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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