I remember that from Porterville days. We did have a ceiling fan. But. That was also when South Africa started loadshedding. Then - we had no warning - and businesses - with food (commercial bakery, or frozen) or production lines had HUGE problems. Now we get some warning, many businesses installed solar, as we did for this house.
Over 40 C is survival mode … I suffer with you. Take good care of yourself.
Oh no… that sounds hard!
Take your time to sort out your real.
- Thanks for letting us know.
(OK, I have slept a full night. I actually got up to turn the air off because I was shivering and really at a certain point I just need a fan.)
These people I will issue challenges for (today, please let the power hold):
- @zlang8 (waiting for a location)
- @seeker1000
- @cernunosse
- @thunderhead (but not til later in year, of course it’s OK!)
- @polarbearnaturalist
@Ajott hooray! That’s awesome. :)
@austin_ajit hooray! I knew you could do it! You observed evidence of the organism, yes? As iNat operates, that works.
@susanne-kasimir it is amazing that you have so many Observations of it, considering there are only a little better than 200 Observations total. Did you know to look on that plant or was it an educated guess? (I love discovering which insects go with which plants; it feels like cracking a code.)
@joeylikesbirds Oh, dear, I appear to have poorly timed yours. :( Would you like a more timely challenge? I think anyone can upload preserved specimens but there are specific thoughts regarding the best practice in doing so.
Thank you Diana and whaichi-Paul for kind words. I am fairly heat tolerant but I need the air to move (and the air not to be filled with the sound of distressed dogs).
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Oh dear, it was not even an educated guess, just sheer luck. If I had read up on it before, I could have found Pistacia lenticus mentioned (among other unknown plants). I like to look at this plant because the have very distinctive looking galls - kidney shaped (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2025-01-01&quality_grade=research&taxon_id=385939&user_id=susanne-kasimir&verifiable=any) and I enjoy finding them. For my that is also a confirmation, that I am really looking at this plant. I think after I found the second beetle, I thought, oh there must be a reason why it is sitting on this plant. And then at home I read up on it. I also found out that the larvae live at the roots - so no chance of finding them.
By the way, I would happily take 10 of your surplus degrees, here we are just scratching the 20° mark - and this is May and Spain (not Germany).
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If it’s not too much work for you, I would love another set of species. I do think I could find the ones you gave me, but not within a month. I think I’ll avoid uploading my preserved cicada-killer; it just feels like too much like cheating.
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Ahh sorry @ItsMeLucy for the super late reply. I’m in Collier County Florida for the next week but am heading to Washtenaw/Wayne County Michigan soon. A challenge from both areas would be awesome!
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And yes at the moment it is cold in Germany. - But we already had 27 ° Celius, just a few days ago.
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OK! @zlang8 for Florida can you try to find this regal dragonfly and this just wild looking beetle?
For Michigan, you said you would arrive soon but can you clarify when would be a good time for challenges there so I do not give challenges that are not timely as I did for joeylikesbirds (I feel awful for this!).
Saludos @seeker1000 thank you so much for your patience! You have a gorgeous Observation set that I think would only be enhanced if you found this beautiful butterfly, this delicate bloom, and this cool looking flower chafer, which should be decently common this month and next. Good luck!
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Saludos, @cernunosse, I challenge you to find this plant with a wild looking fruit.
I also challenge you to find this very dapper fiddler crab.
Finally, keep your eyes open for this bird with an amazing tail.
Bonne chance!
Saludos @polarbearnaturalist I am so sorry but you are another person who seems to travel through many states so I wonder if you could clarify where you would like the challenges for. (Sorry!)
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I hope these are more timely @joeylikesbirds , and you can put the others in your pocket for summer!
I think these wild edibles should be coming up by now.
You will need to be very alert to spot this tiny lily, currently observable in your area.
Please let me know if these are more suitable?
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hi, so sorry I do realize that was confusing! I’m generally in the southwestern Ohio/northern Kentucky region. thank you so much!
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Looks excellent, thanks! I might be able to find them this weekend while out for global big day.
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Thank you for clarifying @polarbearnaturalist. Wow, you have a lot of birds! There are some that were entirely new to me, so I took some time to look at them (thanks!)
But I wonder how you will do with a smaller flyer from Odonata? This one is currently being observed where you indicated and is a striking blue color.
You will have to look away from the sky to find this striking sedum.
Finally, a super challenge: I could resist neither the unusual appearance nor the intriguing Spanish common name (Elote de Oso) of this parasitic plant. I challenge you (and everyone who lives within its range! It is amazing!) to find it.
Good luck!
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thank you so much, these are great choices, I’m looking forward to looking for them!
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You are so awesome!! 
- Real life is challenging me at the moment and I am a bit ill (running nose etc), so I appreciate that you make me smile and am very happy about your challenges for me. -Thank you!
I know that butterfly, it is awesome and very big!
I remember seeing it onces, about 20 years ago…
Last year, I wanted to find it . I wished for it for my dad, who could need a smile and loves butterflys.
And I wanted to take a great picture from it and send it to him.
Didn’t happen…
But what happened was that my dad sent me a message that “one of these big,awesome pianobutterflys” flow past him as he just was out the garden door. 
So yes!!! - I want to find the “Schwalbenschwanz”!
Thanks for reminding me at that awesome species.
As for the bug, I have to take a closer look at that species and I don’t think I ever have heard about that plant. 
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Hello @ItsMeLucy,
The crabs: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/278914093
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Wow! You had that one ready to go! Well done!
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Seems to be an Observation from 2023.