An Encounter with Desert Locusts on the desert grasslands in Maleha, Sharjah

A solitary desert locust upfront in the desert sand

The desert grassland was teeming with these large hoppers

Hop, hop, hop, they never stop!

Can you spot the locust hopping on the desert sand?

Explorations in the desert grasslands can lead to truly wonderful encounters. My early morning walk in the desert of Maleha lead me to encounter of numerous still in the solitary phase of desert locusts on the wide spread of the dry grassland. Numerous hoppers were hopping, jumping, skipping a beat on the sand and on the available desert foliage. The awesome part of observing desert locusts in the field, is how fast and how high they jump on a single leap and also how they can also glide in the dry desert morning air to move away from me as I photo chase them. Plus, they can also  easily camouflage themselves in the sand and escape my detection. I wonder, if  I would encounter these hoppers in their aggregation or swarming phase out in the desert!

DESERT LOCUST, Schistocerca gregaria (ORTHOPTERA: ACRIDIDAE)   

Awesome creation! AWESOME CREATOR!

 

An Awesome Foliage of Red - The Flame Trees Around Dubai

 

More flaming red than green in its foliage hue

Flaming, Fiery Red Flowers are Truly Hot This Summer!

A fiery red statement to usher in the summer.

This tree has more red flames than green leaves

Red, red and red all over!

Red flames up close

Intense flaming red flower!

The summer season is in full throttle here in the Emirates! The summer heat is constantly increasing and outdoor temperatures intensifying. One awesome feature of the local landscape around Dubai is the proliferation of the majestic and awesome flame trees with their bright, flaming, fiery red flowers surrounding if not overwhelming the green foliage. Flaming, fiery red is the color of this awesome summer. 

Awesome creation! Awesome CREATOR!   

An Encounter With Bed Bug Eggs in an Accommodation Facility

Just a tiny space on a bed frame corner can harbor hordes of bed bug eggs

The white barrel shape eggs looks like rice grains splattered on the dark metal frame

BED BUGS, Cimex hemipterus (HEMIPTERA: CIMICIDAE) 

 

An Encounter With a Defoliating Caterpillar in Maleha, Sharjah

A super voracious caterpillar on a leaf surface

 

An Encounter with a Robberfly Couple Engaged in a Fatal Embrace at the Maleha Desert, Sharjah

A Robberfly couple locked in a fatal embrace

A relationship that lead to a gruesome end