This adorable spider is commonly known as the Peacock Jumping Spider (Maratus volans), for obvious reasons. Similar to actual peacocks, male peacock spiders raise a colorful flap on their abdomens to garner female attention. Also common among this species is a sort of spider polygamy where male peacock spiders court multiple females at once.
(via rhamphotheca)
Bioluminescence is both a beautiful and intriguing evolutionary mechanism.
(via poseidonsaquarium)
Orbweaver Encyosaccus sexmaculatus from Amazonian Ecuador (in the East)…
(photo: Asser @ Archnoboards)
(Source: coopdaddyswag)
Defensive display by a Spiny Katydid (Panacanthus cuspidatus) from Yasuni National Park in Amazonian Ecuador.
(photo: Santiago Ron)
Phanaeus vindex - Rainbow Scarab Beetle
The Rainbow Scarab Beetle is an American species ranging from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. They grow up to 1 inch long, and are dung beetles. Only the males have horns. Overall one the most colorful and awesome bugs in America.
Photo ©DT Almquist 2012, all rights reserved
(via rhamphotheca)
Newly Discovered Species: Parasitic Wasp
This new species of parasitic wasp cruises at just under a half-inch (1 centimeter) above the ground in Madrid, Spain, in search of its target: ants. With a target in sight, the teensy wasp attacks from the air like a tiny dive-bomber, depositing an egg in less than one-20th of a second.
(via: Live Science) (photo: C. Van Achterberg)
Lichens on a dead twig in my yard in Austin. We have had a lot of rain and the lichen fruiting bodies have sprouted.
(photo/text: Jim McCulloch | Flickr)
(Source: duskofday, via 0racular-deactivated20121118)
(Source: lucleon, via poseidonsaquarium)
(Source: we-lovecats)
(Source: hydrotoxicity, via terriblyenglish)
Sea slug
(Source: theslugblog)
(via terriblyenglish)
