There is a pretty good chance that more rain will fall here this weekend and that is good for my very shallow pond. With an average depth of about one foot right now, it wouldn't seem to be much of a pond, but it has most of the drama of larger water bodies.
Everything is simply scaled down for the moment. In the absence of large fish, the top predators patrolling the clear water are small creatures. In fact, two of the most fearsome predators down there are just babies yet.
The fishing spider above is only a youngster. There's no great size reference in the photo, but this spider should be about triple it's present size when it is an adult.
He's underwater, it's just really clear and about 6 inches deep.
Not my best photo, but here's another top predator who's still a baby. This predacious diving beetle larvae was incredibly busy, bustling about, snooping under twigs and leaves in the water as it searched for prey. For those of you who clicked on that link ... wow, don't you wish you could draw like Gina?
This diving beetle is a case of being bigger as a larvae than you are as an adult, which is not that weird in the insect world, but it's a bit odd to a humanoid like me.
13 comments:
The larva is bigger than I am as an adult!???!
That is scary!
Awww FC--Thanks for yet another spider post! I know you secretly do that just for me, don't ya?
Looking forward to moving to your neck of the woods, but could make sure there are no spiders in Old Town, just for me?
No name necessary?
Wow you're right Gina is an artist!
One more spider photo and Lightnin might sell the land while I'm stuck over here! ;-)
good job fc keep up the great blog's.thay are so informative, and PRETTY S T E B
I loves me some water bugs. Great photos.
And I, for one, have a special affinity for aquatic insects and spiders - so I got a special treat at Pure Florida today.
NICE!
I know, Fc - you aim to please.
Nothing like wading barefoot into a bristling, little oasis like this to completely enjoy every single beasty in there.
Do you...
Hold on a sec...
Sorry...
Just checking to see if something was crawling up the back of my leg.
I can't let my daughter see that top pic, she'll curl into a fetal position and start sobbing :)
We are still seeing at lot of ice so it is nice to see your water critters. Wonderful clear water!
Pablo,
I guess I did say that didn't I?
Lightning,
If you could see the mosquitoes that fill your lungs around here right now, you wouldn't worry about the spiders.
ThunderD,
Bring Off.
and DDT ... you can probably still buy that in China.
Steb,
Thanks!!
Doug,
I'll keep my eye peeled for more.
Thingfish,
Please file all requests with the receptionist.
Freste,
Here, there'd be no need to check, it WOULD be something crawling up your leg.
Sharon,
She might never swim again!
:)
3C,
Are you seeing alot of rain? I just heard the WC mention the Mohawk flooding.
If you put a big trout in there, which would it eat first? Or, maybe, neither?
Hoss,
A trout would die of heat exhaustion in about 10 minutes in a FL pond.
Thanks for the link! Great photos!
Gina Mikel
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