Leopard Orchid…
Category: Ants, Flies, Orchid | Date: Aug 31 2008 | By: dududiaries
Have been looking closely at a Leopard Orchid (Ansellia africana) to see what kinds of ants visit and potentially tend the buds and flowers. This species of orchid is found along the coast and in the Rift Valley as well as in the western forests of our region. It is a very pretty plant - as you can see from the flowers, the name “Leopard Orchid” is very apt! It is a very variable species. This one is from near Lake Nakuru in the Great Rift Valley:
And this one is from the Kerio Valley:
There’s even a rare, beautiful heavy-spotted form from the rainforest called the “Black Leopard Orchid”. Here’s a sketch I made of it some years ago:
The flowers of the Leopard Orchid are interesting in that they don’t produce any nectar - just a pleasant lemony scent - and so con bees into pollinating them. However, the buds do secrete nectar droplets before they open and these attract ants…
Yet another mystery that needs to be solved! More soon - thanks for your comments…
More Kerio Valley bugs
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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