The Insect Arena

The Insect Arena I photograph insects/ other wildlife in their natural habitat. Not an entomologist. Go outside! Explore! Not affiliated with the bug fighting pages. No AI.

Nature enthusiast and nemophile (look it up- a great word!) with a passion for bugs.

This little ball of death could very easily be overlooked by a predator (or photographer) if it didn’t move. This one d...
09/11/2026

This little ball of death could very easily be overlooked by a predator (or photographer) if it didn’t move. This one did, however, and tipped me off to its presence. This is actually the larva of a Green Lacewing (Chrysopidae) carrying around bits and pieces of its victims and other debris stacked upon its back and held in place with special hairs (setae). Zooming in, you can see the legs, head, and huge jaws protruding out from underneath the pile. Very cool adaptation. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

I gotta say, I had higher hopes for this interaction, but these two voracious predators gave each other a pass that day....
08/27/2026

I gotta say, I had higher hopes for this interaction, but these two voracious predators gave each other a pass that day. I doubt the Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis) larva would’ve stood much of a chance had the other guy taken a stab with its proboscis. The Predatory Stink Bug (Asopinae) nymph I was almost certain was the Florida Predatory Stink Bug (Euthyrhynchus floridanus), but couldn’t find any images with the red shoulder spots. I did find several similar images of Tyrannocoris jole (awesome scientific name- no common name that I could find), and I’m pretty sure it’s one of those, instead. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

No dorsal shots of this Plant Bug (Miridae), but the antennae look like it's probably Coccobaphes frontifer, the only sp...
08/04/2026

No dorsal shots of this Plant Bug (Miridae), but the antennae look like it's probably Coccobaphes frontifer, the only species in its genus. I read in one place that it was a northeastern species, but Bugguide says it ranges down to FL. None of the other similar looking mirids I looked at had the red femur, black tibia, white tarsi combo this one has. Bright red warning coloration- probably tastes bad, maybe toxic- flew off before I could take a bite. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

I didn't fully capture the usually magnificent eye color here, but you can still make out the swirling pattern of the no...
07/31/2026

I didn't fully capture the usually magnificent eye color here, but you can still make out the swirling pattern of the normally vibrant metallic purple and green. The only other eyes that I can think of (I know there are others) that surpass the Black Soldier Fly in terms of attractiveness are those of many of the Deer Flies (Chrysopsinae)- and that is where my admiration of those little b@st@rds ends. This beneficial little wasp mimic was just chilling on the boardwalk railing. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

I usually don't even bother trying to get to species with any type of flies except for certain individuals that don't lo...
07/22/2026

I usually don't even bother trying to get to species with any type of flies except for certain individuals that don't look like anything else. Being that I'd never seen a Long-Legged Fly (Dolichopodidae) so brilliantly blue I decided to have a look at the other species on iNat. I think this has got to be a male Condylostylus mundus (Bugguide says the females are green), as I can't find anything else remotely close to the dazzling color on this one. March 2023. Largo Florida, USA.

Considering this spider belongs to the Long-jawed Orbweavers (Tetragnathidae), its "jaws" are decidedly average in size....
07/14/2026

Considering this spider belongs to the Long-jawed Orbweavers (Tetragnathidae), its "jaws" are decidedly average in size. Compared to some of the Stretch Spiders (Tetragnatha), who look like they'd have a hard time even holding their head up their chelicerae are so long, this one doesn't even look like it belongs in the same family. She makes up for it, though with spectacular coloration that will catch your eye no matter where her web is. It's especially stunning when the sun reflects off the silver on the abdomen. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

Most moths looking to hide out in the leaf litter are specially suited to blending in with the colors and textures of de...
07/13/2026

Most moths looking to hide out in the leaf litter are specially suited to blending in with the colors and textures of dead leaves. This isn't one of those. The snow white color of this Southern Milky Argyria Moth (Argyria lacteella) made it pop against the darker background of its attempted shelter and once it realized it was spotted, it immediately took off again. The range info on iNat has it from Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas, but the range map seems to have it pretty much confined to Florida. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

The oxymoron of the Damselflies (Zygoptera), this is a mating pair of Orange Bluets (Enallagma signatum). Despite the c...
06/28/2026

The oxymoron of the Damselflies (Zygoptera), this is a mating pair of Orange Bluets (Enallagma signatum). Despite the common name, the females aren't always orange. Some stay blue, some turn green, and some become a bit more yellowish than orange. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

A female Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) and what I think is an Alligatorweed Flea Beetle (Agasicles hygrophila). ...
06/28/2026

A female Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii) and what I think is an Alligatorweed Flea Beetle (Agasicles hygrophila). The Forktail looks so different from the one from a few days ago that I was a bit surprised that it turned out to be the same species. The female from the mating couple I previously posted was a blue morph, which looks exactly like another male (this may help the female to avoid "unwanted advances"). March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

An insect assortment frequenting the water flora of the small pond at this park. 1- A Long Legged Fly (Dolichopodidae),...
06/24/2026

An insect assortment frequenting the water flora of the small pond at this park. 1- A Long Legged Fly (Dolichopodidae), possibly some type of Condylostylus. 2- male Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). 3- mating pair of Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii). 4- A wasp-mimicking Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera). 5- Probably the Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), but not 100% on that one. There are many that look very similar. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

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