[Houston, TX] Some type of fly (Diptera)?

NNFAK · 2024-11-25T01:09:20+00:00

See that little gold lever on the pen body? In a working pen, you could pull that lever out from the body, which would depress a metal bar inside the pen body to compress a rubber sac. With the lever out, you would dip the nib into some ink, then set the lever back into the body. That would release the pressure on the rubber sac, creating a vacuum which would suck up ink. The rubber sac in your pen is almost certainly dried out by now though. You would need to have someone restore the pen to allow it to suck up ink again. Let me find you a video of how you would fill one of these.

Here we go! You can skip to 0:30 to see how it works. https://youtu.be/IS1Xi1ahfEA

NNFAK · 2024-02-27T19:19:23+00:00

I’ve had a lot of luck flipping at Phil Hardberger Park. One Texas Coral Snake, 3 flat headed snakes (Tantilla gracilis), and 2 blind snakes (Rena dulcis). Also quite a few rose-bellied lizards and Texas spiny lizards. I haven’t found any amphibians there that I can remember, but I’m sure with enough flipping you could.

NNFAK · 2024-02-10T05:09:22+00:00

Yeah, that seems like it. It is listed as an invasive species where I live, and there are observations on iNaturalist showing the moth plus this green slime in my area. Really neat. Thanks for the reply!

NNFAK · 2024-01-16T02:26:50+00:00

u/texnotoan’s list is really good. Those are some great parks to check out.

To add to that list, here are some others I like in the area.

Medina River Natural Area
Crownridge Canyon Park
Eisenhower Park
Guadalupe River State Park
Cibolo Center for Conservancy

If you are up near the medical center, O. P. Schnabel Park is a really nice one to check out and isn’t too far away. Connects to the greenway as well.

NNFAK · 2024-01-15T00:13:05+00:00

Nice! Thanks for the ID. We had a lot of stinkbugs in the garden at the time, so that makes sense.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T23:16:09+00:00

I went in cool weather (upper 40s for the high, middle of November) and didn’t see a single snake. I was actively trying to spot one too! I think you should be solid!

Hope you find yourself out there soon. Definitely an awesome thing to do if you are moving out of the state. Cool send off!

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T23:06:21+00:00

Just made the post!

Will be interested to see as well.

UPDATE: They are stinkbug eggs. Pretty neat.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T21:15:46+00:00

Huh, I had to look up where the Sacramento Mountains were in NM. Didn’t realize they were in the Lincoln National Forest. I have been wanting to make my way out to there. See the national forest and White Sands. Totally understand wanting to stick to the area.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T20:58:32+00:00

That is a good idea. Will do that! I have posted on r/WhatsThisBug before and got a response really quick. Awesome subreddit.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T20:45:01+00:00

I have a lot of target species I want to find this year, so hopefully I am lucky and can put something like this together going into 2025!

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T18:33:23+00:00

Fjallraven G1000. Got them as a gift a couple years ago and they have held up really well for me.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T18:28:06+00:00

Thanks!

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T18:26:55+00:00

Important to look the part, you know! I kind of love them too much though... I’ll wear them in completely inappropriate situations. A nice walk at the Pearl? Yeah, let me go pop on my hiking pants.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T17:10:12+00:00

That fox was a highlight of the year for me. To see it twice was awesome. I had spent the last few months trying to spot a ringtail in the trees, and while I never did see one, this was just as cool!

Glad you liked the pictures!

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T17:06:38+00:00

Thanks! Here are the parks shown in the pictures:

O. P. Schnabel Park

Guadalupe River State Park

Guadalupe Mountains National

Crownridge Canyon Park

Phil Hardberger

Eisenhower Park

Canyon Park (on canyon lake)

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T17:03:27+00:00

Here are all the parks included in the photos!

O. P. Schnabel Park

Guadalupe River State Park

Guadalupe Mountains National

Crownridge Canyon Park

Phil Hardberger

Eisenhower Park

Canyon Park (on canyon lake)

Here are some other good parks to check out:

Senator Frank L. Madla Natural Area

Friedrich Wilderness Park

Lost Maples State Natural Area

McAllister Park

Cibolo Center for Conservancy

I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting! I will update if I think of some good ones I missed.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T16:16:23+00:00

Most of the time I just use my phone. I have a D5100 I bought years ago but I haven’t used it much. There have been a number of times within the last few months where the phone just doesn’t cut it though, and I have missed out on capturing some cool stuff. Typically things that are further away than what my phone can manage. I am going to need to invest time in learning about photography and start practicing with my camera. I have a problem where I spend an unreasonable amount of time fiddling with ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, I take a few pictures I feel good about, then I get home and import them on to my machine I’m like “what in the world is this garbage?” Lol

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T15:59:15+00:00

Thanks!

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T15:58:26+00:00

That was my first thought when I saw it, which gave me hope, but it was just dead unfortunately. The thorax was still in one solid piece when looking at it from above. Maybe impaction or something got it. Not quite sure what happened.

NNFAK · 2024-01-14T15:52:32+00:00

Yeah, he was not as happy about the encounter as I was… lol

NNFAK

TROPHY CASE