I have no problem with links in the Food Chain. It's just a part of nature's plan. Unnatural extermination bothers me though.

Here's a strange looking critter. Almost 3" long. It was resting on the side of the house; I didn't want to mess with those mandibles! Probably wouldn't bite, but I wasn't willing to test that theory. Dobson Fly?

Yikes Char! That's one of those, OH DANG! moments.

That is a big and strange looking character that would make me jump!

Had to look up Dobsonfly.. They're nocturnal and typically found near rivers and streams where the larvae lives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Well, I DO live by a river. But this enormous creature was hanging out by the hose connection. It spooked me when I went to turn off the water, and I might have used a stronger four letter word than "Oh, dang". Had never seen one before, so I had to identify and document it before it flew away. Life is such an adventure!

Oh, and thanks for that link, Christine. Very interesting information.

And thank you, GrammaChar, for the always amazing and interesting photos.

Great photo, GrammaChar! Those don't hang around here, but in the past I've seen them elsewhere.

Mantids love my Plumies when it is in bloom..it finds a way to hang around it

Saw another little (1/2") painted grasshopper today. Wonder how they'll look when they're bigger.....

colorful little monsters!

GrammaChar said:Saw another little (1/2") painted grasshopper today. Wonder how they'll look when they're bigger.....

Yikes! And I thought neon or Day-Glo sneakers were ostentatious! I'm glad it's only 1/2" long. If it were the size of a horse, I think that seeing it would cause convulsions. And fear!

Actually, they're beautiful as adults. And, since they have no wings, I'm hoping to get some photos when these nymphs grow up.

They certainly must be dramatic! I can imagine they would be beautiful, but I'm still going to be afraid if I meet one the size of a horse in some dark alley late at night.

Or maybe I'd be safe as long as I wasn't wearing green.

Took me a while to find this, but here's a link.
Hope they don't get as big as a horse - but all grasshoppers tend to eat like one!

wildflowers said:Here's where I saw the picture, scroll down a little bit to see the baby rainbow grasshopper.

http://magistream.com/32-guild...

Holy Moly! Is that a real bug? They look like tribal markings for a tribe that's heavily into ergot fungus.

I'll be on the lookout for adults! So far only seeing babies.

You do have pretty bugs! Prettier than many flowers!

Here's a pretty bug for you all...