This is it, folks: I have no reserves of wildlife photos. If you have some good ones, you know what to do. Otherwise, I’ll post ’em as I get ’em.
Today we have a pastiche of photos from three readers. Readers’ commentary is indented, and you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
The first contribution comes from Patrick May:
A friend of mine is taking care of some orphaned Virginia opossums [Didelphis virginiana]. These nine are due to be released gradually into the wild in a couple of weeks. [Patrick says he’ll send photos of the release; which will take place in central Connecticut, where they were found. This will be in about a week.]
They’re sleeping in three groups of three (and seem to be smiling about it):
Since they’re growing, their favorite activity is eating:
From Sher Hendrickson, a former student of Greg Mayer:
This Daddy Long-legs (Harvestman) is just after molt, and appears to be eating its former “self”. I do believe it is Phalangium opilio. The location is Boonsboro, MD, not too far from your old stomping grounds. I thought it was eating the exoskeleton, but the legs are still hanging from where it was. I suspect what I observed was the process it uses to get the remaining exoskeleton from its body and legs.
JAC: Note that harvestmen are often thought of as spiders, but they’re not. They’re probably more closely related to groups like horseshoe crabs or scorpions than to true spiders.
From Neil Jones, who is using his new camera and doing good work for conservation. The photo was taken at Caeau Ffos Fach (Little Ditch Fields) near Cross hands in South Wales.
This mating pair of Ringlet butterflies (Aphantopus hyperanthus) landed on my hand. It almost seems they knew I was a friend as I persuaded the British charity Butterfly Conservation to buy and preserve the site where they were flying.
Nice mix – love the … is it mimicry? Spots that mimic eyes?.. Batesian, perhaps?… on the lepidoptera?…
#SelfPopQuiz
1. Seems mimicry – not sure which kind – did everyone know eyes painted on the rumps of cows decrease cattle predation in Africa? Wikipedia says it :
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyespot_(mimicry)
2. Correct
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Cute opossums! Virginia opossums were frequent visitors when we lived in, well, Virginia. Don’t let your cat tangle with one! Fortunately no animals were injured in the encounter, but much adrenaline was involved—for both the animals and for me.
Yes. Never realized how cute. We had opossums in our yard at night here in SouthEastern Virginia about twenty-five years ago along with raccoons. Now we have, in addition to birds, squirrels, bunnies, and deer, but no opossums or raccoons anymore. Don’t have clue about why the change.
We left Giles County in 1995, so I don’t know if things have changed. But opossums we’re abundant.
Opossums! 🙂 Thank you.
oh, and if you remain unsure about massaging an opossum *properly*….remembering to reconnect the polarities… this is for you:
ME Pearl Presents PROPER OPOSSUM MASSAGE:
Thank you, I shared that with the opossums’ caregiver. Oddly, it wasn’t included in the training for rehabilitating wild animals required by the state.
😭
What?! I can’t believe it.
Please write to ME. Pearl immediately.
+1
This is amazing. I really can’t tell if the opossum enjoyed the massage or not.
+1
The opossum is a Buddhist.
We will never know.
These are wonderful, and will make me turn a kinder eye to the possum that regularly poops in our yard 🙂
A delightful mix! And thanks to Bryan for the cow study.