Tome of the Absurd

On a journey to catalogue and teach on as much of Earth's fauna as possible.

Instagram @tomeoftheabsurd for official entries into the Tome.

photos by myself

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

I don't think I'm going to be posting on twitter anymore, the content I want to deliver doesn't quite fit in the short form of twitter and I don't get much interaction anyways. Please check out the Instagram, though, where you can see all posts and full writeups!

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #999977
Grass Sharpshooter (Draeculacephala minerva)
#Leafhoppers have specialized back legs for jumping, complete with gears that ensure the legs move in tandem, giving them greater control over their movements.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #992912
Callibaetis ferrugineus
#Mayflies live most of their life as aquatic nymphs before all emerging together as adults on the same day, creating mass clouds of breeding insects. We have much more varied lives, so why must we always assume about others' lives?

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #993323
Spotted Cucumber #Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata)
These #insects are widely considered agricultural pests due to their appetite for food crops and their ability to transmit diseases across plants. This is, however, just how they can survive in this new world.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #998455
Scotoleon expansus
#Antlion adults only live for around one month after their years as a larva. While our lives may seem far longer, we, too, have a cosmically tiny amount of time to appreciate this life, so we'd better appreciate every moment of it.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #982327
Excultanus excultus
While a #leafhopper may look like it just dissapears, it actually is jumping away incredibly fast. We often assume things about the world and others when we don't have the true facts, sometimes causing unecessary harm.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #984782
San Francisco Short-Wing #Grasshopper (Melanoplus franciscanus)
Grasshoppers have surprisingly similar mouths to humans, with functional lips and jaws. Perhaps if we focused on what makes us all similar rather than what divides us, we could have a happier world.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #775865
#Gambel’s #Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
These #birds spend most of the year in groups, ducking from cover to cover and foraging together in order to defend against predators. We could create a society where we defend all of us, yet we fight for a bigger piece of pie.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #985953
Mediterranean #Mantis (Iris oratoria)
These #mantises are known for their sexual cannibalism, which occurs in nearly 25% of intersexual relationships, and their intimidating display when threatened.
#photograghy #wildlife #insect

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Entry #982259
Erratic Sand #Cockroach (Arenivaga erratica)
While the females and nymphs of sand cockroaches live mostly under the sand, adult males take flight in search of breeding partners, and lead much shorter lives because of it. #wildlifephotography #photography #macro

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Entry #984544
Disonycha arizonae
These #flea #beetles have powerfulul hind legs with which to leap away from danger. They eat the stems and leaves of plants, hiding in soil when the weather doesn't suit them.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #984759
May #Beetle/June #Bug (Phyllophaga vetula)
May beetles spend a huge majority of their life as subterranean grubs in hunt of roots, not knowing the light of day. What other beauties do we take for granted every day?
#wildlifephotography #photography #macro

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #982528
Red-Tailed Pennant (Brachymesia furcata)
Thanks to their incredible eyes, #dragonflies have amazing 360 degree vision as well as the ability to see in ultraviolet light.
#wildlifephotography #photography #macro #macrophotography #insect #bug #dragonfly

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #778457
Snowy #Egret (Egretta thula)
This #bird was once hunted to dangerously low numbers due to percieved "value" of their gorgeous #plumage. Is there not greater value in simply allowing these #animals to live in this big, confusing world, just as you or I are trying?

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #982345
Brochymena sulcata
This #stinkbug hunts for caterpillars and other insect larva, sucking what nutrients it needs through its straw like mouth part.
#wildlifephotography #photography #macrophotography #bug #insect

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #774955
Cooper’s #Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
These hawks hunt aggressively, chasing small #birds through dense forest canopy or urban sprawls before squeezing or drowning them to death.

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #795577
Western Banded #Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
These geckos imitate their scorpion prey by holding their tail over their head occasionally in order to disuade predators. What can we learn from those who seem diffrent? #wildlifephotography #lizard

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #725652
Red-Spotted #Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus)
These toads hop through the night, hunting to live another day, or filling the night sky with song. #wildlifephotography #photography #arizona #amphibian #frog

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #795952
Western #Diamondback #Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox)
These #snakes use heat sensing organs in their nostril to distinguish predator from prey.
#wildlifephotography #photography

[Tome of the Absurd @TomeoftheAbsurd]

Entry #984554
Zopherus tristis
These beetles, part of a subfamily called the ironclad beetles, roam the floor at night in search of food, feasting on fungus growing on rotten or decaying wood. #wildlifephotography #photography#macro #macrophotography #bug #insect #beetle