Welp, it’s October, and as the weather gets colder in the Northern hemisphere, Halloween draws closer. In honor of spooky season, what are some organisms with a spooky color scheme, spooky name, or spooky behavior?

[Halloween Penent] Halloween Pennant - Celithemis eponina [Hygrocybe conica - Witch's Hat -] Hygrocybe conica - Witch’s Hat [Rafinesque's big-eared bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii] Rafinesque’s big-eared bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii - if you think bats are spooky? [IMG_5998] Marble orb weave…

I think we have to discuss Camponotus, you know… in light of that photo.

In case anyone’s wondering, any writer that calls the red things at the antennal bases eyes is either a liar or a pea-brain.

To us, orbweavers look like Ritz crackers, so this would be a Halloween edition: https://www.ritzcrackers.com/recipes/ritz-peanut-butter-spiders-216633.aspx

I only have seen a lot of “cute or terrifying?” type coverage, which I found a surprising angle, but I admit I do not know what the red things are even as I know they are not the eyes, being familiar enough with ants to know that much, at least. What are they?

It’s just a basal antennal segment. [image]

You’re welcome, it’s a terrifying photo!.)

AGREE. I was bitten by an ant on my thigh the night before that photo hit the news. I immediately put Colgate on it (I do not know the science but the original formula, not whitening or gel or anything extra) which took the sting out and lowered the itch tremendously but of did not completely remove…

Spooky organisms

Nature Talk

coniontises October 25, 2022, 11:09pm 71

I’m not entirely sure myself. Seems to be a rarely mentioned anatomical feature.

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Spooky organisms

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