes with their whole aedeagus out, though. Side note, why is the word for bug penis so cool sounding

-I also have a rove beetle? Idk where it came from but I found it with my isopods so I just moved it to the larger terrarium with more leaf litter to hide under and stuff. Weird little guy!

#asks #rambling

[onenicebugperday]

@vinnycarwash submitted: requesting an ID for the first 2, sorry for sending multiple im on break at work and dont have time to dig allllll the way back thru my gallery for these i took them a while ago and couldnt ever figure out what they were !, and i thought youd enjoy the ironclad beetle as well :], north central texas, and thanks for all the bug identification, very sick page !

Thank you! I definitely love the ironclad beetle. Not positive on the fly, maybe a Tachinid. But the spider is a nursery web spider, probably Pisaurina dubia :)

#animals #insects #bugs #spider #arachnids #submission #beetle #ironclad beetle #Zopherus nodulosus #fly #diptera #tachinid fly #bristle fly #maybe #nursery web spider #Pisaurina dubia

[platycryptus]

Ironclad beetle (Zopherus nodulosus haldemani). Austin, Texas, 10/14/19.

this bug is insane. Its exoskeleton is so tough, if you try to pin a dead one, the pin will just bend. It can only be pierced with a small electric drill.

It’s immune to being stomped on or otherwise crushed with human force, and I’ve even read multiple anecdotes that they can survive being run over by a car.

They were originally called ironclad beetles just because their exoskeleton is so hard, but analysis has shown that their shell actually does contain iron- in addition to calcium, manganese and zinc.

Many invertebrates (including insects, polychaete worms and mollusks) have metal- reinforced jaws or other body parts, but this is the most metal in one animal that I’m aware of... no wonder it’s basically indestructible.

#bugs #beetle #ironclad beetle #zopherus #insects #bugblr #entomology #science #animals #biology #zopherus nodulosus

[galacticbugman]

My Favorite Insects

Well howdy ya’ll Galactic Bug Man here with another blog post. Sorry this is long over due I have been busy with school and I have had some family issues that needed to be resolved this last few months but I am back with another blog post and just in time for the start of *drum roll* *fanfare* INSECT SEASON! or just spring. 

So In my last post that was back in November I said that I would talk about what are my favorite insects. For the record some people may tell you that you can only have one or two favorites of everything. Well for me that has always been hard for me. Anything that interests me automatically becomes an obsession with me. With the autism it is kind of hard to ignore things that have a profound interest with me. Some people just have one favorite or each category. As for my goofy/nerdy self I have many favorites on many levels. For me I don’t just have one favorite science fiction TV Show or movie, same goes for Cartoons, comedies, food...eh you get the picture. Anyway I don’t just have a single favorite family of animals or just one favorite species for each. 

In my line of a hobby it is the thrill of the search and an encounter goes. For me favorites come in many forms and have different lifestyles, and sometimes the story that will form when I find an organism helps make an organism my favorite. So there are many things that add up to make an organism a favorite. For me it is all of these put together. Even though I am a storyteller of sorts and love to share experiences I have had finding certain species. So now let us go into some of  my favorites from the world of insects. Even though I am a birder too think I am just going to leave this post strictly for the insects. Just FYI I am expanding my blog to more than just insects. In the future I will be talking about birds, mammals, and all things natural. So with that said let us dive in to Insect family #1... 

Beetles have become a growing obsession for me in the last few years. Back when I was in the Future Farmers of America I participated in an entomology contest once in the spring of 2011 then I did another one in spring of 2012.It was like a UIL contest of sorts but it was an FFA governed contest. We had to study a list of 125 or 150 insects I can’t really remember the amount we had to ID but it was a lot. The Texas Ironclad Beetle was one of the many on the list. (the picture was a photo I took of one during the 2017 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge of that same species.) The FFA contest really opened my eyes to loving the insect world. I became quite interested in the lives of insects and the ways they work. Butterflies had always been a favorite subject of mine ever since I was in grade school. My late grandmother (who passed away back in August of last year) got me butterflies and we had a garden at the house we moved from back in April for a long time. Most insects didn’t really appeal to me until my time with the Martin High School FFA. Me and the teams I had both years won first prize at the contests so that is how my love for loving insects a lot more than I did started to grow. Beetles started to grow on me. There have been many species that I have seen in the last few years that I wouldn’t believe existed. Some are just so amazing to watch and to photograph. 

 A growing favorite group of mine would have to be the Tiger Beetles. They are some of the prettiest and most vibrant colored of the beetles. This one was found at Thora Hart Park a few blocks from where I live now. We moved back in April of last year. This was found on one of our getting ready to move days. This guy is called a Chartreuse Tiger Beetle. It is a really shiny one. I found this one on one of the sand paths out there in the back forty of the park. It is small but the number of Tigers is amazing. There are a lot of deep sands out there and on any given hot and sunny day they will be out. Tiger Beetles are known for being fast throughout their lives. They have good eyesight even when they are larva which is kind of interesting for an insect. They are also predatory their whole lives. With a sharp pair of scissor-like mandibles and a tiger like attitude they are a fascinating beetle to observe. Both fast runners and fast fliers they one of an insect’s worst nightmares. This one was really cool. I saw this flash of green and blue. Then it landed in front of me and then I saw a flash of red. These guys are actually yellow on their wing covers; but when the sun hits them just right they shine a bright reddish orange color. That is what makes them really appealing to me. We all like shiny things don’t we? Shiny rocks, Pokemon, silver, gold. You name it people love shiny objects. For me shiny beetles are no different. 

Another one of my favorites is this one called the Carolina Tiger Beetle. This one was one cool Tiger Beetle. I was out at a park called Parr Park in Grapevine Texas. There was a bunch of these guys running about the light traps we were using during one of our field investigations which was a Moth Night. A moth night or mothing event is where you set out lights with different wave lengths and purposely attract insects to photograph and document them. I have been on several in the last couple of years and they are loads of fun. They are cool because you don’t always get to see the creatures of the nocturnal world that often if you are a day person. Me I am more of an afternoon and night person. I have never been much of a morning person.That doesn’t mean I won’t get up early some days and go early morning birding or something like that. I do that sort of thing all the time but the night time when it is really muggy and sticky outside the bugs just come from out of the wood work. I don’t suggest doing those kinds of events if you don’t like bugs touching you or if you have a fear of insects because they will get into you mouth and your hair. Anyway getting back on track. I had my flashlight on and I was just looking down to see what I could find. I saw a couple of purple streaks running around at the base of our sheets that the bugs would cling to while we took photos. These guys really catch your eye and the refection from a headlamp or a flashlight is amazing when the light bounces off these guys. It is amazing how shiny they are. That is why I love these guys because one they are appealing by vibrancy in color and by their amazing patterns and shades. They are amazing little creatures. They are tiny and you can easily miss them. That is why you will not have tour guide going to have a tour guide with a group of people looking for these guys. They are too small and will flee in an instant. Still going out by yourself will be your best bet on seeing these guys. 

Another one of my favorite beetles is this kind. This one is known by only a scientific name. It is called Zygogramma Heterothecae. It is a mouth full I know. This photo was taken at Tarrant County College’s South Campus where I go to school. I found this guy on one of my study breaks. On most study breaks I either go to the school’s game room and hang out with the other nerds or I go out and see what insects I can find so I can upload them to iNaturalist. This guy was at one of the best places to look for insects on campus (the library). This guy was the first one I have seen. Just look at those markings; it almost looks like a tribal painting or something from a tropical land. It is amazing how these guys look. I posted it to the iNaturalist website and turns out it had never been found in the Metroplex before so I got to expand its range just a little bit. That is another factor that makes an insect my favorite for its rarity or if it is a new one for a new range of territory. I have expanded ranges for a lot of insects on iNaturalist in the three years I have been using it. It is not that I am a big shot or anything it is just that I like to take pictures of everything from common insects and birds to the really hard to see ones. It is often the small things that are the least observed. I don’t know just how many species in total I have expanded for but I have also found several firsts for many parks around the area. One of my friends tries to give me the big head and calls me a rockstar. The truth is I am no rockstar or super naturalist I am just doing what a citizen scientist does take photos and send them on the database website and let nature take its course. I mean it is cool that I have found a lot of species that are rare and maybe out of place but I am not one who likes to take credit; I am the kind of person that likes to give credit when it is due. I have always been modest in this case. But yes finding rare things like this adds to the value. 

Sometimes a bug just has to look like a spaceship or an visitor from another world to get my vote. Many insects I encounter remind me of things from Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica (1978 version with the Ovion Bug People) among other science fiction movies and TV shows. This guy Delphinia Picta or Picture Winged Fly is a wild looking one. It almost reminds me of the Bounty Hunter Greedo that worked for Jabba the Hutt that Han Solo blew away with his laser pistol in Star Wars IV A New Hope. It has a head that looks just like Greedo’s face minus the green with the bumpy texture and the funny looking ears. This guy is just bizarre looking all together. It looks like a starship with a Greedo head. so that is kind of fun and adds to the favorites if they remind you of fun things like that. Many insects in my mind always look like a sci-fi or horror movie monster from the 1930s- 1960s with the B horror classics. That is just it with being a nerd you see things like that out in nature and as a huge nerd of science fiction and stuff like that I have a lot of fun with it. I seriously can’t be out with a group on a BioBlitz see a bug and shoot off my mouth with some kind of silly science fiction reference. Thankfully I am with people that get it so I am safe but yes it is true that I can’t go a day without referencing a TV show, movie, or book. I am just that kind of guy even when it comes to nature. I surprised no one has gotten sick of me yet in my naturalist group. Lets look at another insect that looks like an alien shall we. 

This guy is called the Wheel Bug. Named after its weird Buzz Saw like blade on his midsection. I am surprised that when they made the Starship Troopers series they didn’t make a bug that looked like this monster. This guy is a true monster. I It conjurers up a lot of science fiction nightmares just by looking at it but man I live for this kind of stuff. I love weird looking bugs. The weirder the creature the more blown my mind is. Sometimes the things with a face only a mother could love are the best things to look at. This guy you do not want to pick up just FYI. It can bite and it bites hard. I have never been bitten but good golly I know people that have been bitten and they say it is a feeling you don’t want to have. It may not kill you but it can leave one nasty mark. This guy is a member of the Assassin Bug group and it is one of the largest. Most assassins don’t get this big but these guys are over an inch long in some cases. They are a true monster but heck just as long as you keep your distance they can’t hurt you. So that is one factor for me I guess. Some animals like elephants may remind you of Dumbo or a baby deer may remind you of Bambi. However if you are into bugs and a pop culture nerd you will probably be seeing some Close Encounters business. Just saying I have been on the sci-fi bandwagon all my life and let me tell you some insects get even stranger and bring even more science fiction stuff to the table. 

Some times it just has to have a fun name to say and since we just went down a path of sci-fi reference I think this one would be great to talk about. This little butterfly is known as a Phaon Crescent. I think that name sounds so much like a ship name (just the Phaon part). This guy is a very pretty butterfly that looks very much like a starburst or a disco ball. It is a very interesting butterfly and is just as small as its sister species called the Pearl Crescent which we get here in Texas too. These are not as common for me on a more personal note but they do happen quite frequently. Both are really pretty but this one gets bonus points for having such a cool name. 

Sometimes to be a favorite they have to look weird before you can figure them out and know what they are doing. As in this case for this little Yellow-collared Slug Moth. You see that arched thing? that is its butt. I am just going to say this now like I have said so many times I am glad I don’t have to put my face near my butt for protection. This moth is in its defensive position. I was in a group doing another event out at Parr Park and I was coming back with a few other and I spotted him on a garbage can and we couldn’t figure out what he was or what exactly he was doing. So yes sometimes the oddest bits of behavior help with the humor of a potential favorite observation.This guy was just doing what he does best when not looking for food or a mate. 1. he had chosen a good hiding spot that matched his color. 2. he was just in the defense position so that way nothing serious would happen to him if he was attacked. 3. It just looked funny to us. We all gave it crazy bewildered looks trying to make heads or tails out of it. Turns out many moths do the same thing like the Eggplant Leaf-roller Moth and others. So sometimes the things we don’t understand may seem like a good laugh and that could add to a fond memory. 

So that is it some of my favorite insect moments frozen in time. I have tons more favorites but it is kind of hard to cram them all into a single blog post when you have over 5,000 observations and over 1,370 species on your life list. That is kind of hard to pick and choose all of your favorites. I would like to hear what your favorite animals are and how you pick and choose your favorites. So until we meet again readers stay tuned for more from me Galactic Bug Man. I will see you on the trail. See you soon! gotta run. 

#insects #wild #behavior #nature #wildlife #texas #beetles #coleoptera #moths #lepidoptera #butterflies #parks #hikes #photographs #macro photography #close ups #up close #closer look #insect #bugs