Favoritos de vita-sativum

4 flamingos in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Spent a few hours watching them from my kayak.

These photos were taken well outside the signs, and the flamingos did not appear spooked or disturbed by my presence.

Slide-mounted to confirm ID. Photos associated with the following publication in which mealybug reflex bleeding and lacewing dorsal packet loading is detailed: https://centerforsystematicentomology.org/insectamundi/1019_Powell_2023.pdf

Associated videos:
Dorsal packet loading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As95aTckQZs
Feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqBj1Tdtjp4
Lacewing deterred by reflex bleeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjWfO1jjlwQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atqNRImAWiY
Feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5AjjcL70zk
Videos also available:
https://archive.org/details/ceraeochrysa-claveri
https://osf.io/8t7sc/

Powell EC. 2023. Defensive behaviors of the mealybug Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell, 1893) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and the green lacewing Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás, 1911) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), with videos of dorsal packet loading and mealybug ostiole function. Insecta Mundi 1019: 1–11.

Lacewing observation here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192723734

Ovipositing on a dried flower

The California Lady Beetle (Coccinella californica) in the background of the first photo has its own observation here.

Disguised as a wilting white beggartick pedal. It proceeded to go full anime villan when I accidentally bumped its plant. It proceeded to stand up and turn towards me like it was upset since I gave away its position to the pollinating insect protagonist

Red-marked Pachodynerus Wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis) attacking a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar (Dione vanillae). I observed this wasp search for prey on a tangle of bean and passion vines, attack this caterpillar and fall to a fence below, and then fly to other spots (probably because I was disturbing it by photographing it) while it worked to subdue the caterpillar. The caterpillar struggled extensively, the wasp appeared to sting the caterpillar several times, and the wasp eventually appeared to begin chewing the caterpillar or perhaps repositioning its bite to carry the caterpillar more easily. This may be a new record of prey species for Pachodynerus erynnis, although I'm not sure about that.

The caterpillar has its own separate observation here.