You are what you eat

...or so I have heard. In the bush there is this wild pumpkin which grows in most places. They are about 4-6 inches in length and the vines often grow up into the trees.
I am not sure if they are edible to humans but the birds seem to love them too and this is usually one indication that we can eat them. They sometimes come in a more roundish shape like this and go orange when ripe.

What I found interesting was that this caterpillar took on the color of the ripened fruit in order for it to blend in.

A close-up of it but I cannot find it in my book so do not know if it belongs to a moth or a butterfly.

Dragonflies and butterflies.

So late in the season and I am still finding dragonflies and butterflies. Thank goodness!!

This is (Trithemis arteriosa) Red-veined Dropwing
Definitely looking for a mate here.
(Eurema brigitta) Broad-bordered grass yellow
(Cynthia cardui) Painted Lady

Fungi

We have some interesting looking fungi here and they are anywhere between very small and dinner-plate size.

A tapping beetle

This tapping beetle must think this is a meal fit for a king....at least for him anyway. :) This little fellow is about 1 1/2 inches long. They tap their rear ends on the ground then stop and listen to hear if some female taps back. WHAT a way to pick up a partner!! LOL!!

Fighting ants 2

Until I started doing macro / close-up photography, I never realized how many species of ants there are and rarely even noticed them (unless they got into my sugar bowl. LOL!!) One day I watched this fight between these two ants. It went on for about 20 minutes and eventually the one was so exhausted, it just let itself be dominated by the other. I am not sure what the fight was about , if it is two males, or a male and female.

Fruit Chafer Beetle

They are about 1 1/2 inches in length when fully grown and feed on fruit and flowers. This one was trying to hide away in the wall.

Then he fell down and gave me a good shot of what he looks like at the bottom. LOL!! Talk about a different view!!