Dudu Diaries

Category: Ants, Flies, Grass hoppers | Date: Aug 24 2008 | By: dududiaries

There were a lot of ants scurrying about on other vegetation as well as the ant-acacias. This was one of the more striking species - wearing a fringing tutu of golden hairs! While fiddling with the camera I noticed a very STRANGE creature moving about on some herbs. A closer look revealed that it was a bizarre and wonderful Stalk-Eyed Fly. This group of flies incredibly have their eyes on the ends of long stalks! They are considered a fine example of sexual selection -  where females are choosing  mates based on the length of their stalks. The males sometimes go ‘eye-to-eye’ pushing each other back and forth like two sparring bulls.    Later in the late hot afternoon as I sat in the sparse shade of an acacia I noticed a piece of dirt moving. On closer inspection it turned out to have eyes and legs - can you spot it in the picture below?   A close look revelaed that it was a brilliantly camouflaged grasshopper…  As I watched him, another grasshopper leapt out of a nearby clump and landed on the ground next to me. He wiggled his antennae at me as if to say “What about me - I’d like my picture taken too!” Of course, I obliged…  After I took the picture he hopped back into the grass where he was much better concealed. More from the world of insects soon - thanks to everyone for the kind comments. 

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Category: Ants | Date: Aug 24 2008 | By: dududiaries

Here are some of the ants that live on the ant-acacia trees in the Kerio Valley. First here’s a portrait of an acacia tree…    The main ants that tend the trees are known as ‘cocktail ants’ (Crematogaster spp.) because the raise their abdomens into the air when alarmed. Here are a few of them have a tete-a-tete…    Many of the cocktail ants are brightly coloured, like this one who is red-and-black….     There are lots of other species of ants on the trees. Some don’t actually live on the tree but visit it - scurrying up and down the trunk. In order to photograph these flighty creatures I put out a few drops of diluted honey. They soon found the sweet treat and settled down to drink.  They were not the only sugar lovers around - a number of flies also stopped by the droplet for a drink too! On the whole most of the ants and flies were happy to share the unexpected treat - there were a few minor scuffles, but none of these resulted in anyone being hurt…      More on the ants and other cool bugs from the Kerio Valley soon!

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