While Photographing Violets..

While photographing fungi around my area, I often come across weird and unusual critters. When I first found one of these this time last year....I thought, 'Oh My Gosh!...We have SCORPIANS in my town?'....When I read the info on it though, found out it's actually a psuedo scorpian!
These tiny fellows will sit on fungi waiting to hitch a ride on their host fruit flies by hooking them with those tiny pinchers.
Yesterday I was photographing Violet-toothed polypores...and found another of these awesome little fellows. It's only about the size of one of these typed lettters.
Amazing world that lives with our mushrooms and fungi eh?
The 2nd half of these images? Is to show the appreciation that SQUIRRELS have for them! The first is enjoying the rain water that has collected inside the caps AND munching away on Rooted Oudemansiella (Collybia). The second lady is going OOOOlala over her Tacky Green Russula. Enjoy!

 

Great photos, C.W.! You are absolutely correct: so much to see in this world if we just LOOK.

A while back, someone posted about a critter found in the bathtub---a "book scorpion". YIKES!!!---and I work in a library...

 

I played with the 2nd psuedo for a bit. It's very fascinating to watch it open and close those tiny pinchers. WHAT is a BOOK scorpian? Eep!

 

C. Wick,
That is a priceless shot of your squirrel. Looks very well fed. Mushrooms? barb

 

While my son and I stood watching her, she ate at LEAST 7 of those..caps, stems...and all. I'm sincerely worried about winter issues this year. Neighbors have told me of squirrels eating their tomatoes even! Or, maybe they're just scavenging new areas just for the heck? lol
I've a feeling though, that this little lady was getting ready for her fall young to be born.
Thanx Barbara!

 

Urp! Must've been pretty tasty, and non-toxic as well.
Perhaps she had a craving for mushrooms!

 

C.Wick, I noticed pseudoscorpions for the first (and only) time when collecting Chanterelle mushrooms near Vancouver, BC. I agree that they are fascinating creatures (unlike squirrels which most gardeners regard as pests). Book scorpions and pseudoscorpions are the same group of Arachnids.

 

I have only seen the peudoscorpions when I lived on a blueberry farm in Richmond 35 yrs ago.
It was all peat for soil there.

D

 

Thank you so much C.Wick for sharing your photo of the squirrel with the Russula - that is seriously adorable!

 

These are great photos, thanks for sharing them!