78 replies to this topic

[Zeiss]

Those have to be beetle eggs.  Backswimmer eggs are too long for that.  Those definitely aren't frog eggs.  I am certain they are beetle eggs.

[MegaMyrmex]

The whirligig beetle looks more like a diving beetle since whirligigs have shorter back legs and longer front legs.

Edited by MegaMyrmex, June 28 2018 - 7:59 PM.

[Zeiss]

The whirligig beetle looks more like a diving beetle since whirligigs have shorter back legs and longer front legs.

He did catch some tiny diving beetles, at least I think he was able to get them in his hand (they were fast and tiny), but the ones that spin around in circles in little groups are definitely whirligig beetles.  Diving beetles do not behave as such, at least I believe they don't.

Edited by Zeiss, June 28 2018 - 11:21 PM.

[dspdrew]

Plants have really been taking over in this thing. I added some of these nice little ground-cover type plants I find growing under water in the local creeks, and they grow like crazy. I have to keep trimming them back once a month to keep it from turning into a jungle. I also added more creeping myrtle, which seems to be doing pretty well this time around. The most exciting thing that has happened is the fern gametophytes have finally grown some mature fronds. I've been waiting about five years for this fern to grow. Once it started, roots grew all over and now they're popping up everywhere.
 
I added some more Whirligig Beetles I caught on my black light while collecting queen ants about two and a half months ago, and they are all still alive and well. I think the lack of predators this time might be allowing them to live longer. I hope they'll actually breed in there.
 

 

 

 

[neoponera]

you should trim it down

a bit

[dspdrew]

I got a whole bunch of these dragonfly nymphs, but put them in a separate container so they would be able to crawl out and molt without being eaten by the frogs.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[dspdrew]

I got a couple more water scorpions. One already had eggs on his back when i found them, and the female continued laying more. Unfortunately one day the male along with all the eggs disappeared.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ponerinecat]

update?

[dspdrew]

The other day I found some nice looking moss in the gutter in a Home Depot parking lot right here in the middle of the city. I rarely see moss anywhere in a place like that. I picked some of it up while sitting there bored waiting for my truck to be worked on.

 

Here is what I ended up with. It's a very thick compact moss that would look great in a vivarium.

 

 

 

I have no idea what species it is, but this is what it looks like up close.

 

 

 

 

I decided to try growing it, so I divided it into multiple containers and put them each in slightly different conditions: wetter, drier, hotter, colder, less light and more light. Hopefully I will find out what conditions it does best in.

 

[Zeiss]

I didn't think the moss you found would be that green and that dense.  I'm surprised, haha.

[dspdrew]

Yeah it was really strange. Usually when i see moss somewhere in the middle of the city, it's just a very small amount and really thin and barely growing. This was thick and went for a stretch of like 50 feet.

[FSTP]

that's a nice bunch of moss there. If they throw up any gametophytes/sporophytes take a picture an id maybe possible.

[NickAnter]

On the title you mean 12-10-19, not 10-12-19 right?

[ANTdrew]

That's really cool. I'm trying to figure out how to grow moss in terrariums myself. I put a couple types in a closed jar terrarium back in September, and one died while the other is doing well. The one that is growing well is actually attached to a piece of bark, so I guess I disturbed its roots less while collecting. Do moss even technically have roots? Not sure..

[ponerinecat]

I think its some sort of thread moss.

That's really cool. I'm trying to figure out how to grow moss in terrariums myself. I put a couple types in a closed jar terrarium back in September, and one died while the other is doing well. The one that is growing well is actually attached to a piece of bark, so I guess I disturbed its roots less while collecting. Do moss even technically have roots? Not sure..

 

yes, they do

[Canadant]

Awesome dspdrew! Love the passion! Great pics. Would love to explore California.

[dspdrew]

All that moss I found eventually died. It had too much water sitting in the containers for too long and it started to smell like poop.

[ANTdrew]

Moss is surprisingly hard to grow, I’ve found.

[Temperateants]

Amazing amphibians!