Thanks to a combination of cool weather and replacing my filter with a simple aerator, the tank has remained below the 80s (it was even near 65 F the other morning). I decided that now I could go collect some more insects for the tank without worrying about them boiling alive once I brought them home. My boyfriend was nice enough to tag along (which was a real surprise), and as a result, I believe he is willing to help me go to further locations to collect some rather unique specimens that are hard to find. (Yay! Possible road trips!).
Anyway, I have a few pics of emergence events that are better quality.
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| This is a subimago molt emerging from its larval skin. Unfortunatley I found him drowned. |
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| I believe last time I called this a subimago, but I was mistaken, this is the final adult form. |
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| The three dark spots between the obvious green eyes are possibly ocelli, which are light sensing organs. |
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| You'll notice a lack of feeding structures, this is because adult mayflies exist for one reason, procreation. |
The other evening, when I felt all hope was lost for the remaining insects in the tank, I found that a damselfly larva was out and on top of a rock. It was sitting on top of one of my caddisfly larva, which made me think it was trying to attack it, but it remained motionless until climbing to the bottom of the rock moments later. Although the pictures are blurry, I think the larva looks amazing with its white racing stripe going down its abdomen and the white X on its thorax.
Hopefully, the cool weather will hold up and I'll be able to bring more specimens back from different locations!
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