Favoritos de rogue_biologist

I joined Jonathan Mays (FWC invertebrate scientist) on his ongoing survey for Machimus polyphemi. This species is only found within gopher tortoise burrows, and thus far, it has never been found away from a burrow. It preys on the diverse invertebrate community that lives within tortoise burrows. Here it is eating a cave cricket.

Dirk Stevenson devised a method for surveying for these, which he describes in this excellent post:
https://gophertortoisecouncil.org/newsletter/31-volume-41-number-1/104-sandhill-robbers
Note that it's illegal to harass tortoises, so a permit is needed to survey for these.

Woohoo, after a few weeks of trying I finally found a Promachella! @myelaphus Specimen saved in 95% EtOH and freezer for us.

In a sketchy but biologically nice park (I get the sense “greasewood” doesn’t just refer to the tree, I’d you catch my drift… I can be clueless, but even I eventually started to notice there were rather a lot of fit looking men wandering around the desert here!)

Collected while hovering: slowly drifting flight near ceiling of porch. Occasionally lunged 4-6 inches upward to ceiling, but did not see it actually taking prey. Legs hanging in flight like a wasp. Did not land during ~3 minutes of observation.

This pair was mating peacefully until a third one came and scared them off the perch. It kept flying towards them then flying away repeatedly until bumping into the mating pair, scaring them off. Glad I was able to document the whole thing in photos, never seen anything like this happen before. Clear shots of the black hairs on the abdomen and tibiae for species ID, same size visually as the ones I measured to be 10mm last time I came here,

Perching approximately 15ft off the ground on a dead branch of a walnut (?) tree. The area is surrounded by dense vegetation that is primarily invasive species like privot, multiflora rose, and european alder. Also plenty of grape vine. Near to the lake, so soils are somewhat sandy and well drained. Watched it pursue prey 4 or 5 times. It would follow the prey 20-25ft and then return to the same perch. Same general area I found the other individual. When netted it did not try to fly up, instead landing on the ground and refusing to fly. I was able to slip a container over it. In the container it did not buzz at all like some of the other large robbers. Will post pinned photos in a separate observation when I get the chance. Last photo is of the location it was found, the dead branch sticking straight out was its perch of choice.

This physically pains me and I don't expect anyone to confirm this. Feel free to flag this as casual or whatever if it's felt appropriate. I was working and did not have my net or my camera so this was the absolute best I could do. At least it's a data point from a somewhat trustworthy source?

Approximately the size of a carpenter bee. Thick abdomen Flew slowly with prey, back legs down like a wasp. Perched roughly 5ft off the ground horizontally, when I scared it it flew maybe 6ft away and perched facing down on a thicker piece of grapevine 10ft or more off the ground. Relatively tolerant of me being around but could not get close enough to attempt to catch it with a container (probably wouldn't have worked anyway).

The small area it was found in was recently cleared and is surrounded by dense vegetation. There are also piles of dead trees and brush stacked up around the area. Area receives mostly full sun except on the edges.

INJURED OR DEFECT? He had a limp in his right foreleg, and one antler was much shorter than the other. In addition, there was a patch of fur on his back that I confirmed was not a trick of shadows, I'm not sure why it looked like that on his back. Anyone know if this is concurrent with a set of birth defects in deer? Or was it an injury, maybe due to a fight? He didn't look injured by a hunter or a car, although occasionally he would lick and tend to the left side of his back.