Interesting Pandora-like plants I found...

[Raiden]

Originally Posted by iron_jones

Why. WHY DO YOU KNOW SO MUCH!?

I was in a hurry when I first posted it, but I've added the Latin name and the flower morphology identifiers, if you're interested.

[Cyvaris]

Is it bad that I want to go take pictures with the flower "floating" on my hand. It reminds me of something from a movie....I can't place it.

[Aketuan]

Nice flower Cyvaris!

here are some neat pics I took today:






I'm not sure whether the flying insect was being attacked by the hundreds of ants or what...but it managed to fly away after a minute.

[Raiden]

Originally Posted by Aketuan

Nice flower Cyvaris!

I'm not sure whether the flying insect was being attacked by the hundreds of ants or what...but it managed to fly away after a minute.

Cool.

Those are wood ants, Formica Pallidefulva. You are witnessing their yearly (sometimes several per year when resources are plentiful, and depending on species, colony genetics, etc.) mating flight.

Every spring, the queens and drones (fertile males and females) hatch from their pupae and prepare for the mating flight. Drones and queens from different colonies get together, and the drone mates with the queen. The drone dies soon after, and the queen leaves the area to establish a new colony; she has to move quickly, since she only has enough energy stored up for a few days, and her wings will fall off then too. Sometimes when a colony is sending out it's winged progeny, you will see a large crowd of ants surrounding a group of winged ants; these are workers and soldier helping the new queens and drones on their way and guarding them to help give them safe passage.

The bee, from what I can tell, is a Plaster Bee. Not 100% sure of the species, but it is likely Colletes Fulgidus. If it isn't, it's still almost certainly in the genus Colletidae. These bees, like many trues bees, are not social insects, but instead raise larvae in underground cells solitarily or in small groups. Fulgidus is of the solitary variety; it digs a small system of cells, and lays an egg in each, provisioning them with a small amount of pollen and/or nectar for food. The eggs hatch, the larvae eat the food, and pupate.

The adults usually die at this point, and the next generation of bees emerge in late spring and summer. Many bees live this way; Mason Bees, Digger Bees, and many more. Plaster Bees are named as such due to a habit of strengthening their nest chambers' walls with a sticky mixture of saliva, resembling the plaster used to construct walls with sheetrock and drywall in modern homes.

The wasp is a pollen wasp. Pollen wasps (Family Vespidae or Masaridae, depending on who you ask, but this one is in the genus Pseudomasaris) are unsual amongst wasps; they are not carnivorous, like many of the wasps in Vespidae (one of the reasons why they are considered to be in another family), but instead live much like the solitary bees; they dig a nest, and then lay one or several eggs, and feed the larvae with pollen and nectar. Other wasps raise their young in a similar fashion, but hunt for insects and spiders to feed them, instead of nectar or pollen. The adults still eat nectar, but the young are almost strictly carnivorous, making the Pollen wasp quite an oddity amongst its cousins.

Wasps and bees that live like this are common in high-altitude and desert biomes, due partly to the ease of burrowing in the often-sandy soil, and partly to the lack of resources; it would be more work to gather enough food for a growing colony than for just a few larvae, especially if that food consists of animal products instead of plant products.

Another interesting note is that all these insects are in order Hymenoptera; ants, bees, and wasps. Hymenoptera is latin for "membrane-wing", as the winged insects in this order have finely defined and robust membranes and highy-defined veins on their wings. It is also the only order that contains true social insects.

[CyanRachel]

Awesome plant/flower photos -- they're all so beautiful! Reminds one that we do have Pandora here on Earth (at least in some places).
And Irayo for sharing your awesome knowledge with us, Raiden!

[Human No More]

Originally Posted by Cyvaris

Me entire backyard is pretty much a jungle. I have all sorts of bizarre plants. The only thing in bloom right now is this hibiscus.





Yes it hangs upside down like that. Right now there is only the one flower, in about a month the whole tree will be covered with them.

There are also lots of Aloe plants that have pretty amazing blooms. They aren't as large as the other plant but are just as interesting. None are in bloom now but here is a nice set of photos I found online
photos of flecked or spotted aloes

Now that really looks like the plants from the night scene

[Moco Loco]

Originally Posted by Raiden

Another interesting note is that all these insects are in order Hymenoptera; ants, bees, and wasps. Hymenoptera is latin for "membrane-wing", as the winged insects in this order have finely defined and robust membranes and highy-defined veins on their wings. It is also the only order that contains true social insects.

What about termites?

[Raiden]

Originally Posted by Moco Loco

What about termites?

Damn...you caught me before I could fix it...

Termites belong in order Isoptera, and are the sole exception to what I said about social insects.

[Moco Loco]

Score!

[Cyvaris]

Originally Posted by Human No More

Now that really looks like the plants from the night scene

Well part of it is really terrible camera flare, the flower doesn't really glow like that. I personally think it looks more like the Seeds of the Sacred Tree then anything else. Actually the first time I saw I Avatar I went hey that looks like something in my yard...neat.

[Human No More]

I assumed it wasn't glowing - but just the colour in general.