Madagascar part XV

[pbertner]

1) Wasp queen (Ropalidia sp.) tending to brood:



2) Reed frog (Heterixalus sp.):



3) Ground chameleon (Brookesia decaryi):



4) Fly with entomopathogenic fungus:



5) Weevil with waxy extrusions (Lixus sp.):



6) Elephant ear chameleon (Calumma brevicorne):



7) Buprestid beetle (Polybothris sp.) with pumped up kicks:



8. Crab spider:



9) Weevil (Holonychus saxosus):



10) Boulenger's tree frog (Platypelis grandis):



Thanks for looking and commenting,
Paul

[rjlittlefield]

Very nice! I think you've just set a new "personal best" for number of outstanding images in one post. The wasp is great on all counts (composition, color, activity shown), and for me the beetles occupy that pleasant boundary between familiar and otherworldly.

--Rik

[pbertner]

Thanks for the kind words Rik, hopefully on my next trip I can break that record . It helps that all the critters I photograph are very photogenic.

Cheers,
Paul

[ChrisR]

Remarkable even for you.
Have you been to Magagascar more than once?

[pbertner]

Thanks Chris. I've been there twice. 5 months the first time and 4 months the second time. Fortunately it's a place that you can keep on returning to. Both those times I only visited 4-5 national parks and all in the North and East.

[christerb]

Wonderful light diffusion on the subjects. After having seen your photos here weevils have started to become big favorites for me, such interesting shapes and some have really nice colors too (which is apparent in this post).

Regards,

Christer