Encounters with Mosquito Wrigglers and Adults

Mosquito Larvae are referred to as Wrigglers

Mosquito Larvae breathing and feeding on the water surface

A lone wriggler making its own ripple on the water surface

Mosquito Wrigglers breathing and feeding

A Male Mosquito, notice its bushy antennae

A Female Mosquito, notice the elongated mouthparts and fine hair antennae

The recent downpours this March has led into the sporadic build up of patches of mosquito breeding sites and numbers. The pools of stagnant water, clogged drains and availability of water containers have provided favorable breeding and feeding sites for these mosquito larvae.  

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

An Encounter with a Silverfish inside a Posh Hotel In Dubai

A silverfish emerging from the shadows of a corner wall

I was on assignment for a site audit for a very posh hotel property in the heart of Dubai, I was invited to advise the hotel management on procedures how they can detect, control  and prevent the tide of insect pest sightings  in their rooms. As I was conducting my inspection in one of the rooms, a large, darting creature came out from the shadows. I was surprise by its size and the rapidity of its movement as it emerged, crawled away and concealed itself again on a gap on the corner wall. As far as I remember this was the largest Silverfish I have seen in the field. It was the long, triune whip-like tail that immediately caught my fancy. It was a quick but fantastic encounter!  

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

A Dragonfly Encounter in Early Morning Dew in Warzan, Dubai

Droplets of dew covers the armor of this giant solitary dragonfly

The desert shrub provided a perfect place to rest and prepare for this dragonfly for the long journeys ahead

The super chilly winter weather of the UAE is truly amazing. It was early morning, the sun is just barely rising in the horizon and the patches of vegetation is still blanketed by the glistening dew droplets. My exploration along the desert shrub patches in Warzan, Dubai led me into an awesome encounter with a solitary dragonfly hiding in the shrubs. It was covered in a beautiful array of dew droplets, like rows upon rows of diamonds embedded on the surface its wings, thorax and compound eyes. It was truly an awesome sight in a truly awesome chilly winter morning.

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com

 

Encounters with the Arabian Fat Tailed Scorpion

Venomous, lethal, awesome in form and its arsenal

The Arabian Fat Tailed Scorpion, Androctonus crassicauda

(SCORPIONES, BUTHIDAE) 

It was during a consultancy visit and site inspection at a very prestigious catering facility that my attention was called upon to investigate a "dangerous biological contaminant" in fresh batch of organic lettuce. A fat-tailed scorpion was found on the leaves of the lettuce as the staff was preparing it for storage.     

 Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com

The Seasonal Emergence of Non-Biting Midges

Midges are mosquito-like in appearance but lack the piercing-sucking mouthparts

Upon emergence from their aquatic larvae environment they often rest on adjacent walls and surfaces

The emerging midges are often found in clusters

NON BITING MIDGES (DIPTERA: CHIRONOMIDAE)

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com 

An Encounter with a Horse Fly in Bab Al Bahr RAK

The large multi-colored and space age pattern of its eyes caught my attention

A very large fly with a distinct abdominal pattern and transparent wings

Like a truly confident predator setting up on its high perch

A large ferocious biting fly on the prowl

It was a truly sunny and cool morning, I was on assignment for a site inspection in a very prestigious resort property in RAK. As we were doing our rounds on the landscape areas, we spotted a large fly on the trunk of a date palm. Because of its size, I initially thought that it was a flesh fly but closer examination revealed that this is not a fly with spongy mouth parts but it was a predatory fly with strong biting mouthparts. I encountered a horse fly setting up for a potential flight attack.     

Horse Fly, Tabanus spp. (DIPTERA: Tabanidae)

Awesome creatures! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com

An Encounter with Blister Beetles in Warzan, Dubai

A Blister beetle actively feeding on a lovely blossom

Blister beetles are hervibores

Basking in the sun while continually feeding on the yellow petals

Blister beetles have a cylindrical body

Blister beetles secrete a defensive chemical called  cantharidin

In celebration of the end of the summer season here in the Middle East, in eager expectation of the much favorable weather outdoors, I would like to share this awesome encounter I had with the awesome blister beetles foraging on yellow dandelion blossoms in Warzan, Dubai.  Looking forward to more awesome creature encounters now that outdoor conditions are becoming more pleasant.    

BLISTER BEETLES, Hycleus spp. (Coleoptera:Meloidae)

Awesome creature! Awesome CREATOR!

Thanks for your support and careful attention. 

If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com