Comments on: The Bird, the Caterpillar, and a Mystery http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/ Birds | Nature | Conservation Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:09:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Amber Coakley http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2822 Amber Coakley Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:05:13 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2822 I'm so glad you've had a chance to witness the wonderful community of nature bloggers and nature-blog-readers. Hey, I think you've joined the ranks! I’m so glad you’ve had a chance to witness the wonderful community of nature bloggers and nature-blog-readers. Hey, I think you’ve joined the ranks!

]]> By: Amber Coakley http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2821 Amber Coakley Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:03:37 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2821 Thanks, Jan. You know, the animations are really pretty easy to assemble, and will work in a pinch since I haven't yet purchased the video camera I want. Thanks, Jan. You know, the animations are really pretty easy to assemble, and will work in a pinch since I haven’t yet purchased the video camera I want.

]]> By: Yosista http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2805 Yosista Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:12:20 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2805 I'm just getting caught up on all my sister's posts, and not only am I amazed with all the beautiful pictures, videos and descriptions, my heart is warmed reading all the wonderful, nature-loving people's comments added to Amber's site. You are all a joy to read. I couldn't agree more with your feelings of letting nature take the lead, but with the respect, support and good will you all show to one another, I think people in general could learn a lesson from that as well. Thank you for your kindness to my beautiful sister. I’m just getting caught up on all my sister’s posts, and not only am I amazed with all the beautiful pictures, videos and descriptions, my heart is warmed reading all the wonderful, nature-loving people’s comments added to Amber’s site. You are all a joy to read. I couldn’t agree more with your feelings of letting nature take the lead, but with the respect, support and good will you all show to one another, I think people in general could learn a lesson from that as well. Thank you for your kindness to my beautiful sister.

]]> By: Jan Axel http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2430 Jan Axel Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:01:03 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2430 Great photos and animation! Great photos and animation!

]]> By: Amber Coakley http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2396 Amber Coakley Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:02:09 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2396 Scott-I love the adventure of whatever nature presents when I just sit still for awhile and watch. Nature never fails me! Scott-I love the adventure of whatever nature presents when I just sit still for awhile and watch. Nature never fails me!

]]> By: Scott http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2386 Scott Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:07:44 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2386 Nature is amazing and it is through what many may consider innocuous observations that its complex structure can truly be appreciated. If everyone spent a few minutes each day to take a closer look at the interactions of the natural world perhaps it would not be so easily discarded. Thanks for sharing your moment with nature. Nature is amazing and it is through what many may consider innocuous observations that its complex structure can truly be appreciated. If everyone spent a few minutes each day to take a closer look at the interactions of the natural world perhaps it would not be so easily discarded.

Thanks for sharing your moment with nature.

]]> By: Amber Coakley http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2267 Amber Coakley Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:22:06 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2267 Jason - I know you would have fun with creating animated GIFs - you should give a try sometime. Ted - thanks so much for supplying the answer to the mystery! Jason – I know you would have fun with creating animated GIFs – you should give a try sometime.

Ted – thanks so much for supplying the answer to the mystery!

]]> By: Ted C. MacRae http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2259 Ted C. MacRae Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:11:09 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2259 How'd I miss this post? Great animation of what must be the larva of a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) - they're the only wood boring larvae that push the dry frass out of their galleries to create sawdust piles like that. Nice! I think the caterpillar is a lepidopteran (moth) larva from the leaf rather than a wood boring beetle larva. Surely, however, the ichneumonid/braconid wasp you photographed is parasitizing the latter, which also have a very important avian predator - woodpeckers! regards--ted How’d I miss this post?

Great animation of what must be the larva of a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) – they’re the only wood boring larvae that push the dry frass out of their galleries to create sawdust piles like that. Nice!

I think the caterpillar is a lepidopteran (moth) larva from the leaf rather than a wood boring beetle larva. Surely, however, the ichneumonid/braconid wasp you photographed is parasitizing the latter, which also have a very important avian predator – woodpeckers!

regards–ted

]]> By: jason http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2249 jason Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:11:50 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2249 That animation is SO very cool. And intriguing. Great shots of the warbler with the larva. It could be one of the leaf roller species, in which case the bird took it from the withered leaf that's been rolled up. Then again, it could have been anywhere. Still, great shots and good eye for noticing the catch. And you're very right indeed! Nature does fine on its own and picks up the pieces when it can, but we're just too vigilant at causing problems for the planet to keep up. That animation is SO very cool. And intriguing.

Great shots of the warbler with the larva. It could be one of the leaf roller species, in which case the bird took it from the withered leaf that’s been rolled up. Then again, it could have been anywhere. Still, great shots and good eye for noticing the catch.

And you’re very right indeed! Nature does fine on its own and picks up the pieces when it can, but we’re just too vigilant at causing problems for the planet to keep up.

]]> By: Amber Coakley http://www.birderslounge.com/2009/12/the-bird-the-caterpillar-and-a-mystery/comment-page-1/#comment-2224 Amber Coakley Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:30:39 +0000 http://www.birderslounge.com/?p=3270#comment-2224 I agree that it would be great if we could let Nature do more of the "managing" since Nature does a better job that we do! I just moved all of my daylilies to the side of the house, prepping the front landscape beds for natives. I installed the daylilies before I "went native," so I am excited to relocate them to a better place, and gain new native plants at the same time. Hope you enjoy your native landscaping project as much as I enjoy mine. :-) I agree that it would be great if we could let Nature do more of the “managing” since Nature does a better job that we do!

I just moved all of my daylilies to the side of the house, prepping the front landscape beds for natives. I installed the daylilies before I “went native,” so I am excited to relocate them to a better place, and gain new native plants at the same time. Hope you enjoy your native landscaping project as much as I enjoy mine. :-)

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