Aspies For Freedom

The second shot is amazing.It looks like it posed for the camera.Thank you for sharing.  :]

Remind me of something you would see in National Geographic. Did you ever submit any of your pics to magazines?

I would be interested to see a picture of a "pseudoscorpion"... I've never heard of that one, before!

I've never submitted any of my photos to any publication... I was completely clueless about photography until I got my good camera in January, and then I started learning about it (it's still pretty confusing, though).

Most magazine photographers use DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras, and I don't think I am ready for that level of commitment just yet... Usually the camera bodies alone for lower-end DSLRs are $500-1000, and the individual lenses, which are sold separately, usually cost at least much as well. Even if I had that sort of money I'm not sure I would want such a camera, as I have a propensity to
break extremely fragile things like lenses.

Pseudoscorpions actually look quite unremarkable... They are generally extremely small (under 5mm) and are built just like true scorpions but without a tail. They are very interesting in their own right, though, mainly because of their behavior - they are known to frequently grab onto flying insects with their pedipalps and "hitchhike" to new locations before letting go.

Photo of a cranefly with a pseudoscorpion hanging on.

--

I went out today with my camera to see what I could find under rocks and rotting logs, and I did find a small scorpion. Unfortunately, when I turned on my camera, I discovered the battery was completely dead. I have it on the charger now, and once it's done I'm going to go out looking for more scorpions.

Here are some more photos.

This first one is a picture of some kind of soil centipede (Linotaeniidae). Centipedes are venomous and have a tendency to behave defensively, but this one was so slender I figured it couldn't be any more dangerous than the scorpions I was looking for.



After the centipede I found a relatively large California Forest Scorpion, Uroctonus mordax. I think it was a pregnant female, judging by its girth. When disturbed their first response is usually to tuck all their legs in and not move, but after a few moments they will start crawling around. They are generally a pretty docile species and it takes a lot to get them to try and sting. NOTE: I don't encourage the handling of any scorpion unless you know what you are doing.

Wow!  They're amazing, although I have to say I'm glad I don't have creepy crawlies like that round about here! Brilliant photographs!

Thanks. Do you not have many insects/arachnids up in Scotland? I know there aren't too many reptiles there, but arthropods usually tolerate cooler climates pretty well.

They do tend to be smaller, and I'm in the city so other than woodlice and the odd millipede, I've not noticed too much.  Ladybirds, and found a lacewing once indoors - it was lovely.  What I was more taken aback by was the poisonous nature of your beasties!  I found an adder when I was about 12, and caught a lizard when I was about the same age, both in the hills in South West Scotland.  When on holiday when I was 10 another boy in the hotel we stayed in caught a slow worm in the garden!

I prefer creeping things to flying things and really get freaked out by big black moths and daddy longlegs!  However, I like bees, especially the furry ones that you can stroke!

Haha, that's awesome. Do you know which family/genus it belongs to? I don't know anything about Australian myriapods, though it looks somewhat similar to some centipedes I've seen around here (they were solid yellow-orange, though). I've read that stings from some types of large centipedes can be life-threatening for small children.

One time back in like 2001 I went on a vacation to the Hawaiian Islands, and I found a centipede that was about 15cm long and jet black in color with red banding. It was quite a sight, though I didn't dare attempt to handle it.

Natalie...you have some serious balls, girl.

Was the insect some kind of mantid, maybe? That's the only think I can think off the top of my head that sounds similar.

I've never seen that cartoon before, but it seems pretty funny... Snakes and leashes are not compatible in real life, though, they just crawl out (haha). Too many comics don't have snakes in them.

Hahaha... Thanks? I think the main thing I have is just an obsession with nature.

yes, it was meant as a compliment