July 21st, 2007
my count
I’m very pleased to see that quite a few of you decided to give the Great Phymata Challenge a try. My own count was eleven, and I see that a few of you found the same number. I’ve posted the above photo with a pink ring around each phymata that I found (click on the image for a larger view) There really isn’t a “right number” for this count as I had to find the insects from the photo as well. If I had counted them on the flower, I might well have come up with a different number as these insects are often concealed beneath the flower top, just their tiny heads peering up to keep watch for unwary victims, so some of you may have seen even more of these insects. What was especially pleasing about this exercise is that a few of you wrote that you intended to go out looking for Phymata on flowers in your own area. That’s the result that I was most hoping for. Thanks everyone!
Tags: Phymata, Ambush bug
July 22nd, 2007 at 3:04 am
We don’t have any yarrow here (anymore) but I wonder if the Phymata would be encountered on Queen Anne’s Lace? I’ll have to check today.
July 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 am
Hah! I see that here you’ve already answered the question of QAL!
July 22nd, 2007 at 6:17 am
Hmm. I got in too late for the contest, but I did see yesterday that some of the goldenrods were just coming into bloom in these parts. I’ll have to look out for these little guys!
July 22nd, 2007 at 8:46 am
Wayne – It’s actually quite surprising to find where these Phymata will hide. Just a couple of days ago, Dave at Via Negativa, posted about finding a Phymata on black cohosh. I found it so odd to find one in the sagebrush in John Day Fossil Beds. Obviously, they’re quite opportunistic when it comes to hunting sites.
–
Dave – Yes, you’ll have to check the goldenrod for Phymata. That’s one of their favourite plants to hunt from up here in eastern Ontario.