Wee Crud Monster

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

Image(s)

Image Description

I noticed this little bit of crud moving against the wind on the deck railing so investigated. Never saw anything like it. IRL the whole little bit of stuff is 1/4 inch or less. Gardeners use lacewing nymphs as pest control so they can be beneficial. They gather and stick debris to themselves as camouflage. This is a series of photos of the bug picking up and moving what looks like a tiny seed onto its back with the rest of its crud.

Feedback Requests

It isn’t a web or a dam, but the insect does build these as to Caddis fly nymphs, so I hope it counts.

Pertinent Technical Details

Handheld, but with my hand directly on the railing for support.

Lr for all processing - mainly to get things sharp and smooth out luminosity. Texture and sharpening.

[kathrin (Kathrin Middelhoff)]

What an interesting behavior: carrying the hiding place around with them.

Fascinating documentary, Kris.

[Chris_Baird]

Absolutely fascinating. I’ve never seen anything like this. Few people would have even noticed. Kudos to you for noticing and capturing it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

Thanks @Chris_Baird & @kathrin - so glad you appreciate the tiny and the strange. This was definitely both. It won’t win a beauty contest, but I like the fact that I noticed it and had the luck to catch it adding to its cruddy camouflage.

[Mark_Seaver]

Kris, definitely a photo sequence showing the architect in action. Nice job on a tiny subject.