Gil Wizen
@wizentrop
Entomologist, macro photographer, professional keeper, wrangler and designer of live invertebrate displays.
This male orchid bee (Euglossa hansoni) from Costa Rica is one of the most brightly colored insects I have ever seen. This is also one of my most frequently stolen images of all time. Don't do it, people. Use the dedicated retweet button, or ask permission to use first.
Jumping stick (Apioscelis tuberculata) from the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador. This goofy grasshopper evolved to look and behave like a stick, very much like stick insects. However contrary to phasmids, jumping sticks are superb jumpers thanks to the muscular "drumstick" hindlegs.
Have you seen this bizarre insect? Consider yourself lucky, it is quite special. It has not changed much since the time of the dinosaurs, and is responsible for sinking ships! I wrote a blog post about it here: gilwizen.com/atractocerus-b…
Just got back from Ecuador, where I made new friends, learned new things, and saw some cool stuff! Ecuador NEVER disappoints. This gorgeous red huntsman spider is Sadala rauli, a rainforest inhabitant that I see often but was only formally described as a species a year ago!
Velvet spiders like this Eresus from the coastal sand dunes of Israel, are among my favorite spiders to find in the wild. I absolutely adore the females' huge face and stocky build, and encountering the colorful males is always a special treat.
A few weeks ago I posted an adult bark roach (Lanxoblatta rudis) and today I'm posting its nymph. The "starry night" look is a teneral stage right after molting and before camouflage pigmentation appears. You can also see the network of tracheal tubes responsible for respiration.
If you had to choose, would you go with blue or red? Well, why not both?? This leaf beetle (Aspicela bourcieri) from the cloud forests of Ecuador sure has a unique fashion sense! It's possible the colors are implying this species is poisonous, but I believe it is unconfirmed yet.
Green-patched looper (Diachrysia balluca), one of our prettiest local moths! Check out the long scales decorating its thorax! Also, a bonus snap of yours truly photographing this moth. I'm always amazed how I find myself in the most awkward positions when photographing.
Not all widow spiders are black. This is the white widow (Latrodectus pallidus), a beautiful species found in north Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. Despite its wide distribution range it's rather uncommon and hard to find. For me it's always a treat to encounter one!
There is so much around us that is hidden from view, it's worth exploring. Here's a swallowtail butterfly pupa (Parides sp.) from Ecuador fluorescing under UV light. The red color around it comes from chlorophyll in the plants!
Roth's dwarf snake (Eirenis rothii) is one of the most common and friendliest snake you can find in the Middle East. There's an Escheresque Möbius strip thing going on in this photo, but maybe next time I'll try to shoot two of them to create the Auryn from The NeverEnding Story.
Have you stopped to appreciate a cockroach lately? Cockroaches get a lot of unjustified hate for simply existing. Species like this yellow glass cockroach (Chorisoneura sp.) from Ecuador can be charming if you take the time to view them in a positive light. I think it's beautiful
Nothing to see here... move along Stick-mimic mantis (Empusa fasciata) from Israel. This species is common on low vegetation around this time of the year, and yet it can be quite challenging to spot one! They prefer to prey on pollinating insects and often sit close to flowers.
雪解けが始まってる高い山にて見つけたイボトビムシ 背中に付いてるのは水滴じゃなくてセンチュウでは？と拡大したらクルクル巻いていてやはりそんな感じであった。 どの程度の負担になるのかとか全然分からないけど、自分もイボトビの背で暮らしたい。
Nice work showcasing different textures of green beetles
#とびきりのグリーンを魅せてください 『緑って300色あんねん』って誰かが言ったとか言わなかったとか
Lacewing larva (Osmylops sp.) camouflaged on the surface of a leaf in ambush for invertebrate prey. Like a unique merging of a bear trap and peek-a-boo. I wrote a short blog post about this cool find in the tropics of Far North Queensland, Australia: gilwizen.com/stop-tricking-…
