# Today in nature I saw **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854 "2020-07-20T18:22:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 94
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1863 "2022-09-26T14:21:14Z")
Yay snek! This is my only sighting recently. It’s a close-up of some rotted siding on our patio. I thought at first it was a lizard with a very long tail, but nope! A harmless Florida water snake, I believe. [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52385651791_c9f9451471_b.jpg "Tail") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/45215582@N06/52385651791/) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1864 "2022-09-26T14:29:25Z")
“Eater of fish and frogs”. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1865 "2022-09-26T21:30:56Z")
We’ve had some ants trying to establish a nest in our backyard. They’ve punched up an anthill right through some hard, compacted clay/gravel. I’ve put out poison bait (two kinds) and have been waiting for it to take effect. This morning I was in our garage and saw a largish bug running across the floor. I thought it was an earwig, but looking closer, it was a big queen ant. It was almost an inch long, the biggest ant I had ever seen. It was running in a kind of confused, questing manner. I opine that her worker offspring fed her some of that bait, which gave her a bellyache and she was looking for safer quarters. She didn’t find it, though. I was heartless and flushed her down the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1866 "2022-09-27T22:29:11Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Perfect spot for hibernation, he began frantically digging the moment we set him down. Thank you for taking the time. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1867 "2022-09-27T22:37:31Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > I was heartless and flushed her down the toilet. Just sometimes, you gotta do the necessary evil. I had seen signs of carpenter ants at my house, so when I saw a queen on my garage floor, she met with my shoe sole and the pest control company was called to issue an evacuation notice. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1868 "2022-09-28T17:32:23Z")
Yesterday I saw a heron at the goose pond while I was on my way to the grocery store. Today I went out to pick some tomatoes. The tomato cage door is held shut with two little bungee cords and one of them felt weirdly soft. This was clinging to it: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BzKgiiqxSKkKz6t9rQgtSRaAx7Xv4H7q1phZXQUgWnefricPCE3-Yfl1cF3QQYcwS6N53E0hQstzoR4JjcgBhzenx8NbgdWpdBk9mpTNJX8_q7Ugb5oxdLg4E_HA6EL66A_6ryNBO20=w600-h315-p-k "New item by Romansperson") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/jp2BYZwDzMziEbqw8) Apparently it’s some sort of flannel moth caterpillar. I guess I was lucky my hand didn’t come into contact with any of its stinging hairs. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1869 "2022-09-29T01:33:47Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I guess I was lucky my hand didn’t come into contact with any of its stinging hairs. My first thought on seeing the photo was “That’s one of those scary venomous caterpillars!” ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1870 "2022-09-29T01:46:11Z")
The world is full of fantastical creatures! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1871 "2022-09-29T14:36:15Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > My first thought on seeing the photo was “That’s one of those scary venomous caterpillars!” My first thought was that it was a chicken sleeping with its head under its wing! I googled flannel moth caterpillar images. I got the shivers! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1872 "2022-09-29T17:33:52Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I googled flannel moth caterpillar images. I got the shivers! Yeah, they’re a walking owwie. But you gotta admit they’re an [adorably cute bundle of pain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannel_moth#/media/File:Megalopyge_opercularisPCCP20040714-5799B.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1873 "2022-09-29T20:12:15Z")
Megalopyge opercularis - it’s been nicknamed the Trump caterpillar because of it’s hairstyle. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1874 "2022-09-29T21:00:53Z")
Formatting issue. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1875 "2022-09-29T21:11:27Z")
Let’s try this again: I saw about a dozen of these guys today. This one was willing to sit in the open for a while so I could get several captures. [https://m.imgur.com/a/ofeuJAu](https://m.imgur.com/a/ofeuJAu) ETA Dammit. It still won’t show the entire picture. Is it because I’m doing this on my iPhone? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1876 "2022-09-29T21:20:16Z")
Wow! You took that? I can see the whole thing if I click on it. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1877 "2022-09-29T21:23:55Z")
Yes I took it, thanks. I used my fancy camera, not my phone. Glad you like it. But what am I doing wrong when posting that you have to click it to see the entire picture? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1878 "2022-09-29T22:08:03Z")
Beautiful photo. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1879 "2022-09-29T22:20:40Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > But what am I doing wrong when posting that you have to click it to see the entire picture? This just came up [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imgur-images-how-to-not-truncate/971569/9). Might check to see if that is the same problem you have. Great shot! ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1880 "2022-09-29T22:24:49Z")
Thanks Tamerlane! Looks like that worked. Sorry for the double post. [![](https://i.imgur.com/Ealmm8U.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/Ealmm8U.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1881 "2022-09-29T22:48:52Z")
So what kind of bird is that? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854/1882 "2022-09-29T22:52:08Z")
A Northern Flicker, a type of woodpecker. There are two variants in North America, red-shafted in the West and yellow-shafted in the East. As you can tell from the tail this is the yellow-shafted one. Most of their time is spent on the ground hunting for bugs rather than in trees. I love them. They look like something out of a hallucinogenic fever dream. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854.md?page=93) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-nature-i-saw/915854.md?page=95)